Hi, I'm Rachel
I’ve spent much of my career working with people who care deeply about their communities and are trying to make things better. I’ve also seen how hard that work can be when there’s a lot to do, resources are limited, and everyone has a different idea of what needs to happen first.
I enjoy working through those challenges with people. Asking questions, understanding what’s happening, and figuring out what would actually help.
Over the past 20 years, my work has included bringing community partners together, developing programs, facilitating strategic planning, and improving how organizations operate. I’ve worked in community health, homelessness services, prevention, and nonprofit leadership and supported local efforts to strengthen Southwest Iowa
Across those experiences, I’ve learned that you need to understand the people and circumstances before deciding what should change. There’s usually more to the story than what shows up in a report or a meeting.
My background is in social work. I earned my bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and that perspective stays with me: how people work together matters, and so do the systems they’re working within.
Through Olive Branch Strategy, I help organizations sort through what needs attention and build a practical way forward. I want the work we do together to be useful—to help you make decisions, support your team, and follow through.
Why Olive Branch?
Olive is my maiden name, so the name is personal. The meaning fits, too. Connection, support, and helping people move forward are all part of what I hope to bring to this work.
I’m based in Iowa and work with organizations in Iowa and Nebraska, as well as remotely.
Let’s talk.
If there’s something you’re working through, I’d be glad to hear about it. Coffee & Clarity is a free, 60-minute conversation to talk it through and see whether I can help.
Areas of Experience
Good planning starts with understanding the work—and the people, relationships, and everyday realities that shape it. I bring experience across these connected areas, helping organizations and community partners turn complex challenges into practical next steps.
Collective Impact & Systems Change
Working across organizations takes shared purpose, trust, and clarity about who will do what. I help partners understand how their work connects, identify where systems are getting stuck, and build the relationships and processes needed to move forward together.
Community Health
Health care and community support often need stronger connections. My experience includes community health worker programs, models of care, and partnerships that help people access services. I help organizations design and strengthen the day-to-day practices that make those connections work.
Social Drivers of Health
Food, housing, transportation, and other everyday needs shape people’s health and ability to access care. I help organizations build practical responses to those needs, strengthen referral and follow-up processes, and understand whether people are getting the support they need.
Homelessness & Housing Stability
Finding and maintaining housing can involve navigating many organizations, requirements, and gaps in support. My experience includes coordinated entry, cross-sector partnerships, and service coordination. I help organizations clarify pathways, strengthen workflows, and work through barriers that make support harder to access.
Prevention
Prevention asks us to look at the conditions that contribute to harm and what it takes to change them. Drawing on experience in sexual violence prevention and statewide planning, I help partners develop shared priorities, design thoughtful strategies, and connect broad goals to action in their communities.
Child Care & Family Support
Reliable child care supports children, families, and the wider community. My experience includes community planning, fundraising, and leadership transitions in child care settings. I help organizations connect community needs with practical plans and the support needed to carry them forward.