Our Approach
Clear, Structured, Intentional, and Relational
Our approach is focused on relationships first (and always), and we stress the importance of communication, collaboration, and respect before shortcuts or quick fixes. When working with us, expect a combination of rigorous primary and secondary research, evidence-based recommendations, deep subject matter expertise, a transparent methodology, and friendly coaching that builds your and your team’s confidence.
Our Values: What To Expect When Working With Us
Compassionate Candor
We proactively have hard conversations with care and extend Unconditional Positive Regard in all our interactions with clients, our team, and community members.
Relational RESPECT
We prioritize the quality of our relationships while working toward shared success.
Advocacy
We advocate for the communities our work serves and offer flexible access to our offerings. We also advocate for creators and give proper credit to concepts and ideas created by others.
EQUANIMITY
We prioritize our own mental stability and composure, knowing that when we are well, we can help others too.
EXCELLENCE
We are deliberate and rigorous in our work for our clients, our community, and our business. We earnestly strive for excellence in all we do.
OUR CLIENTS DESCRIBE OUR WORK AS:
Actionable • Intentional • Ethical • Clear • Creative • Humorous • Strategic •
Actionable • Intentional • Ethical • Clear • Creative • Humorous • Strategic •
Meet the Team
Carrie Melissa Jones
CEO, Chief Strategist
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Carrie Melissa Jones is a renowned community builder, author, and entrepreneur who has dedicated her career to helping organizations create meaningful connections and foster strong communities.
Jones began her professional journey working at various startups in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she honed her skills in community management and digital marketing. In 2014, she co-founded CMX, an organization dedicated to bringing together community managers. As the Chief Operations Officer, Jones played a pivotal role in developing the company's content strategy and educational resources. Her work at CMX led her to become a sought-after speaker and consultant for organizations looking to improve their community engagement efforts.
In 2020, Jones published Building Brand Communities: How Organizations Succeed by Creating Belonging alongside Charles H. Vogl. The book serves as a comprehensive guide for organizations looking to build authentic and lasting connections with their audiences. It has become a go-to resource for community managers and marketing professionals alike, receiving praise for its actionable insights and real-world examples.
As an author, speaker, and entrepreneur, Jones continues to push the boundaries of community-building and inspire others to create both physical and digital spaces where people feel a genuine sense of belonging.
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Carrie lives in Petaluma, CA, which sits on unceded land that was once home to the Me-wuk (or Coastal Miwok) and Graton Rancheria people.
Kelly Shetron
Director of Research & Client Experience
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Kelly Shetron has spent her career asking questions. A facilitator, writer, and strategist, she specializes in qualitative research and in-depth interviewing, helping organizations make research-backed decisions and clarify their values. Kelly has a background in documentary storytelling, working with organizations like StoryCorps and the Obama Foundation, and has had the pleasure of helping numerous authors write their books for major publishing houses.
Kelly is originally from the Philadelphia suburbs and holds an MFA in writing from Stonecoast, a BA in economics and English from Muhlenberg College, and a certificate in writing and multimedia storytelling from the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies. In her free time, you can most likely find her on a walk or watching Mad Men (again). She lives in Maplewood, NJ with her dog Charlie and husband Ben.
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Kelly lives on the land of the Lenape, the first Indigenous people to sign a treaty with the U.S. government in 1778—a promise that was swiftly broken. Today, a Treaty of Renewed Friendship exists between the Lenape and supportive groups, churches, organizations, and individuals. Please read about the treaty and how to support the Lenape at lenape-nation.org.
Exa Kutler
Senior Community Strategist
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Exa loves helping people design conditions for people to connect, learn, and make meaning together. A community strategist, facilitator, artist, and experience designer, Exa spent seven years at CreativeMornings as Head of Community, Head of Virtual Learning, and Partnerships Manager, building programs that brought creative communities together in person and online. Exa also designed the Community Experience for the Art of Gathering Live Lab course by Priya Parker, leads operations and partnerships for The Strangers Project, and consults with organizations on learning design, gatherings, and community strategy.
Exa holds an MDiv from Harvard Divinity School and draws on that training to hold space for reflection and meaning-making in groups. For four years, Exa was a co-designer with Karen Brennan at the Harvard Graduate School of Education on her course, Designing for Learning by Creating. It changed her life! Ask her about it. A visual thinker, Exa creates live graphic recordings and sketchnotes for conferences and workshops.
Exa lives in Brooklyn, NY, loves a nap, and coparents her dog, Jack Charles, with her best friend in Boston.
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Exa lives on land that occupies part of the unceded homeland of the Lenape people. This land was never ceded.
Nicole Quibodeaux
Community Manager
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As the CMJ Community Manager, Nicole has used her experience in scaling brand strategy and operational systems to support member retention, engagement, and community initiatives.
Throughout her career, Nicole has brought a strong systems-thinking approach to a variety of organizations from start-ups to legacy brands.Her work bridges the gap between strategy and human connection. Originally rooted in community-building through wellness, instruction, and talent mentorship, Nicole believes in focusing on retention, strong organizational development, and delivering exceptional client experiences.
Nicole is an avid podcast listener, book reader & music listener who dabbles in astrology and tarot. She strives to create a values-driven life with integrity, community, and compassion at the center. -
Nicole lives and works in Southern California, on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Acjachemen and Tongva tribal nations.
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"Carrie's knowledge of community is like Beyoncé planning Coachella: fully involved, knowledgeable on all aspects and able to give clear feedback. The advice she provides is actionable, realistic and builds my own confidence in being a community manager."
— Shana Sumers, Head of Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging, Community Programs, HubSpot
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"Our work with Carrie Melissa Jones and her team provided a framework to take our community management to the next level. They were a pleasure to work with and customized their approach to our particular needs. I would highly recommend their work."
— Mary Burke, American Businesswoman and Democratic candidate for Governor of Wisconsin