Strategic Storytelling for Organizations Ready to Expand Their Impact

We help organizations close the gap between who they are and how they show up. Through strategic storytelling, we align mission, message, and materials so your work reaches the people who need it most.

Who we are

Birchwood Consulting is led by Valerie McGowan, a Sundance award-winning executive producer who has worked on Emmy-nominated and Oscar-shortlisted documentaries for Netflix, Fox Searchlight, and major studios.

After a decade learning what storytelling looks like at the highest level, Valerie founded Birchwood to bring that same strategic rigor to organizations whose missions deserve world-class storytelling.

What makes our work different: We don't just create content. We help organizations close the gap between who they are and how they show up - aligning mission, message, and materials before a single asset is produced.

Our specialty: Navigating theological and cultural complexity. We work with faith-based organizations, nonprofits, and values-driven companies that need to reach across generational, denominational, or cultural divides without losing their core identity.

How we work: Valerie leads all strategic engagements, working with a curated network of specialists (video production, content strategy, design) based on each project's specific needs. This keeps overhead low and quality high.

How we help

Foundation Work

(4-6 weeks) Organizational story discovery, mission-message alignment, strategic positioning framework. This is where we identify the gap between who you are and how you show up.

Story Development

(6-12 weeks) From strategy to execution: brand messaging, content strategy, video production, campaigns. We create the materials that move your audience because they're rooted in organizational truth.

Strategic Partnership

(Ongoing) Fractional creative leadership for organizations that need ongoing strategic guidance without full-time hires. Monthly retainer engagements for 3-6 month minimum commitments.

Who we work with

Who we work with (and who we don’t)

We work best with:

  • Nonprofits with missions that deserve better storytelling

  • Organizations in transition (leadership change, growth, strategic pivot)

  • Faith-based organizations navigating theological complexity or generational shifts

  • Leaders ready for honest assessment

We're not a fit for:

  • Quick marketing fixes without strategic foundation

  • Teams not ready to face hard truths

  • Purely transactional relationships

Let’s talk about your work

Not every organization is ready for this work. Not every engagement is the right fit.

Let's have a conversation about where you are, what you're trying to accomplish, and whether Birchwood can serve your mission effectively.

Email: hello@birchwood.co

What to expect: After you reach out, we'll schedule a 30-minute conversation to understand your context and assess whether we're the right partner. We typically respond within 48 hours.