Consultant: Rachel Kaplan
Rachel Kaplan, MPH (She/Her) is a tireless advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion and representation who believes that a community and organization can only be as strong and effective as the people it represents and serves. A graduate of the University of South Carolina with a Master’s in Public Health and Certificate in Drug and Addiction Studies, Rachel has worked with disability advocacy and program management, the homeless population, youth with type 1 diabetes, domestic violence awareness, sexual assault and rape crisis support services, and mental health advocacy and medical adherence. This variety of experience has provided Rachel with insight regarding populations that are often overlooked or excluded from important conversations and services.
Rachel has fifteen years of experience in disability adaptations, health education, and effective programming for a variety of age groups. She has worked at a Center for Independent Living, created youth programs, consulted on the creation of cross-disability youth programming, consulted on ensuring programs are evidence-based and inclusive, and given state and national-level presentations on adaptations and accessibility. Rachel is a member of the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL); a peer mentor with the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL), as well as a former APRIL Board Member; and an Advisory Board Member and Adjunct Trainer for Elevatus Training, an organization that creates reproductive health education curriculum for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
A big believer in giving back and staying involved with her community, Rachel makes an effort to stay connected with other community-wide organizations. She is an Advisory Board Member with The Hive Community Circle, a Board of Directors Member with the South Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition, and is the Narcan Kit Distribution Coordinator with Challenges, Inc.
Rachel can provide a list of references and resume upon request to organizations interested in booking consultation or training services.
“Rachel is a fierce advocate with personal and professional experience to back her! She was a knowledgeable and energetic community partner to collaborate with on several grant projects during our time working together. I would highly recommend Rachel for any team!”
Family Engagement Manager, Family Connection of South Carolina
“Rachel is a quick study and a hard worker. She is passionate about helping people and is skilled in training others in person and electronically on a multitude of subjects, as well as in program development and public speaking.”
Director of Training and Technical Assistance, APRIL
“I reached out to Rachel and asked if she could take a look at my information and please help me fix it! That is just what she did! She sent the information back to me in less than a week. Rachel took the time out of her schedule to redo the entire bio and made it a huge representation of ME! My bio portion included just enough personal information to explain my business, she made sure to include all of my available products as well as any FYI/WARNING information that customers needed to know, she made all fonts legible, and last but not least she gave it just a pop of me; the color, the font, and even the background decorations represented me! I thank Rachel for everything she has done to help get me started and the assistance she continues to provide me.”
Founder and CEO of Kaye’s Scentsational Tings
“Rachel and I served on the APRIL Board together. She was very active in making change on a national level and was a strong leader. I enjoyed my time with Rachel working on national issues in rural America for people with disabilities.”
Disability Advocate, APRIL Board Member
“The services of Kintsugi Consulting, LLC was nothing short of phenomenal for the young advocates in our program. Expertise on real life matters equipped with quality, consistency, and compassion provided the necessary inspiration to catapult change in culture.”
“As we closed with camp today many of the young people referenced this segment as their favorite and memorable moment from Camp” [Feedback from a youth session].
Founder, My Brother’s Keeper Spartanburg
“Rachel is a staunch advocate for others. She has a passion for building others up and helping her community. This passion can be seen in her drive to build bridges and collaborate with others for the benefit of the individuals whom she serves.”
Director of Special Programs, Laurens Co. School District 56
“In our pandemic shifts to consultants, we reached out early to explore ways to work together. We landed on teaching a course that looked at how to recognize and replace stigmatizing language/behaviors in regards to disability. Rachel could teach the course on this one, folks! And she did! If you are reading this considering whether or not to hire Rachel as a consultant, I am happy to discuss this with you further, but really, she knows her stuff and knows how to communicate it so that folks can understand it and so they can DO something about it.”
Founder of #whatshesaid Project
“As a black woman, serving mainly POC in our teen health programs, I must mention this…I have witnessed Rachel show up in ways that matter - as a true ALLY to POC and other marginalized individuals. I mention this because so often I’ve seen ‘allies’ providing nothing more than lip profession. Rachel however, works and connects at levels and in ways that center the margins of those being oppressed. She does this regardless of who is in the room! I point this out because I know a great many self-proclaimed allies that alter the conversation and their level of ‘ally-ship’ depending on the audience.”
Executive Director, The Family Resource Center
