Strategy and innovation consulting for youth mental health and wellbeing
Turning good ideas into things that work.
Good ideas in youth mental health and wellbeing tend to stall in the same places: they aren't used, or no one pays for them. I help you fix both.I listen closely to what you're building and where it's stuck, then help you see the path forward, whether it's a new idea or growing what's already working.Interested? Let's talk
What I do
Here are four ways I help. Most projects combine them, and some don't fit neatly into any. If yours doesn't, tell me what you're working on.Product strategy and co-design
Most youth input gets collected and then ignored. I build co-design into how decisions get made. Young people's feedback shapes what you build, and you end up with a product that they actually want to use.Go-to-market strategy
Adoption starts with the right first customers. I help you find the ones whose needs and values fit what you're building, who will pay for it, and who move you toward the impact you want. Whether it's a new product or an existing one entering a new market, I build the plan for reaching them.Implementation strategy
Every solution needs a path to impact. I turn strategy into a plan your team can carry out, and help you decide how you'll know it's working, so you can adjust early.Thought partnership and operations
Ambitious ideas need clarity and focus. I bring operational rigor, helping you decide what to do first and set up the systems to follow through.
How I Work
I work as a collaborator. I take on your goals along with my deliverables, and I think about how the work fits the whole organization.
I listen first, then say what I think. You usually know what you need. I listen closely to what you want and what's getting in the way, then bring a point of view on the best path and why.
I translate between worlds. Young people, clinicians, buyers, funders, and product teams often speak different languages. I connect what young people tell you to what buyers need to see.
I'm quick yet careful. Ideas lose momentum when the work drags. I move at the pace your timeline needs, keep us to agreed-upon dates, and make sure the work holds up.
I bring in the right people. I lead the strategy and stay accountable for the result. When a project needs relationships or expertise I don't have, I bring in someone who does.
Selected Projects
Here are a few recent projects across the four kinds of work above. Some client names are withheld to protect confidentiality. References available.
Project and assessment lead for K-12 Mental Health Tech Navigator
I led a coalition of national partners to build a guide to digital mental health tools for schools. I built an assessment tool, led landscape analyses, brought young people and school leaders into feedback before launch, and shaped content for the tool.Youth co-design and implementation strategy for a pre-seed youth mental health startup
I designed a comprehensive youth engagement strategy for a digital mental health product, then built the operating plan to scale the product across consumer, peer, and partner channels.Go-to-market strategy for a venture-backed youth community platform
I advised an established platform on entering the healthcare sector, designing a two-tier strategy that tests which buyers and use cases fit. The first customer from it signed within a month.Program design and implementation strategy for a national nonprofit
I led a team on the design, implementation, and evaluation of a pilot program, facilitating a partnership across two national nonprofits. The pilot exceeded reach targets and demonstrated promising impact. I also helped to secure additional funding for 5x expansion in year two.
about
I'm Lisa Walker. I am a seasoned leader with 20 years of experience in health, education, digital innovation, and youth engagement at national and local levels. As the founder and principal of Innovating Impact, I lead projects for diverse clients and bring on partners to complement my skillset and best meet my clients' needs.I am passionate about creating safe, ethical, and engaging experiences with and for young people. I thrive on innovation, continuous improvement, and leading through complex organizational change. I am also an empathetic leader and effective communicator, skilled at cultivating individual and team excellence. My goal is to support young people to lead as they make informed decisions about their health and wellbeing, and to transform the inequitable systems that affect them.
Have an idea to talk through, or a problem that keeps coming back?
Send a note, book a call, or connect on LinkedIn.