The people side of systems change.
I partner with school systems, public agencies, foundations and community organizations on the parts of change that plans often leave out: how people work together, who has a voice in the design, and how everyone will know the work is making a difference.
School systems
Districts, county offices and school sites working on culture and climate, improvement plans, CSI, ATSI and TSI designations, or new school models.Funders & foundations
Foundations that need an evaluator or learning partner for a grant, network or initiative, with findings grantees recognize and trust.Agencies & organizations
Cities, counties, state agencies and nonprofits that need skilled facilitation, community engagement or strategy across groups with different stakes.
Hard conversations, held with care.
Progress slows when trust is low, decisions keep stalling, or harm has gone unaddressed. I design and lead sessions that help leadership teams, staff, boards and communities speak honestly, repair what needs repair and agree on what comes next. The approach draws on restorative practice and works in schools, nonprofits and public settings alike.
- Restorative circles, mediation and repair processes
- Leadership retreats, board sessions and strategic convenings
- Community engagement and public input processes
- Multi-session leadership development for school and nonprofit teams
- Wellbeing practice for staff and leaders
From the work
- Restorative practice in schoolsFounded the Listen and Leap Project with the El Dorado County Office of Education in 2019. The listening circle program now runs in five districts.
- Public engagementAs a Sacramento Redistricting Commissioner, helped lead a public process that drew more than 60,000 comments and produced new city council maps.
- Field resourcesCo-authored Guidebook for the People with Dr. Monica Ng, funded by The California Endowment and used by more than 100 practitioners.
- International practicePresented at the European Forum on Restorative Justice and the IIRP World Conference.
"I wasn't excited about spending 6 hours in a PD, but I'm so glad that I did."School staff member, culture and climate workshop
"This was probably the best training session I have been involved in throughout my career."Teacher, Yuba Water Curriculum and Teaching Project
"The amount of opportunity to participate instead of just listening."School staff member, on what they valued most
Design with the people who will live with the results.
Plans hold up better when the people affected help build them. I bring students, families, staff and community partners into the design process, then work with leadership to turn that input into strategy, programs and plans that boards can adopt and teams can carry out.
- Strategic planning, from early listening sessions through board adoption
- School and program design, including alternative and project-based models
- Cross-agency program design with public and community partners
- Curriculum design across content areas
- Design thinking training for leaders and teachers
From the work
- Cross-agency partnershipCo-developed county-wide curriculum and programming with Yuba Water Agency, Yuba County and the South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL), reaching more than 10,000 students and bringing Traditional Ecological Knowledge into classroom practice.
- School turnaroundAs a School Turnaround Facilitator with WestEd, led improvement planning with seven Priority Schools in Stockton Unified. API scores rose by as much as 38 points.
- New school designCo-founded University Prep High School in Detroit on the Big Picture Learning model. The school graduates more than 90% of its students.
- National school improvementCoached about 250 alternative high schools through the Gates Foundation's Alternative High School Initiative.
- Food systemsDesigned the GULFS youth leadership curriculum with Michael Fields Institute, piloted in Madison and Milwaukee schools, and helped the City of Davis launch California's first agrihood.
Learning what works, with the people doing the work.
Funders and leaders need evidence they can stand behind. Communities need findings that reflect their experience. I design evaluation and learning systems that serve both. Students, families and staff help shape the questions and interpret the results, and the reporting gives boards, funders and agencies what they need to make decisions.
- Networked improvement communities and learning networks
- Participatory and developmental evaluation
- Racial equity audits and reviews
- Site visits, program reviews and learning support for grant portfolios
- Data coaching for school, district and program teams, including the Data That Works series
From the work
- Networked improvementBuilt a networked improvement community in San Juan Unified that served more than 500 educators over seven years, including CSI, ATSI and TSI schools.
- Rural learning networkCo-direct the Rural Professional Learning Network: eight districts and four county offices in Northern California serving more than 10,000 students. One of six projects featured at SREE's 2026 Innovation Day, alongside NYC Public Schools and GBH.
- Civil rightsSubject Matter Expert for the California Department of Justice on racial discrimination and disproportionality in education.
- Policy researchCo-authored The Network Solution (Stanford PACE, 2018) on how rural district networks drive improvement.
- Food systems researchLed the Detroit site of a seven-city USDA food access study with UW–Madison, which helped secure $50,000 toward a people-owned grocery store. Co-authored "Uprooting Racism, Planting Justice in Detroit" in Good Food, Strong Communities (University of Iowa Press, 2022).
"This group holds me accountable for doing the work that we are here to do: to provide safe, positive, engaging, and transformational places for children to grow, learn, and become leaders of their own future."School leader, Rural Professional Learning Network
"By being a participant in the NIC process I became more thoughtful and strategic in my teaching. Meaningful change happens when we stay curious, use data to guide our decisions, and remain committed to meeting students where they are."Stephanie Jones, Teacher, Thomas Edison Language Institute, San Juan Unified School District
Most projects start with a short call about what you need. If it's a good fit, I'll follow up with a proposal that lays out the scope, timeline and cost.
Book a callStart here.
- Free virtual series. Notified, Not Terrified, for schools with CSI, ATSI, TSI or Differentiated Assistance designations; Data That Works, on collecting and using data your team can trust; and the quarterly Health and Wellness Check-in.
- Guidebook for the People, free to read.
- Monthly newsletter. Stories and tools from the work.
Do you only work with schools?
No. I also work with foundations, county and state agencies, city government, food justice organizations and community nonprofits.
Can you work within our procurement or grant process?
Yes. Nicodemus Ford LLC is a California-certified Small Business (Micro) and an approved vendor with California districts. I can serve as a prime contractor or subcontractor, and I can join a grant proposal as the evaluator or learning partner.
In person or virtual?
Both. I have offices in Sacramento and Kalamazoo, and I travel for in-person work.
What does it cost?
It depends on scope. Every proposal includes options at different price points.
How big does a project need to be?
Anywhere from a single school site or program to a multi-district or multi-agency network.
Let's talk about what you're working on.
or email nf@nicodemusford.org