Azalea City Associates LLC

Hello!

Azalea City Associates is a boutique, woman-owned consulting firm that works with purpose and passion. To introduce Azalea City Associates, the owner, Heather Mayes Gleason, answers a few basic questions below. If you'd like to learn more, please contact Heather directly at INFO@AZALEACITYASSOC.COM or heathermgleason@gmail.com or
301-580-7639. Cheers.

Why the name Azalea City Associates?

My adopted hometown of Takoma Park, Maryland, is known as "the Azalea City" for flowers that are an annual announcement of Spring's arrival. The Azalea City is a progressive, fun, funky place to live. and grow a business and a family. Sharing a border with Washington, DC, Takoma Park is a diverse mix of serious Federal government types, internationals, creatives, ex-Peace Corps types, new hipsters, and NASA scientists. I wanted my firm's name to eschew the values and style of Takoma Park. So, in the early summer of 2010 -- when I handed in my name badge at a big Beltway consulting firm to pursue my dream of owning my own little company -- Azalea City felt like just the right name.

What does Azalea City Associates do?

Azalea City Associates offers a diverse mix of consulting offerings. The offerings reflect my skills, experience, education, and passion. In addition to professional services, I am also a photographer. I often incorporate my photography into my grant, development and communications work for my clients. You can always reach out to me directly at heathermgleason@gmail.com or give me a call 301-580-7639.

And who runs this little operation?

I am Heather Mayes Gleason -- a child of the 70s who celebrates the everyday beautiful chaos of life as a dedicated small business owner, community organization leader, photographer, yogini, wife, and mother to one ten year old black lab, one 1st grade girl, a pre-school boy, and a crazy rescued mixed breed mutt. I am a former world traveler who hopes to resume that role again one day. I started a Recycled Art Club at the local elementary school. I just completed a memoir-writing workshop at Kripalu Yoga Center. I am passionate about adoption.

Initials that might be seen after my name include CPF for "Certified Professional Facilitator;" MPA for Master of Public Administration from the Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania; BA for my Bachelor's degree from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. I'm also a Certified Federal Grant Manager, but that doesn't seem to have any handy-dandy initials. I was also a Masaryk Fellow for the Foundation for Civil Society, teaching English language and American culture in Bratislava, Slovakia. That, too, does not have a special initials, but deserves special acknowledgment because it is one of the meaningful experiences I've ever had.

I generally operate as a one-woman shop, but when the project demands it, I tap into my vast network of consultants to find partners with the right mix of skill for the assignment.