Supporting the Changemakers Among Us
Leadership isn't just about a title. It's about creating the conditions where people, organizations, and communities can thrive.
For more than 20 years, I've partnered with nonprofit executives, foundation leaders, educators, public servants, and community builders to strengthen leadership capacity, facilitate meaningful conversations, and help organizations navigate complexity with greater clarity and purpose.
I often describe my work simply:
I support the changemakers among us.
Every leader is different. Every organization is unique.
Rather than offering one-size-fits-all solutions, I partner with clients to create experiences that build leadership capacity, strengthen relationships, and inspire meaningful action.
Leadership and Team Coaching
Leadership is deeply personal. I work one-on-one with leaders and alongside teams to help them navigate leadership challenges, strengthen relationships, and move through complexity. Coaching provides a trusted space to build greater self-awareness, clarify values, approach difficult decisions with confidence, and lead with authenticity and purpose.
Custom Workshops, Retreats & Group Facilitation
Purposefully designed retreats, workshops, leadership programs, and learning experiences that give leaders and teams space to reflect, reconnect around shared purpose, and make meaningful progress. As a third-party facilitator, I help teams build trust, create alignment, work through complexity, and move toward clear decisions and action.
Keynote Speaking and Moderating
I help groups elevate important topics, ask better questions, and engage in meaningful conversations. Whether delivering a keynote or moderating a discussion, I bring thoughtful preparation, active listening, and clear synthesis to help audiences connect ideas and uncover new insights.
My goal is simple: create conversations that are engaging, purposeful, and worth continuing.
Search Support Services
Drawing on experience in executive search and leadership development, I offer a “search lite” approach to help organizations navigate hiring moments and leadership transitions. This includes clarifying the role and its responsibilities, assessing candidates, designing an effective interview process, and supporting the onboarding of the new leader.
The right support depends on your goals and the moment you are navigating. Let’s start with a conversation about what you need and whether I might be a helpful partner.
My Philosophy
My work supporting leaders has always been rooted in relationships.
I believe effective leadership begins with self-awareness, thoughtful reflection, and a commitment to aligning our actions with our values. Whether someone is seeking to better understand themselves, gain clarity around a challenge, navigate organizational complexity, or deepen their understanding of the people they lead, meaningful growth begins with the willingness to pause, reflect, and ask better questions.
Much of my work involves asking catalytic questions, listening deeply, and creating space for honest dialogue. I often say:
“Sometimes the answer to a question is a better question.”
When leaders develop a deeper understanding of themselves and the context in which they lead, they are better equipped to show up with confidence, clarity, and purpose. And that has a ripple effect—strengthening teams, organizations, and ultimately, communities.
For me, this work is not transactional. It is relational, intentional, and grounded in the belief that meaningful leadership growth begins with connection—and grows from there.
My Background
Over the past two decades, I've had the privilege of serving in leadership roles across philanthropy, nonprofit organizations, higher education, executive search, and civic initiatives.
Highlights include:
Principal, Ballinger Leafblad Executive Search
Grantmaking Director, Bush Fellowship at the Bush Foundation
Director, James P. Shannon Leadership Institute
Program Manager, Neighborhood Leadership Program, Amherst H. Wilder Foundation
Adjunct Professor, University of St. Thomas
Leadership Curriculum Consultant for the Saint Paul Area Chambers’ Leadership Saint Paul program
Leadership coach, facilitator, and consultant serving nonprofit, public, educational, and community organizations throughout Minnesota
Civic & Community Leadership
My leadership work extends beyond my professional work. Throughout my career, I've served on nonprofit boards, public commissions, and community initiatives because healthy communities require engaged leaders. Other hats I currently wear include adjunct teaching at the University of St. Thomas and coaching high school and club soccer, each informed by a formative stint as a secondary educator and youth development worker. Those experiences have shaped the way I work with leaders today.
Past and current volunteer service includes:
Citizens League
Minnesota Alliance With Youth
Co-Chair of the Saint Paul Second Shift Commission
Humphrey Public Policy Fellows Selection Committee
Sprockets Out-of-School Time Network
Bigelow Foundation’s Linking Leaders Task Force
Saint Paul Area Chamber
And numerous additional civic initiatives
Education & Credentials
M.A. in Applied Leadership, Augsburg University
B.A. in History, Metropolitan State University
Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) Qualified Administrator
Art of Hosting Practitioner
Technology of Participation (ToP) Facilitation
2016/17 Humphrey Policy Fellows Program, University of Minnesota
Co-author of Neighborhood Leadership
Who I Work With
Nonprofit, Philanthropic, and public-serving organizations
Educational institutions
Community initiatives
Mission-driven businesses
For-profit entities
Reflections from leaders and teams I’ve worked alongside
“Damon Shoholm creates the conditions for effective and ethical leadership by applying his long experience as an educator, leadership consultant, and coach to meet a pressing need and accompany you on the next stage of your journey.
I have taught and worked alongside Damon in community and organizational settings. He creates the conditions for leaders to reflect, analyze, and grow from their experience as a companion on their journey. His depth of experience and personal approach will meet you where you are and guide your next steps to achieve practical goals and personal growth.”
“We’ve have sat alongside Damon in hundreds of conversations and watched him help leaders navigate some of the most difficult leadership challenges and team dilemmas facing organizations across our region. He brings a grounded, relational presence that creates trust, surfaces what matters most, and helps people move toward greater clarity, alignment, and action. Time with Damon is an investment in both the challenge at hand and the leader or team’s long-term capacity.”
“You know those rare people who can make your guard drop almost immediately and leave you feeling genuinely seen, heard, and understood? That’s Damon. I’ve worked with many consultants and advisors throughout my career, and what sets him apart is his ability to build trust quickly while offering insight that truly shifts how you think. When I was wrestling with a significant leadership decision, Damon helped me see possibilities that weren’t immediately apparent. He listens deeply, asks profoundly thoughtful questions, and challenges assumptions in a way that feels supportive rather than judgmental. His gift isn’t having all the answers. It’s helping others discover the right questions. Damon is a true partner who brings a rare combination of wisdom, humility, and practical guidance to individuals and organizations alike. Simply put, he’s the kind of person you want in your corner when the stakes are high and the path forward isn’t yet clear. I’m grateful to have him in mine.”
“Damon is a thoughtful and engaging facilitator who has the ability to put a room at ease while simultaneously building community through deep conversations and personal learning. I find myself recommending him again and again to colleagues, professional contacts, and friends as the person you want in the room for any number of activities—he will help organizations find and keep their next leader, build a custom workshop for creating inclusive workplaces of all sizes, and moderate a panel or fireside chat in a way that draws out the best of the speaker and inspiring the audience.”
“I’ve had the privilege of working with Damon as a participant in a program he facilitated, as a peer Board member, and as an executive search client. I believe that his strong integrity, unparalleled facilitation skills, intuitive coaching, keen insights, humility, and empathy are his superpowers.”