Making a difference
with courage and heart.
Alchemy Group helps nonprofits, the public sector,
labour, small businesses, and social impact organizations
strategize, mobilize, and shape what comes next.
Research, Storytelling, and Community Engagement
Rachel Loewen Walker (PhD) is a trained researcher with expertise in community-driven research. She’ll help you determine the research, evidence, and evaluation-needs of your organization and develop a plan that draws on your organizational strengths. We are experts in translating your reports into accessible and engaging tools, resources, and campaigns.
Strategic Planning
A good strategic planning process both builds relationships with your organization and clarifies your purpose and vision for the work ahead. We love working with groups to build strategic plans that get off the shelf and into the community. We offer mini (good for an annual plan, start-ups, or strategizing around a program), medium (one-day retreat and activities over a few months), and full-scale (full weekend retreat and up to a year of engagement) strategic planning packages.
Governance, Training, and Policy-Development
We’re detail oriented governance nerds with experience on both sides of the board table. We can work with you to establish the right bylaws and governance mechanisms for your organization whether its bylaws, policies, or board training.
Human Resources, Coaching, and Team-Building
Whether it’s evaluating your Executive Director, team-building, executive coaching, or internal HR support, we can work with you to address immediate organizational needs that need an experienced eye and helping hand. Rachel is a certified facilitator of the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator, providing half day workshops that start at $1200 + the cost of individual reports.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) policy-making and training
We believe in brave commitments to anti-oppressive practices, gender, racial, and sexual diversity, and accessible and inclusive policies and procedures. That’s why we lead EDI organizational audits, provide recommendations, and support the development of progressive policies. Our approach is drawn from personal experience, community knowledge, and promising practices in research.
Rachel Loewen Walker, MA, PhD
Director, Alchemy Group Consulting
Where strategy meets story.
Rachel (she/her) is a community research and storytelling specialist. She helps nonprofits, governments, and networks build bold strategies, navigate change, and turn impact into narrative. With over 15 years of leadership in the nonprofit, academic, and policy sectors, Rachel specializes in strategic planning, organizational development, fund and policy development, human resources, and community-driven research.
A skilled facilitator and systems thinker, Rachel has served as Director of OUTSaskatoon, the Sallows Chair in Human Rights, and most recently as Program Chair of Gender, Sexualities, and Social Justice at the University of Saskatchewan. She helped launch the Enchanté Network, Canada’s national coalition of 2SLGBTQ+ Centres, and has served on numerous boards across housing, sexual health, and social justice.
Whether you’re reimagining your vision, building your team’s capacity, or looking to tell your story in a way that moves people—Rachel brings the strategy, heart, and experience to help you get it done.
Estefan Cortes-Vargas, JD
Consultant, Alchemy Group Consulting
Bridging systems, justice, and community.
Estefan Cortes-Vargas (he/they) is a legal professional and organizational strategist with expertise in governance, HR, mediation, and government relations. With over a decade of leadership experience, they bring a values-based approach to building inclusive, accountable, and effective institutions.
Elected to Alberta’s NDP Government in 2015, Estefan made history as one of Canada’s first openly non-binary MLAs, the first Colombian-Canadian MLA, and the youngest government whip in Alberta. They championed 2SLGBTQ+ rights, introduced Canada’s first non-gendered legislative honorific, and led on both local and international equity initiatives.
Estefan has held senior leadership roles in the nonprofit sector, including Executive Director of the Pride Centre of Edmonton, and has supported policy and business development through national and cross-border collaborations.
We also work with a trusted circle of associates on evaluation, research, and other specialized projects.
The nonprofit sector is fueled by
courage, curiosity, and care.
So is Alchemy Group.
Interested in our approach?
Email Us