Each engagement framed by what was at stake, what role Evolve to Lead played, and what changed because the work happened.
Built MONSE from the ground up to a team of nearly fifty — designing the staffing structure, funding strategy, cross-sector partnerships, and operational framework that helped position Baltimore for long-term violence reduction. A pilot launched under Shantay Jackson's leadership later expanded throughout the city as Baltimore experienced significant reductions in violent crime.
Under Shantay's leadership, NOVPN's membership grew from 45 jurisdictions to over 90 in two years — establishing the Network as one of the field's leading peer-learning and infrastructure-building bodies for Offices of Violence Prevention. The annual and regional convenings became the field's primary gathering points. The Network's structural growth created political cover for member jurisdictions navigating leadership transitions and funding shifts, and positioned NOVPN as a credible interlocutor for federal partners shaping the next generation of violence reduction policy.
The engagement contributed to violence reduction planning and ecosystem development efforts across four Michigan jurisdictions and the state's broader CVI infrastructure. Local stakeholders gained shared frameworks and a clearer line of sight to state-level coordination. State leadership gained an operational partner with cross-sector experience and direct knowledge of how other states have built — and failed to build — durable violence reduction infrastructure. The work continues to inform Michigan's statewide approach.
The cases above span Baltimore, Michigan, Maryland, and the national OVP network. The patterns repeat. Reach out and let's talk through whether what worked in those contexts could work in yours.