Work & Approach

I approach communication as an opportunity for transformation. The ultimate goal of my work is to build connection, empathy, and openness to ideas that have the potential to make the world a more united, harmonious, and enjoyable place to live.

I have been a student and practitioner of storytelling and communication for most of my life. I believe in my expertise and I believe in operating with the humility of a novice. My practice is rooted in special care for mindful listening, alignment and inclusion, thoughtful analysis, audience engagement, innovative strategy, creative ideas, and high impact content.

HOW I SUPPORT CLIENTS

Messaging & Narrative Development
Clarifying identity, value, and voice; developing messaging; translating complex ideas into compelling language; and helping organizations communicate why their work matters.

Audience Strategy & Engagement
Understanding audience motivations, barriers, and pathways to engagement; designing approaches that move from awareness to action.

Communications Strategy
Aligning communications priorities with organizational goals; integrating strategy across programs, channels, consultants, and teams; reducing fragmentation and overwhelm.

Executive Communications
Supporting executives, founders, and senior leaders in clarifying vision, strengthening public voice, navigating organizational change, and communicating effectively with stakeholders, staff, partners, and key audiences.

Facilitation, Synthesis & Strategic Direction
Facilitating stakeholder conversations, synthesizing complexity, identifying strategic gaps and opportunities, and helping organizations navigate competing priorities.

Thought Leadership & Public Narrative
Developing strategic narratives, thought leadership positioning, public-facing messaging and assets that strengthen visibility, influence, engagement, and relevance.

Learn More

Narrative Change

Fuel your communications to ignite enduring change

Strategic Communications

Experience to lead planning & build teams

Creative Content

Imaginative writing, multimedia production, campaigns & events

Sharda has worked with

“Sharda is simply amazing. I call her the client whisperer because she knows how to enter a high-pressure situation with seemingly impossible deadlines and create systems that both get the job done and calm everyone down. If Sharda says ‘I got it,’ you know that it’s taken care of. Sharda is also one of the best communicators and keenest listeners that I’ve met in 20+ years of journalism. She has a gift for taking in what people are saying, harvesting the most useful parts and combining them with the views of others, for a total package.”

Akiba Solomon, former Senior Editorial Director, Colorlines.com

"I had the enormous pleasure of working with Sharda in her role at DPA and then hiring her as consultant. Sharda's work is consistently thoughtful, thorough, and innovative. As a consultant, she showed enormous flexibility and sensitivity to the specific needs we had, modifying her approach and materials to suit our audience. She was prompt, often beating deadlines, and went above and beyond the scope of her contract. Sharda is a skilled and talented presenter, able to keep folks engaged and adapt to their needs on the fly. Her communications expertise and skills are unmatched."”

- Jules Netherland, Managing Director, Dept. of Research & Academic Engagement
Drug Policy Alliance

"Sharda is one of the most effective communications professionals I know. She has great judgment, is an excellent manager, and can keep track of a million details while focused on the big goals. She’s also an excellent writer and has consistently progressive politics. She’s fun and creative to work with, as well as conscientious. Highly recommend!"”

– Rinku Sen, Executive Director
Narrative Initiative

“Sharda Sekaran has keen instincts on the intersection of organizational development and communications strategy. She build narratives effortlessly but also knows how to create the infrastructure within an organization to move them. She is an inherently collaborative thinker and knows how to build off the strengths of any group of people. Sharda has the rare gift of helping an organization deliver a simple message effectively within a complex strategy and situating both perfectly in relation to one another. I recommend her without reservation.”
– Cathy Albisa, former Executive Director, Partners for Dignity and Rights

“Sharda is a master at supporting people to tell their story in ways that create maximum impact for social justice. As a communication strategist, she has an impressive portfolio of campaigns that have advanced the drug policy reform movement. Best of all she is an excellent collaborator and joy to work with.”
– Piper Anderson, Founder of Create Forward | Storyteller | Consultant | Facilitator