Strategic Communications Coaching for Systems Leaders

Overview

As a systems coach for Rotary Charities of Traverse City, I led the development of a strategic audience framework for the Organic Waste Diversion Initiative, an effort to increase composting participation and reduce landfill waste across Northern Michigan.

The initiative needed a clear, actionable communications strategy that could engage diverse audiences, from environmentally minded residents to government officials and industry partners.

My Role

I met weekly with the core team to do the following:

• Stakeholder mapping and audience research

• Developed stakeholder avatars to guide targeted communication and supported the team to prioritize

• Built a framework to guide message development and outreach tools

Organic waste diversion faces multiple systemic barriers, limited awareness, infrastructure gaps, and competing social priorities. The initiative needed a unified strategy to connect diverse groups, from environmentally minded residents to elected officials and industry representatives.

The Approach

We worked together to create a series of audience avatars that captured motivations, values, and communication preferences across key stakeholder groups.

Each profile informed tailored outreach strategies, ensuring that messaging resonated with both emotional and practical drivers of behavior.

The Outcome

• Developed a full suite of audience personas guiding engagement and messaging

• Established a clear roadmap for outreach, partnership, and education efforts

• Positioned the initiative for pilot campaigns and cross-sector collaboration

This work reframed waste diversion as not just an environmental task, but a community opportunity. The resulting strategy now helps SEEDS and partners engage more effectively with residents, governments, and businesses to build a circular, regenerative local economy.