Chanda J. Epps Consulting, LLC

08/21/2026

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to tap into my past experience as a former nonprofit founder. My nonprofit was created because of my love of creating art experiences for youth that allowed them to explore their creativity as an outlet for expression. For six years, I led an organization where I wrote grants, developed programs, managed budgets, and was also responsible for making sure the work happened.

I channeled all of that while facilitating the Grant Readiness Essentials virtual workshop for the Newport News Office of Community Safety. This session emphasized that before you begin grant writing, be sure to assess your organization’s readiness and capacity.

I enjoyed sharing examples from my own grant-writing experiences, strategies for breaking down a funding opportunity, and lessons I learned from being responsible for delivering the work described in those proposals.

Special thank you to the Newport News Office of Community Safety for inviting me to facilitate this session. I’m also grateful to everyone who participated, asked questions, and contributed to the conversation.

07/29/2026

This 2015 memory popped up today! This is a huge part of my history and leadership legacy as a former Title I coordinator of family engagement. Not too many people can say they have over 20 years of leadership experience in family & community engagement. In 2015, I transitioned my team from parent involvement to family engagement. That was a challenging process but a necessary shift that enhanced our work and impact.

During this interview, I spoke about a districtwide back to school event in collaboration with several community partners. I was always creating and thinking of new ways to serve my team, my families and community. I'm grateful for memories like this. They remind me of where I started and also allow me to see the growth and grace on my life and throughout my career.

On this edition of Wired In, we meet Chanda Epps, the Title I coord...

07/14/2026

Summer offers a natural opportunity to reset.

I'm excited to share something I've been working on.
Earlier this year, I facilitated a session called The Architecture of Light during a leadership conference. The feedback I received inspired me to develop it into a group life coaching experience.

This three-month virtual group coaching experience is an opportunity to reset with intention as you prepare for your next season.

Here's our journey:

July (Pause)
Take an honest look at where you are, what's shaping your life, and what deserves your attention.

August (Reflect)
Explore the beliefs, habits, priorities, and relationships that influence how you live and where you may want to make intentional shifts.

September (Build)
Identify the practices and next steps that will help you continue living with greater intention beyond our time together.

I'll guide a small group of women through reflection, conversation, and coaching. As this is a pilot experience, participant feedback will help me continue refining and strengthening the program.

If you've been looking for an intentional way to reset before the fall, I'd love for you to join us.

Registration for this free pilot experience closes this Friday.

The interest form is linked in the comments.

07/01/2026

After sharing a recap from a recent family engagement leadership session, I received this comment:

“You provided them the opportunity to truly reflect on what they’d like their families to experience and a blueprint to begin to cultivate it.”

This comment speaks to something I believe deeply about family engagement work. It should move leaders beyond planning the next activity and help them think intentionally about the experience they are creating for families.

Before schools can strengthen family engagement, they need clarity about the experience they want families to have. A meaningful blueprint begins with understanding what families see, hear, and experience every time they interact with the school. Those everyday interactions communicate far more than we often realize.

That is where engagement becomes more than programming. It becomes intentional design.

When schools are clear about the experience they want families to have, they can begin aligning their communication, relationships, events, feedback loops, and systems to support it.

If we want families to feel connected, valued, and engaged, we have to be intentional about the experiences we create and the systems that support them.

07/01/2026

When I travel, I pay close attention to the experiences people create. I’m always curious about what makes certain places memorable.

One of our first stops in Savannah was Clary’s Café for brunch. From the walk there to the atmosphere inside, it set the tone for our visit.

What stood out to me wasn’t just the food, although it was excellent. It was the warmth of the space, the way the staff greeted regulars, and how quickly my daughter and I settled in.

As I reflected on the experience, I found myself thinking about what made it so memorable.

It wasn’t one thing. It was the way every element worked together. The welcome, the interactions, the environment, and the attention to detail all communicated the same message: You belong here.

Whether it’s a restaurant, a school, a nonprofit, or a business, people begin forming impressions the moment they arrive. Long before a meeting begins, a presentation starts, or a service is delivered, they are already noticing the environment, the interactions, and the attention to detail.

The experiences people remember are rarely shaped by one moment. They are shaped by the many intentional decisions that come together to create a lasting impression.

What are people experiencing the moment they walk into your space?

06/18/2026

06/18/2026

One of the questions we explored during a recent family engagement session was where engagement has to happen.

For many schools, engagement is centered around the school building. While schools are important gathering spaces, they are not the only places where relationships can be built and family perspectives can be shared.

Several years ago, I designed a Community Hubs initiative that moved family engagement conversations into local community spaces. What I found was that the change in environment often changed the conversation. Families felt comfortable sharing their perspectives, asking questions, and connecting with one another in ways that felt natural and authentic.

That experience reinforced an important lesson for me. Accessibility is about more than location.
It is about creating experiences where families feel comfortable sharing their perspectives and know those perspectives matter.

When families feel comfortable participating, new perspectives emerge, trust deepens, and partnership becomes possible.

Strengthening family engagement requires us to think beyond attendance and consider whether we are creating spaces where families feel welcomed, valued, and heard.