About the Wit & Wisdom Collaborative
A consulting practice rooted in clarity, connection, and collective transformation.
Hello
I’m Charmaine,
I walk alongside purpose-driven leaders who are ready to pause, look back and within, and discover the clarity and alignment needed to lead with authenticity and sustainable impact.
After more than 20 years weaving equity and justice through diverse sectors—from federal government to nonprofit research to philanthropic strategy and grantmaking—I’ve learned this: transformation begins when we create space to ground ourselves, align our inner wisdom with our outward action, and honor the connections between people and the systems they create.
When leaders bring body, mind, and heart into alignment with their purpose:
- Communication flows with clarity
- Strategies gain authentic traction
- Time and energy return
- Teams feel engaged and empowered
As Chief of Equity & Culture at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, I managed over $150 million in strategic grantmaking and pioneered frameworks for systemic change. I designed and implemented initiatives that transformed systems and elevated grassroots leadership—both in the U.S. and abroad. Through this work, I witnessed how the most sustainable change happens when leaders pause long enough to align their strategy with their deepest values.
Today, I create space for leaders and teams to do exactly that. Drawing on insights from all three sectors and integrating tools like the Enneagram with reflective practice, I guide discovery processes that honor where you’ve been, clarify where you are, and illuminate where you’re called to go.
You are the lead in your journey. I’m here to walk alongside you—creating space for the alignment, clarity, and purposeful leadership you’re seeking
"True transformation occurs when leadership honors, and moves with, heart and strategy."
My Journey
Professional Experience
My career has been shaped by policy, purpose, and impact. After earning my Ph.D. in Political Science and Higher Education Policy from Claremont Graduate University, I spent the next two decades immersed in the heart of policymaking—on Capitol Hill and beyond. From shaping educational initiatives at the U.S. Department of Education to serving with the U.S. House Appropriations Committee and the Congressional Research Service, each role deepened my expertise in policy, planning, and strategy.
These experiences uniquely position me to navigate complex systems and turn ideas into meaningful, measurable change.
Alliance for Excellent Education (Washington, DC)
Developed and guided comprehensive policy and research agenda focused on advancing equitable opportunities and access to transformative learning experiences, with particular emphasis on supporting marginalized students and communities.
Learning Policy Institute (Washington, DC)
Founded and led DC office as inaugural director, building diverse 10+-member team of researchers, policy influencers, communications staff and interns, with intentional focus on centering women and people of color in evidence-based education policy leadership.
William and Flora Hewlett Foundation (Menlo Park, CA)
Lead foundation's comprehensive commitment to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and racial justice across $150 million in strategic grantmaking and internal operations, centering the needs of those most affected by systemic inequities, across the globe.
Client Success
Real voices. Real breakthroughs. Real results.
Charmaine worked with my team to help us understand our own enneagram results, each other’s results, and our team results. She has engaged us in several full team sessions that have strengthened how we work together. I have been impressed by how she successfully designed each session to build on prior sessions and the evolving needs of my team. In addition, Charmaine brings deep listening and observation skills that enhance her expert facilitation.
My
Approach:
I believe true transformation occurs when leadership honors and moves with heart and strategy. That is why my approach blends both practical strategy with deep self-awareness. Drawing from tools like the Enneagram, I help leaders and teams align what they do with how they do it.
Together we will collaborate to:
Clarify
Clarify purpose and strategy so every action reflects your values.
Strengthen
Strengthen communication, collaboration and trust, both in yourself and across your team.
Build
Build structures and systems that support full engagement and lasting impact.
My Promise to You
1.
I will create space for you to ground yourself and discover your own wisdom. Every conversation begins with pausing—creating room to bring body, mind, and heart into alignment. You can expect deep listening, transparency, and curiosity as we explore both the clarity and the complexity of your leadership journey together.
2.
I will walk alongside you as you align who you are with how you lead. You are the lead in this process; I’m here to guide and support. Together, we’ll explore the space between purpose and strategy, the inner and the outer. Using tools like the Enneagram alongside reflective practices grounded in equity and systems thinking, you’ll discover how to bring your full self—and your deepest values—into every decision you make.
3.
I will honor both the vision and the practice. Transformation requires insight and integration. My role is to create space and offer tools that enable leaders to look back and within to find clarity and direction for the future.
Let's Get Started
Let’s begin a conversation about where you are, where you want to go, and what alignment could look like along the way. Fill out the form and I’ll be in touch soon.