Maurisa Li-A-Ping, M.S.Ed., M.F.A.

Writer & Cultural Strategist

My Story

My journey began with poetry; it was one of my first languages for making sense of the world. I began writing around 12 years old, and was slamming competitively by the time I was 15.My passion and commitment to poetry opened doors. It led to a fully funded scholarship at St. John’s University, where I became curious about how identity, belonging, and community shape students' development. This curiosity inspired me to further my education in Higher Education Student Affairs at Indiana University. At IU, I explored how creative practices such as poetry deepen students’ sense of belonging and develop critical consciousness.As I worked in higher education and the non-profit sector to build systems and cultures that people want to return to, I noticed that best practices for organizational success often overlooked creative practices and embodied wisdom. Li-A-Ping Consulting emerged from this realization. I bridge facilitated dining experiences, embodied skill-building workshops, and strategic consultation with organizational development to help leaders build people-centered cultures that foster belonging, nourishment, and joy.As Li-A-Ping Consulting grew, I continued to deepen my creative writing practice. I was awarded a Nancy Craig Blackburn Fellowship to attend Randolph College's Creative Writing MFA program. At Randolph, I explored the interiority of Black Queer Women—our tenderness, longing, and quiet, in addition to our strength and survival.This focus shaped my creative work and led to the creation of Tulips in the Garden: A Black Queer Supper Club. We are a soft landing space for Black Queer millennial women in Durham, North Carolina. We queer Sunday dinner, celebrate Black Queer joy, and engage in place-based solidarity.When I’m not stewarding culture or writing, you’ll find me on a trail walk, painting my nails pink, or practicing yoga.

Li-A-Ping Consulting

Li-A-Ping Consulting builds people-centered cultures that foster belonging, nourishment and joy. Working at the intersection of organizational development, embodied wisdom, and creative practices, I partner with mission-driven organizations, higher-education teams, and values-driven businesses. My approach bridges faciliated dining experiences, embodied skill-building workshops, and strategic advisement with organizational development to build tangible cultures of care.

Strategies

  • Facilitated Dining Experiences - Inspired by my supper club’s dining model, these curated gatherings leverage communal dining as a medium for culture building. I design and facilitate the dining experience, partnering with chefs and local venues as needed, while guiding groups through intentional conversation prompts and connection activities to achieve our goals.

  • Embodied Skill-Building Workshops - Interactive learning spaces that leverage creative and somatic practices for skill-building. Focus areas include embodied leadership, problem-solving, giving and receiving feedback, goal setting and tracking, integrating wellness into daily work rhythms, and more.

  • Strategic Consultation - Through ongoing advisement, we will operationalize your values into actionable strategies and norms. Focus areas might include developing meeting structures, accountability practices, professional development tracks, and wellness integration strategies.

Li-A-Ping Consulting in Practice

Contact Me

I'm a firm believer in the African proverb, "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." Let's go far, together.

Award-Winning Published Writer

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