About Me

Born and raised in Boston, MA, I've been committed to financial inclusion since the beginning of my career. My goal has always been to see the financial playing field leveled for those often overlooked by multinational banks, regardless of their wealth. I wanted underrepresented groups to get "yes" to the prime lending opportunities they've earned that members of the dominant culture often get automatically. Mitigating the racialized wealth gap became my commitment in college and has driven my professional journey ever since.

As a strategic communications consultant, I specialize in helping to develop and implement comprehensive messaging strategies for organizations dedicated to making a social impact in the opportunity finance sector. My expertise encompasses a holistic approach to elevating your organization’s influence, integrating strategic communications planning with effective content creation.

I collaborate with senior communications leaders at a diverse range of mission-driven financial institutions, including CDFI loan funds, green banks and credit unions, and other organizations committed to democratizing access to capital and addressing critical social issues. Through these relationships with well-established institutions focused on sustainable global economic prosperity and inclusive finance, I help shape the narrative of equitable finance and community empowerment.

My approach is rooted in a deep understanding of the opportunity finance sector’s unique landscape. Drawing on my extensive experience with various financial institutions and nonprofit organizations, I offer culturally competent, strategic solutions that address the complex challenges and opportunities in social impact finance.

Collaborating with your organization, I work to align your communication strategies with your organizational goals and values, effectively engage your stakeholders, and position your organization as a thought leader in the sector. I focus on developing compelling narratives that resonate with your audience, ensuring your messaging is both effective and compliant with industry regulations.

For a detailed overview of my capabilities and the range of strategic communications services I offer, please visit my Expertise page.

My commitment to excellence in strategic communications is reflected in my ongoing pursuit of advanced education. After 15 years in the field, I earned a master’s degree in corporate communications from Georgetown University, specializing in financial services industry change management communications. 

This award-winning program enhanced my ability to collaborate with senior executives to lead complex communication initiatives and provide high-level consulting services, particularly in areas like change management, digital strategy, and ethical decision-making.

Building on this foundation, I’m currently pursuing a Doctor of Education (EdD) in Organizational Change and Leadership at the University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education. This program has equipped me with advanced research methodologies and a deep theoretical understanding of change processes, particularly as they apply to the finance sector. My dissertation work on the history of economic exclusion in the banking sector and how it perpetuates the Black-White wealth chasm exemplifies my capacity to bring rigorous academic inquiry to real-world organizational challenges.

This combination of practical experience and scholarly insight allows me to offer a unique blend of expertise to my clients in the opportunity finance sector. I can tackle complex organizational issues with greater depth and innovation, integrating solutions-focused academic research with practical strategies for organizational change. This advanced education has significantly enhanced my ability to craft culturally competent, data-driven narratives that drive genuine social impact and financial inclusion.

If you want a thought partner who understands the unique challenges and opportunities in the opportunity finance sector, I can offer a blend of academic rigor, industry expertise, and targeted strategies.

Let's connect to explore how we can collaborate to achieve your strategic communications goals.

(c) 2023-2024. Dahna M. Chandler for UpThink Strategic Communications, Inc., a division of Thrive Media Collaborative, Inc. All rights reserved. This page content may not be reproduced or reposted in whole or in part or used for AI applications without express written permission from the author.