Chrissy Macken

The ASLA SKILL | ED: How to Speak Developer three-part webinar series launches this week! Don’t miss your chance to strengthen your role in development conversations, from finance to zoning and community engagement. Course 3: Effective Communication and Engagement in the Development Process 🗓️ Live May 30 at 2:00 PM ET ⭐ 1.0 PDH (LA CES / non-HSW) Learn how landscape architects can navigate entitlements, build trust, and communicate clearly with agencies, developers, and communities. Key takeaways: • Steps and stakeholders in the entitlement process • How to tailor your message to different audiences • Strategies for building trust and translating regulations into design outcomes Featuring: Rebecca Leonard, FASLA, Founder, Lionheart Places LLC Moderated by: Han Zhang, ASLA, PLA, Principal, O2 Design Register for live or on-demand access: https://bit.ly/4dm0T00 #LandscapeArchitecture #ProfessionalDevelopment

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What if the gap in your program isn’t in your strategy—but in how you’re listening? I’m launching a beta cohort of the Responsive Program Design Lab—a 4-week experience for organizations ready to reimagine how they design programs with their communities, not just for them. This small group lab is for leaders who are: 🌀 Noticing gaps between intent and outcomes 🌀 Hearing feedback from community members—but unsure how to act on it 🌀 Committed to creating programs that reflect real needs and lived strengths Together, we’ll: ✅ Identify disconnects in your current design ✅ Explore how to build with community voice ✅ Draft a more inclusive and responsive program blueprint This beta experience includes weekly strategy sessions, 1:1 coaching, and shared learning with a small, trusted group. 📩 DM me “Design Lab” to learn more or join the beta. Let’s stop guessing—and start designing with alignment and care. #Belonging #OrganizationalCulture #Leadership #HR #CommunityDriven #MissionDriven #NonProfit #SocialServices

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Calling all Theory of Change practitioners, program designers, and impact leaders 👋 If you've ever sat through a meeting where someone proudly presents their "Theory of Change" and it's basically just a list of long-term goals, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Here's the hard truth I've learned from years of evaluation work: Most organizations don't actually have a Theory of Change. What they have is a vision statement with buzzwords. A real Theory of Change is NOT: ❌ Just your "what" (help X number of people, achieve Y impact); ❌ An abstract long-term goal; or ❌ A static document that only sits in a drawer or forgotten folder. A Theory of Change IS: ✅ Your detailed "how," including the specific mechanisms and pathways that connect your activities to your outcomes; ✅ A living roadmap that includes the assumptions and conditions necessary for success; ✅ Honest about risks and challenges with concrete mitigation strategies; and ✅ Grounded in the messy reality of implementation. Here's what I see way too often: An organization claims their Theory of Change is that "500 people will complete our program, which will automatically create major systems change." This isn't a Theory of Change, this is wishful thinking with no substance. 💡 What they SHOULD be answering: • How will participants actually benefit from the program? • What specific changes happen in individuals that ripple outward? • What conditions need to exist for this to actually work? • What do you need from partners, funders, and the community? • What could go wrong, and how will you adapt? What's your take? Have you seen the same disconnect between Theory of Change rhetoric and reality? #TheoryOfChange #Evaluation #ImpactMeasurement #NonProfit #SocialImpact #ProgramDesign

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DEI isn’t a check-the-box exercise, it’s a strategic imperative for serving communities equitably. Public sector agencies that embed DEI in performance evaluations, reporting, and goal-setting earn trust and drive sustainable public value. Your approach: -Build DEI metrics into annual goals and leadership evals. -Link inclusive performance to mission outcomes: equitable access, community trust. -Be transparent about progress: results count, not rhetoric. What’s one DEI metric that could move the needle on mission impact in your organization?

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