About The Founders

Dr. Sylvia N. Wilson - Co-Founder & CEO CLIFTONSTRENGTHSFINDER® TOP 5: Connectedness | Strategic | Intellection | Learner | Relator

Dr. Sylvia N. Wilson brings over 20 years of transformational leadership experience to MKEGRIND, combining deep expertise in education, psychology, and human-centered systems strategy. Her unique ability to see interconnections between individual development and community transformation has made her a sought-after consultant for organizations seeking authentic, sustainable change.

With a Ph.D. in Urban Education and extensive background in adult learning and organizational development, Dr. Wilson has guided diverse organizations through complex transformations. Her strength in connectedness allows her to see the bigger picture while understanding how individual growth impacts organizational culture. As a strategic thinker, she excels at creating customized approaches that honor each organization's unique context while leveraging proven human development principles.

Dr. Wilson's research and practice focus on the intersection of personal transformation and community building. She has designed and implemented programs for workforce development agencies, healthcare organizations, educational institutions, and community-based nonprofits. Her trauma-informed, culturally responsive approach ensures that all interventions honor the whole person while building organizational capacity.

Her passion for food justice and sustainable community development has led to groundbreaking work in areas ranging from agricultural entrepreneurship to comprehensive workforce training. Dr. Wilson's ability to translate complex human development concepts into practical, actionable strategies has helped organizations create lasting change that benefits both individuals and communities.

Specializations: Human development integration, trauma-informed program design, organizational culture transformation, food justice advocacy, adult learning methodologies

Thomas Wilson - Co-Founder & Creative Director CLIFTONSTRENGTHSFINDER® TOP 5: Futuristic | Ideation | Intellection | Connectedness | Strategic

Thomas Wilson brings visionary thinking and innovative design expertise to MKEGRIND's mission of creating thriving individuals and communities. His futuristic strength enables him to envision organizational potential and anticipate emerging trends, while his ideation abilities generate creative solutions to complex challenges.

With a background spanning technology, creative arts, and community development, Thomas excels at translating vision into reality through strategic planning and innovative programming. His connectedness strength helps him understand how individual transformation ripples out to create broader community impact, while his intellectual curiosity drives continuous learning and adaptation of cutting-edge approaches.

Thomas's strategic thinking capabilities allow him to develop comprehensive plans that bridge current reality with desired futures. He specializes in helping organizations reimagine their potential by creating innovative programs, building strategic partnerships, and implementing technology solutions that enhance human development work.

His creative approach to problem-solving has been instrumental in developing MKEGRIND's unique programming models, from the experiential C3Exploration events to integrated workforce development approaches. Thomas's ability to see patterns and possibilities helps organizations break through traditional limitations to create breakthrough results.

Specializations: Strategic visioning, innovative program design, creative problem-solving, technology integration, partnership development, future trend analysis

Case Studies

Kinship Community Food Center: Comprehensive Workforce Development Partnership and Multi-Year Organizational Development Initiative

MKEGRIND has maintained a transformative partnership with Kinship Community Food Center since 2023, providing comprehensive support for their innovative Healing Workforce Training Program. This ongoing collaboration demonstrates our ability to evolve with organizations as they grow and scale their impact.

Phase 1: Program Foundation (2023) Initially contracted to develop assessment tools and program documentation, MKEGRIND created:

• Comprehensive program summaries and overviews for grant writing and marketing
• Quantitative and qualitative assessments for three workforce training components (Culinary, Agriculture, Grocery Operations)
• Personal development assessments for Human Development, Financial Literacy, and Coaching components
• Standardized measurement systems to track both skill acquisition and personal growth

Phase 2: Integrated Workforce Development (2024-Present) Building on initial success, MKEGRIND expanded into ongoing consultation and program development:

• Designed and facilitated a culturally relevant, trauma-responsive 6-month Human Development Program, including alignment for healing circle and personal coaching integration
• Provided program development support and curricular content creation
• Assisted with capacity building through strategic visioning and community partnerships
• Created training materials for board members, volunteers, and staff
• Implemented community and governmental relations strategies
• Developed and facilitated personal coach training, focused on trauma-responsive and developmental relationship-building approaches

Impact & Results: This multi-faceted partnership has enabled Kinship to create a more robust continuum of care that integrates workforce skills with personal healing. The trauma-informed approach has resulted in improved well-being outcomes and stronger community connections. The comprehensive documentation and assessment systems have supported successful grant applications and stakeholder reporting, while the expanded partnerships have created sustainable employment pathways for program graduates.

Why This Partnership Works: Our ability to provide both strategic consultation and hands-on program facilitation allows organizations like Kinship to focus on their core mission while ensuring their programming incorporates best practices in human development and organizational effectiveness.

Capabilities

1. Learning Program Development
Designing Professional Development That Transforms Organizations

MKEGRIND specializes in developing comprehensive learning programs that go beyond traditional professional development to create transformative educational experiences for organizations and companies. Our approach integrates human development principles with professional skill-building, creating programs that enhance both individual capacity and organizational performance.

We work with corporate partners, nonprofits, and educational institutions to design curricula that address leadership development, team effectiveness, communication skills, and organizational culture enhancement. Our programs are research-backed, experientially-driven, and designed to create lasting behavioral change rather than temporary knowledge acquisition.

Our learning program development includes needs assessment, curriculum design, facilitator training, implementation support, and outcome evaluation. We excel at creating programs that are engaging, practical, and aligned with organizational goals while fostering personal growth and professional excellence.

Benefits to Partners: Organizations gain learning programs with measurable impact on employee engagement, leadership effectiveness, and team collaboration. Professional development becomes an investment in long-term organizational capacity rather than a compliance requirement, resulting in improved retention, innovation, and workplace culture.

2. Trauma-Informed Systems Design
Building Healing-Centered Approaches to Service Delivery


MKEGRIND brings specialized expertise in designing trauma-informed systems that acknowledge and address the impact of trauma on both service recipients and service providers. We help organizations move beyond trauma-aware practices to become healing-centered environments that actively promote resilience and growth.

Our approach examines policies, procedures, physical environments, and interpersonal dynamics through a trauma-informed lens. We provide training, consultation, and ongoing support to help organizations implement practices that prioritize safety, trustworthiness, collaboration, and empowerment at every level.

Benefits to Partners: Organizations create safer, more effective environments that improve outcomes for both clients and staff. Service delivery becomes more responsive to actual needs, staff experience less burnout, and overall organizational effectiveness increases as trauma barriers are systematically addressed.

3. Experiential Event Curation
Creating Transformative Public Experiences for Personal and Community Growth


MKEGRIND curates innovative public events and experiences that bring individuals and diverse groups together for personal development, cultural exploration, and community building. Our signature approach creates meaningful connections between strangers while fostering individual growth through shared adventure and reflection.

We design and facilitate public workshops, cultural immersion experiences, wellness retreats, and adventure-based learning events that serve as catalysts for personal transformation and community connection. Our events range from single-day experiences to multi-day intensives, always combining elements of exploration, cultural appreciation, and personal development.

Our event curation creates opportunities for strategic brand and corporate partnerships that align with our values of human development and community building. We collaborate with wellness brands, cultural organizations, outdoor companies, and socially-conscious businesses to create authentic experiences that benefit participants while supporting mission-aligned partners.

Our curation services include concept development, venue selection, partner coordination, marketing, and facilitation. We excel at creating experiences that feel both personally meaningful and professionally enriching, attracting individuals who are committed to growth and community engagement.

Benefits to Partners: Brand and corporate partners gain authentic opportunities to connect with engaged, growth-oriented audiences through meaningful experiences rather than traditional marketing approaches. Events create positive brand association while supporting genuine community building, resulting in deeper customer relationships and enhanced brand reputation among conscious consumers.

4. Innovation and Strategic Problem-Solving for Community Challenges
Applying Human Development Principles to Complex Civic and Social Issues


MKEGRIND brings a unique human-centered approach to solving complex community, city, and regional challenges by examining how individual development and community systems intersect. We work with governmental agencies, community organizations, and civic leaders to develop innovative solutions that address root causes rather than just symptoms.

Our problem-solving methodology recognizes that most community challenges—from workforce development to public health to economic development—have human development components that traditional approaches overlook. We help partners reframe problems by examining how individual empowerment, community connection, and systemic barriers interact to create or perpetuate challenges.

We facilitate collaborative problem-solving processes that engage diverse stakeholders, integrate multiple perspectives, and develop implementation strategies that account for both policy and human factors. Our approach includes community asset mapping, stakeholder engagement, policy analysis, and sustainable solution design.

Benefits to Partners: Governmental and community partners gain fresh perspectives on persistent challenges while building internal capacity for innovative thinking. Solutions are more effective and sustainable because they address human factors that often cause traditional interventions to fail. Communities develop stronger collaborative networks and enhanced problem-solving capabilities for future challenges.

5. Collaborative Extension
Integrated Creative Services for Partners and Clients


MKEGRIND's Creative Studio extends our consulting and partnership services to include comprehensive visual communication and design support. Led by Co-Founder Thomas Wilson, our creative services are available exclusively to organizations engaged in collaborative partnerships or consulting relationships with MKEGRIND.

This integrated approach allows us to provide cohesive support that spans from strategic planning and program development to visual identity and marketing materials. Our design work includes traditional graphic design, digital content creation, educational resource development, and innovative AI-powered creative solutions that streamline production and enhance visual impact.

Our creative services include logo and brand identity development, marketing collateral design, educational material creation, website design support, AI-generated content creation, automated design systems, and ongoing visual consultation. We leverage both traditional design expertise and cutting-edge AI tools to deliver efficient, innovative creative solutions.

Benefits to Partners: Organizations receive fully integrated support that ensures visual communication seamlessly aligns with strategic objectives. Our collaborative approach eliminates disconnects between programming and marketing, creating coherent organizational messaging that amplifies impact and enhances professional presentation.

MKEGRIND In The Media

TMJ4 - March 22, 2023



Milwaukee woman on a mission to help others tap into their potential and succeed



Urban Milwaukee – September 16, 2016

Teens Learn Healthy Business Skills



Urban Milwaukee – May 13, 2016

Combining Coffee And Education



Other Media



YouTube – Third Annual African American Environmental Pioneer Awards (Dr. Sylvia N. Wilson)

Third Annual African American Environmental Pioneer Awards (Dr. Sylvia N. Wilson) (1:02:22)



Urban Milwaukee – February 9, 2021 (Dr. Sylvia N. Wilson)

February 22nd Program: African American Environmental Pioneer Awards



AAERG Presents Wisdom Wednesday – November 10, 2021 (Dr. Sylvia N. Wilson)

From Security to Sovereignty: Creating an Essential Economy


Urban Milwaukee – December 18, 2021 (Dr. Sylvia N. Wilson)

MATC Broadens Access to College in Milwaukee



Kinship Community Food Center (MKEGRIND)

Kinship Milwaukee Workforce Program Partnership