Local Work
Helping communities flourish.
Healthy communities don’t happen by accident. They are built by people who care enough to get involved. Whether we are serving on local leadership projects, supporting local schools, helping community organizations, or preserving local stories, I’m interested in the systems that make communities stronger and the people who bring them to life. This page brings together the local projects where I’m learning how thoughtful leadership, collaboration, and civic engagement can create places where people want to live, work, and raise their families.
Current and Past Local Projects
Although each project is different, they all share the same purpose: helping people work together to improve our community.
What I Do Here
Every community faces different challenges, but many of the underlying principles are surprisingly similar. Through these experiences, I’m learning about:
- Community engagement
- Public leadership
- Land use and planning
- Local government
- Volunteer organizations
- Collaboration across diverse perspectives
- Building trust through service
- Creating places where families and businesses can thrive
I’ve also come to appreciate that lasting change rarely happens because of one person. It happens when neighbors, volunteers, businesses, nonprofits, and local governments work together toward a shared vision.
Other Related Projects
Exploration becomes application.
Want to work with me? Here’s how:
Speaking
Keynotes and conversations on intentionality, systems thinking, work, flourishing, leadership, and community.
View speaking topics →
Strategic Advising
Helping leaders hear the people inside their systems and build exceptional organizations, programs, and communities.
Explore consulting →
Frameworks
Clear models for turning complex ideas into practical decisions, systems, and next steps.
See the frameworks →
Explore Writing
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How Motherhood Changed My Ambition
By May Anderson, PE • June 24, 2026First Written 2018. Updated 2026 My whole life I knew I wanted to be a career woman. As a child when I was asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Many of my friends responded enthusiastically, “A MOM!” I however, never understood this. I always wanted to be a career woman…. -
Introducing My Whole World
By May Anderson, PE • June 24, 2026My whole world is my family. They give my life purpose, meaning, and direction. For much of my life, I was ambitious because I tied my worth to productivity. I chased accomplishments, checked boxes, and measured success by what I could achieve. Over time, that changed. Today, my ambition is fueled by something different. I… -
What I hope to build
By May Anderson, PE • June 23, 2026Several years ago, I started a project called My Intentional Life. At the time, I was overwhelmed, juggling work, family, responsibilities, and a growing realization that life wasn’t slowing down. I kept asking myself a simple question: Am I building my life intentionally, or am I just reacting to whatever comes next? Shortly after pondering…
Still curious? That’s the point. See you in my notebook 🙂