Prior to becoming a consultant, Octavia worked as a program director at the National Endowment for the Humanities. She also worked at the Maryland Department of Education, as a high school biology teacher, and in medical research at Harvard Medical School. She has an undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University and a master’s degree from UNC-Chapel Hill. Years of study at the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland in the 1990s has influenced much of her work. Octavia is on the board of Three Bone Theatre and was the 2018 Charlotte Woman of the Year.
You've been a consultant not only in Charlotte, but nationally. Tell me about your work as a consultant.
I consider myself a process consultant rather than a content or expert consultant. How I engage people is on the individual level and on the group and organizational level. The last 20 years, my focus has been primarily on issues of inclusion and equity.
I work with people on the individual level because that's important in any kind of change process, whether you're focusing on change in an organization or change in a community. The personal piece is a significant part of my work. I seek to connect people to themselves and with that self-awareness they are better equipped to bring change to their organization or in their community. The other piece that's important is to connect people with each other to build authentic community within organizations or within leadership teams.
And then there's the content piece, and I tend to look at systemic issues and topics, like structural exclusion. The content is always about systems change or systemic change.
I feel lucky to have worked with so many remarkable people and organizations over the years. I’m thankful for getting to do what I love. Working with leaders and groups to make a better community, what could be better.
What drew you to this work?
I'm naturally interested in people, what makes them tick, and what goes on with them as individuals and as groups. I'm fascinated by what happens in groups. I have been an advocate for change around issues of inclusion and equity for a long time. And I like being a consultant because I like going into different situations, different organizations, different geographical areas, and ultimately learning something new.
Early in my career, I worked as a high school teacher and for the National Endowment for the Humanities and various public sector organizations. I was always thinking, I'm ready for something else after about a year, and that wasn't good. For me, the consultant role is an excellent fit. I need the stimulation of moving around and learning new things.
When you're not consulting, what do you enjoy doing? What are some of your hobbies or interests?
There are three things that I really love. One is nature, in all its forms. The natural world is important to me, and I feel and know when I must get to the natural world. I rely on it to give me what I need—what my mind, body and spirit crave. I enjoy hiking, kayaking and ocean swimming. I travel often, particularly to places off the beaten path. I enjoy exploring wild natural environments and having true cross-cultural experiences including with indigenous people. Over the last 12 years, I have had such experiences in the Amazon across four countries.
Art and the humanities are important to me as well. While not “hobbies”, I enjoy all the visual and performing arts as well as the humanities. Literature and poetry are important in my life. The other thing that gives me deep satisfaction is genuine conversation with other people. I like doing a deep dive with connecting, especially one on one. While I'm not much of a social animal, I enjoy intimate conversations.
What's your happy place and why?
Nature, just being in nature can give me such a hit. Then there’s beauty, man-made or natural beauty. And third is deep connections with people. By deep I mean, it can be in five minutes, but it's a true connection. Those are my happy places. It’s essentially the same things I seek out when not working.
It's interesting that you use the word “happy” because it is not a word I use, though I understand the context of that. For me, it’s not so much about being happy but rather what brings true satisfaction and even joy.
What do you hope for Charlotte?
I'd like to see a little more grit in Charlotte, actually. And by grit, I mean edginess. We need edges that aren't all tidied up and people connecting in more authentic ways and across multiple aspects of diversity—age, socioeconomic class, background and of course, race, ethnicity and religion. We have a bit of that, but I'd like to see more of it. I’d like to see a Charlotte that’s not just known as a “clean city that’s got a lot to offer”.
Housing that brings us together across differences is a big hope. And of course, I’d like to see more authenticity and connection across the community. I also hope Charlotte learns to manage development and to hang onto our trees and increase the green space. Finally, I hope we find pride in what we have accomplished, collectively, and how we've grown in embracing community.
