About Shanae’

Shanae’ Calhoun is the founder and CEO of Willow Consulting. Her purpose is to work with organizational leaders who need clarity in their mission, vision, and purpose and who want to invest in their team’s leadership development.

She has 14 years of experience building people-power as a community organizer, building an organization to have a healthy board of directors and budget, and managing three to four staff at a time. In 2019, Shanae’ took a sabbatical from her full time employment as a community organizer to study the Biblical principle of “Shabbat.” The sabbatical helped her discovered the Power of Pause and a refreshing of her purpose. But looking around, so many of her colleagues were burnt out, unhappy, and ready to quit. So, Willow Consulting was born.

Education & Experience

  • Bachelor in Sociology from Florida State University

  • Eleven years of experience in community organizing in the DART Network

  • Actively coaching non-profit staff and faith leaders to building grassroots movements to address poverty and injustice in their local communities

Honors

In 2018 Shanae' was selected to be part of Leadership Greater Topeka which identifies outstanding leaders from the community and teaches the participants aspects of leadership. She was also one of the 2019 Topeka Top 20 Under 40 honorees for her volunteerism and leadership in Topeka. In addition to this honor, in 2019, Shanae' was one of 8 Topeka community leaders selected by the Mayor's office to represent the City at the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative and served on the Executive Committee of Momentum 2022.

On a national level, Shanae’ was in the inaugural class of Power 50. This fellowship provides leadership development and creates liberated spaces for women of color who are community organizers. Community Change, a national organization and the home of Power 50, awarded Shanae’ the Emerging Change Champion Award in 2019. 

Professional Initiatives

Because of Shanae's desire to see more communities transformed by community action, she founded Willow Consulting in 2020. Her vast knowledge of organizing people and developing effective leaders will advance countless movements to the next level.