THE S.H.A.K.E. FOUNDERS
ALICIA BELTON, FAIA, NOMA, NCARB
With over 30 years of experience, Alicia Belton is Founding Principal and Chief Creative Officer of Urban Design Perspectives (UDP). She leads this African American women-owned practice committed to environmental stewardship, client advocacy and equitable practices. Using the framework of architecture, project management and community engagement, the environmental justice firm creates equitable and sustainable spaces where people work, live and worship with a specialty focus on adaptive reuse.
Her collaborative and inclusive approach to manage client’s design and building processes is anchored in grace and grounded in her belief that the sum of us working towards the collective good of society benefits all. Whether working with corporate, public agencies, small business or non-profit organizations, she leads clients through all phases of design and construction prioritizing reuse over building new. This often includes community engagement workshops where she facilitates programming and visioning sessions to gain consensus on project goals.
As S.H.A.K.E. Co-Founder, she is excited to be part of the village that creates pathways to nurture and support BIPOC businesses and entrepreneurs that lead to their success, growth and development.
Prior to founding Urban Design Perspectives, she worked at 3M as a Project Engineer where she oversaw project design and construction teams which required scope, budget and schedule development and management. She currently serves as Chair of the Hennepin County Designer Selection Committee.
JANICE DOWNING
Janice has 30 years of experience as a broad human resources
professional. As a certified Professional in Human Systems Dynamics (PHSD), she is able to assess an organization’s issues and facilitate change in a systematic, cost-effective manner. She also uses formal Project Management and Business Process Quality Improvement training in her work.
Janice works with organizations large and small and across industry lines conducting investigations that identify the root cause of a problem and determines what needs to be done to be done from the human resources perspective or through a Human Resources or Organizational Assessment. Many times she will also conduct team development initiatives.
Janice’s down-to-earth style and straightforward manner make it easy for her to adapt to multiple situations and styles. She also has an innate ability to translate technical human resources theory into ideas and practices that are easy for others to understand and use.
S.H.A.K.E. Partners: Alicia Belton and Janice Downing
What is S.H.A.K.E.?
It is disrupting the norm to create positive outcomes, changes and transformation. It is our intent to do good, to show up for one another, to SERVE in our respective circles of influence in order to transform ourselves, our families, work, and communities. Being authentically HONEST and ADAPTABLE with KINDNESS generates creativity, innovation and resilience. By sharing our EXPERIENCES, we continually renew our commitment to demonstrate excellence and inspire others to lift while climbing. And as we give, we receive.
S.H.A.K.E. was created by Janice Downing and Alicia Belton. Alicia is the founding principal of Urban Design Perspectives (UDP), a Minneapolis based architectural firm with the mission to create equitable and sustainable spaces. Janice is the founder of Commonsense Consulting@Work (CSC) that develops management strategies for clients across the country.
Alicia and Janice formed a partnership to design and facilitate a series of experiences that are safe spaces for individuals to learn, dialogue and intentionally collaborate. By participating in a S.H.A.K.E. experience, individuals have the opportunity to practice service; honest, meaningful, yet challenging conversations; adaptability, and kindness. Why? These are the values that UDP and CSC incorporate as they work with their clients. They are not unique; however, they are rarely practiced in concert. Something that Alicia and Janice have incorporated into the way their organizations and they themselves have done for years.