"True governance isn't built from the top down—it is reclaimed from the roots up."
Rose Rodriguez‑Rabin, PhD (ABD)
Principal Consultant & Proximate Leader
My work is grounded in thirty years of grassroots governance, whether in the classroom or in the community, restorative justice, and the belief that those closest to the challenge are closest to the solution. As a justice-impacted woman of color, I move beyond "standard consulting" to build systems that are healing-centered, reclaimed, and community-owned.
The Foundation
I believe those closest to the challenge are closest to the solution. My approach combines 30+ years of academic rigor with high-level institutional experience at the Smithsonian to create strategies rooted in integrity and culture. Whether analyzing the evolving perspectives of today’s students or centering Native American Literature, my work is dedicated to elevating Persons with Lived Experience (PLE). I don’t just advocate for a "seat at the table"—I partner with communities to help them build the table themselves.
The Vision
Whether through circle-based facilitation in San Antonio or designing national governance models, my mission is Stewardship. We are building programs and leadership structures designed to outlast us—creating a legacy of equity and self-determination for the future.
Led by Experience & Academic Excellence
My leadership is rooted in:
30+ years of academic leadership, including extensive curriculum development and university teaching
Lived‑experience expertise in the criminal legal system, driving authentic restorative justice and trauma‑informed practice
Innovative, collaborative, and non‑hierarchical organizational development, especially in Indigenous/people of color and women’s nonprofits
National research experience with the Smithsonian Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage.
Rose Rodriguez-Rabin PhD (ABD), Principal Consultant
Trauma-Informed Practitioner l Certified Peer Counselor l Community Mental Health Specialist l PhD (ABD)
“It is my pleasure and honor to help you build systems that are self-determined, sovereign, healing-centered, and community-owned.”
Who I Am
For more than three decades, I have taught Native American and Chicana/o literature and composition, grounded in anthropology, sociology, and history. My work now centers on helping Indigenous and women’s nonprofits design clear governance, grant, and program structures that reflect their own values instead of replicating hierarchical models. I currently partner with nonprofits that support intimate partner violence healing, leadership development, and organizational capacity building.
How I Work With You
My practice is grounded in lived‑experience and community‑centered leadership (non‑hierarchical, relational governance), decolonized strategy, and trauma‑informed approaches. I am completing certification in trauma‑informed peer counseling and have obtained a Community Mental Health Specialist certification to better serve communities. My deep love of research was shaped by my affiliation with the Smithsonian Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage and sixteen years as President of the American Indian Council of Laredo—each an important learning opportunity.
Goals:
With clients, I aim to:
Create bios, scopes of work, grant narratives, and curricula rooted in honesty and truth.
Build decolonized, trauma‑informed nonprofit systems that are sustainable.
Integrate lived‑experience leadership without victim framing or pity.
Support Indigenous and women’s nonprofits in building long‑term, community‑rooted capacity.