Deepa Kunapuli

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Hi! I’m Deepa. I work in the spaces of public sector technology, social change, and movement building and have found that people are most motivated when they feel a sense of belonging. People want to contribute meaningfully, join in community, and understand their stake in a larger vision.

I bring experience as a leader, an organizer, and a design thinker to help you create inclusive experiences for your greatest asset: your people.

I’m excited to work with you to help you develop and strengthen your leadership as a manager, team member, and change agent.

Services

Workshops and Customized Trainings: Organizations are constantly in change cycles (people, product, and process) and how you move through it matters just as much as why. I work with you to design spaces and ongoing conversations to ensure a sense of community and forward motion. Some topics we can work on are: change management, racial equity in the workplace, organizing to win, digital and technology skill-building, and storytelling for change.

Building and Managing Diverse Teams: I combine design thinking, racial equity models, and experience working in remote, distributed, and in-person teams to help you find the best strategies for building, hiring, managing, and retaining your employees. Let’s create the conditions necessary for your most talented leaders to feel valued and empowered - maybe that’s 1:1 coaching for leaders, designing staff retreats, or thinking through organizational policies and programs that inspire people to give their best.

Messaging and Branding Strategy: A compelling message and a strong brand inspire people to action. I work with you on communications plans to refine your organizational voice. This could look like putting together a media plan, creating social and digital strategies, content strategy, and designing branding campaigns.

Schedule a Free Consultation

More About Me

My passion is guiding organizations, startups, and individuals to find their voice and connect people with purpose. My background in organizing, technology, and movement building inspires me to work inside and outside of organizations to help people realize their stake in a larger vision of change. I’m motivated to untangle large societal systems and solve complex problems that move us closer to equitable solutions.

Prior to serving on the leadership team at re:power, I held various technology and program management roles at the U.S. Digital Service at the White House, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Obama for America presidential campaigns, and within federal and state government offices. In 2012, I co-founded a digital consulting firm that leveraged the power of technology to help Asian American and Pacific Islanders win online and offline.

Case Studies and Projects

Modernizing a Political Brand: Wellstone becomes re:power

In partnership with Greater Good Studios, I led a **rebranding** process to create a new political identity, brand, and vision rooted more firmly in the pursuit of justice and in alignment with the movement’s needs.
The new brand became a **catalyst for change** inside and outside the organization, shifting internal process and culture as well as external positioning in the progressive movement.

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Messaging For We, The People

In January 2015, I joined a small tech team inside the White House called the **U.S. Digital Service** to create a communications and brand strategy. For two years, I was proud to work on **storytelling for the people** and media strategy on issues like modernizing immigration reform, veteran’s benefits, access to education, and more.

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Screen Shot 2019-12-04 at 12.22.46 PM.png — The Refugee Admissions Crisis

One of the hardest things to do inside of government is to tell stories around complex political projects because of the level of negotiation required to produce **a meaningful story with facts AND heart.**
I am so proud of this piece which sheds light on the work USDS did to help streamline the refugee admissions process — this was the first time this work was discussed in the media.

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Designing Digital Spaces

In 2016, I worked with then-Wellstone Action to design Digital Organizer School, a 5-day digital organizing skills training grounded in community technology.
I created a holistic curriculum, training team of POC leaders, and a program focused on power building, community, and values-based campaigning.
This program is now a signature offering in the movement, and cohort alumni are leading as **data and digital experts** in various progressive organizations and campaigns.

Inside Obama’s Stealth Startup

This Fast Company cover story was my first major media piece to feature USDS and the other teams inside the White House **working to fix government technology.** This piece was published in conjunction with the Fast Company Innovation Festival, where USDS staff presented to thousands of entrepreneurs and technologists.

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