Strategic Planning Facilitator

I help leadership teams cut through the noise, clarify direction, and walk away with strategic plans that are actually actionable.

Strategy Sessions That Don’t Just Talk—They Decide

A lot of planning sessions generate ideas. Fewer generate alignment. Even fewer generate real commitment to execution. That’s where I come in.

As a seasoned strategic planning facilitator, I create experiences where teams don’t just brainstorm—they align, prioritize, and commit. I help executive teams and boards surface what’s essential, name the real barriers, and structure a strategy that the organization can actually implement.

Why Bring in a Strategic Planning Facilitator?

Even great teams struggle to step back, see the full picture, and make tough calls when they’re in the thick of execution.

As an external facilitator, I bring structure, objectivity, and real-time insight that helps groups go deeper, faster—without spinning out or skating past the hard parts.

I’ve facilitated strategic planning for:

  • Nonprofits preparing for growth or leadership change

  • Boards aligning around vision and execution

  • Executive teams in high-growth or re-org moments

  • Cross-functional teams navigating complexity or mission creep

  • “Members of my Board of Directors are telling me that the planning retreat Shane and his team designed and facilitated for was truly a wonderful experience and the most productive RBFF gathering they have ever been to. I couldn’t agree more.”

    — Dave Chanda, President & CEO, Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation

  • “Investing in continuous learning and up-skilling is critical for personal and organizational growth. I’ve been a CEO for many years, yet since I invested in working with Shane, I find myself scaling my own value to my business. Our executive team will climb higher mountains thanks to subtle but crucial calibrations resulting from working with Shane.”

    — Virgil Bretz, CEO, MacroHealth

  • “Shane’s approach to facilitation is thorough, and his style is energetic. He can keep a tough group of busy, hard-charging people moving and really drive to consensus. He is excellent.”

    — Faryar Shirzad, Chief Policy Officer, Coinbase

What Strategic Planning With Me Looks Like

No two sessions are identical—but the approach is always grounded, human, and focused on movement.

Here’s the arc:

  1. Discovery
    We clarify your goals, context, and decision points. I meet with key players and gather just enough insight to design the right flow.

  2. Design and Prep
    I craft a structured facilitation plan—including exercises, framing, and visuals—to guide your team through honest, productive work.

  3. Facilitation
    I lead your team through a strategic experience that sparks clarity, debate, commitment, and a shared view of what’s next.

  4. Synthesis and Support
    I capture outcomes, advise on next steps, and—if needed—help you translate planning decisions into execution frameworks.

When to Bring Me In

You’ve got a big retreat coming up and need it to produce more than slides.

  1. Your board or exec team keeps circling the same strategy debates.

  2. Your plan is outdated, unclear, or sitting on a shelf.

  3. You’re growing fast and priorities are blurring.

  4. You’re overdue for real alignment—and ready to get there.

Here’s how I help.

  • Executive Coaching

    For C-suites and senior managers

    Unlock new mindsets and methods to inspire teams, equip them to lead change, and actually hold them accountable for results.

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  • Management Consulting

    For nonprofit leadership teams

    Devise and lead change in response to intractable organizational challenges, aligning strategy and function for mission delivery.

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  • Board Consulting

    For nonprofit boards of directors

    Sharpen focus on those activities and areas that deliver the absolute highest value to management of the organization you govern and serve.

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  • Planning Facilitation

    For boards, coalitions, and more

    Have structured, disciplined conversations about where your organization needs to go, how it will get there, and what measurable outcomes it will achieve.

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  • Strategic Communications

    For senior teams that need to break through

    Craft and deliver messages and narratives to favorably influence staffs, policymakers, and other stakeholders, in change-leadership scenarios and far beyond.

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  • Fractional Executive

    For short-term leadership needs

    Occasional interim or fractional executive leadership for organizations that need someone to engage easily, learn quickly, and bring a facilitative-leadership touch.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • Who do you facilitate strategic planning for?
    Executive teams, boards, nonprofits, and mission-driven businesses ready to align and act.

  • Do you only work with nonprofits?
    No—I work with both nonprofit and private-sector organizations when clarity and alignment are needed.

  • What makes your facilitation different?
    I don’t just guide discussions—I help teams make decisions and build strategies that actually move.

  • How long is a typical engagement?
    Anywhere from a half-day to multi-day sessions, plus prep and optional follow-up.

  • Do you do virtual facilitation?
    Yes—planning sessions can be virtual, hybrid, or in-person, depending on your needs.

  • Can you help us write the final plan?
    Yes—I can help capture key outcomes and translate them into a working strategic framework.