Discovering new connections, cultivating communities, and building coalitions. That’s my commitment and passion in work and life.
For several decades, I’ve brought people together in service of something different — a reimagining of how we creatively build organizations, movements, and ecosystems rooted in justice, wellbeing, and connection.
This philosophy came to life when I founded the Insight Garden Program (now Land Together) at San Quentin, transforming the lives of people in prison through connection to self, community, and the natural world. As Executive Director — and in collaboration with staff and partners — we expanded to 12 additional prisons across California, launched an advocacy initiative to broaden in-prison programming, and co-created a reentry program to support people transitioning home.
I draw on the same values and experience that underpinned IGP’s growth in my current consulting practice — using a holistic and inclusive approach to organizational/ecosystem change and effectiveness.
My systems approach is grounded in the ecological principles of networks, nested systems, cycles, flows, development, and dynamic balance. These guide how I support organizational design, leadership, strategy, and culture in ways that foster interconnected, resilient, and values-aligned outcomes.
Working within and across organizations, institutions, coalitions, and funders, I guide processes to move from fragmentation to cohesion — creating space for responsible, sustainable solutions that benefit people and the planet. My process includes:
Magic happens when the conversations shift from problems to possibilities; fear and faults to gifts and opportunities; and from oversight to the inclusive reweaving of our social and ecological fabric.
See more about my services and clients here, feel free to visit LinkedIn profile, or email me at bethwaitkus [at] gmail.com
Beth Waitkus 