Why Us?
We are change consultants with deep expertise in building cultures of belonging to strengthen engagement, connection and commitment in groups and organizations.
This takes more than training or professional development. We bring models, tools and guidance for embedding belonging into your organizational culture, with immediate impact.
Together we have a combined 18 years of experience building belonging, and have worked with nearly 150 organizations and thousands of individuals across the country to foster a culture of belonging.
Culture of belonging principles and tools are based on the community building framework of our partners at the Varda Institute for Community Building, and were adapted and tested at the San Francisco-based Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund, in partnership with hundreds of organizations and leaders. We also work closely with Lindsey Newman of Be’chol Lashon to develop specific applications for organizations working on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging initiatives.
Our team
Wendy Verba (she/her), Founder and Principal
Wendy has been transforming teams and communities for as long as she can remember, forging cohesive groups that achieve shared goals. She brings that expertise to organizations across the country as the Founder of Belonging by Design, and as a former Senior Consultant for the Varda Institute for Community Building. Wendy blends her unique experience in philanthropy, workforce policy, campaign politics, and business journalism with deep expertise in belonging and team development. She led a flourishing culture of belonging movement through the San Francisco-based Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund, helping hundreds of organizational leaders create systemic approaches to belonging for diverse populations. As Managing Director of Community Impact, Wendy led the Federation’s engagement strategy along with a multi-million dollar grantmaking portfolio and an international team of twenty-five. Wendy has designed and led hundreds of trainings for thousands of people, and facilitated numerous teams working to improve organizational alignment, engagement and performance. Wendy was a Wexner Heritage Fellow, an M2 Relational Engagement Cohort participant, and served on the boards of UpStart and the Peninsula JCC. She and her husband live in Northern California, where they’ve found meaning raising their three children, dancing and cycling with friends, and participating in Burning Man.
Julie Golde (she/her), Senior Consultant
Julie is passionate about building communities that are greater than the sum of their parts–where each person’s uniqueness is celebrated and essential. After 20 years working in a variety of leadership roles in the Bay Area non-profit sector, Julie launched her consulting practice in 2019, focusing on research, planning, organizational development, and most of all, the “art and science” of creating belonging and community within organizations and groups of all kinds. As part of the Jewish Federation’s Culture of Belonging team, Julie designed and led a two-year change cohort of nine Bay Area independent schools seeking to strengthen belonging during the pandemic. She also served as a senior consultant to the Varda Institute for Community Building. During her tenure as Senior Director of Community Impact at the San Francisco-based Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund, Julie led a team of 20 people, where she created structures and practices for all to shine and grow, developing a highly effective and engaged group of colleagues. Julie was the lead professional guiding the pivotal 2018 community study, A Portrait of Bay Area Jewish Life and Communities, which opened the door for new perspectives on creating Jewish community, especially what it means for a young, diverse population to feel belonging. Julie volunteers in her local high school’s college essay tutoring program, where she supports many first-generation to college students in bringing their unique gifts and stories to the page. Julie lives in Berkeley, California. She loves to hike, bake, practice yoga and dance salsa. And, she is mom to two wonderful young adult children.
Jacqueline Shelton (she/her), Senior Consultant
Jackie is dedicated to building deep and authentic connections that create powerful results for mission-driven communities and workplaces. She combines this passion with her diverse experience in the corporate, government and nonprofit sectors to support her clients in achieving lasting culture change. A skilled facilitator and consultant with the Culture of Belonging team at the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund, Jackie brought belonging expertise to the San Francisco Interfaith Council, Congregation Emanu-El, Sinai Memorial Chapel, The Jewish Community High School of the Bay and the Varda Institute of Community Building, where she served as a Senior Consultant. Prior to her focus on culture change work, Jackie worked on legislative issues for a Los Angeles city councilmember and spent a decade at The Walt Disney Company acquiring intellectual property rights for theme park attractions. She was a Coro Fellow, served as a past board member of the San Francisco Jewish Community Federation, and represents the Bay Area as a Wexner Heritage Alumni National Delegate. Jackie founded the Hardly Strictly Jewish Women’s Group, a vibrant weekly online discussion and challah-baking circle. She lives in San Francisco with her husband and children, enjoys sending handwritten cards to family and friends and treasure-hunting for vintage jewelry.