Why Shockey?

We’re not afraid to
be ourselves

Our Story

In 1998, Sheila Shockey created the kind of business she’d always imagined working for: one that practiced work-family balance, championed public service and believed in the power of diverse viewpoints. (While having a good time. Because work should be fun, right?)

Sheila launched Shockey Consulting from her kitchen table with a baby on her lap, parlaying her experience working for government agencies and engineering firms into an innovative, community-building company that’s, well, kind of a big deal now.

Today, the award-winning Shockey Consulting team has offices in downtown Overland Park, Kansas and downtown Kirkwood, Missouri. From its very first project meeting four days after her son was born, Shockey Consulting has helped ordinary people, elected officials, and government professionals reimagine their communities. Sheila’s unique ability to facilitate complex discussions with diverse stakeholders has led to long-lasting, meaningful change in communities across the Midwest.

And as the needs of governments and communities have changed, so, too, has Shockey Consulting. Building on its foundation of public engagement and strategic planning, the team has added a range of other services to its portfolio, including, community visioning, comprehensive planning, mapping, economic development, education and outreach, government program development, and performance measurement.  The Shockey team loves engaging directly with clients and the public, whether it’s through stakeholder committees, public open houses, focus groups, or pop-up events, to name a few.

Now Shockey Consulting is also helping organizations prepare for the future with creative, thoughtful workshops that help leaders imagine — and anticipate — what’s next on their horizon. It’s just one more way we help communities PLAN, ENGAGE, INSPIRE.

Community Focused – 24/7

Our staff aren’t just community builders from 9-5, they’re rolling up their sleeves and making their communities a better place to live and work by organizing and supporting events that grow our future scientists, planners, engineers, and leaders. We organize hands-on events for children sharing our knowledge about people, the planet, and prosperity. We participate in fundraisers and charity work focused on giving people a hand up for a brighter future.

Shockey Community Focus

Some Kudos

Along the way, Shockey Consulting projects have taken home some of the big prizes from such esteemed organizations as the American Planning Association, Mid-America Regional Council, Missouri Municipal League, American Public Works Association, and National Association of Clean Water Agencies and the Kansas Department of Commerce.

Some highlights:

  • Of more than 1400 companies nominated, Shockey Consulting is proud to have received the 2015 Thinking Bigger Business Media 25 Under 25® award, which recognizes companies with fewer than 25 employees.
  • In 2018, Shockey Consulting was a recipient of the Kansas City Chamber’s health and wellness certification, Healthy KC, that recognizes organizations “for innovation and excellence in promoting a culture of health in the workplace.”

The Timeline

It’s been quite a ride from a one-woman (and baby) business to a thriving, community-oriented organization with teams in two cities. Here are some of the highlights along the way:

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