About Us
AU Consulting Group provides equity-focused consulting, leadership coaching, professional learning, and special education advocacy designed to help organizations build inclusive cultures and drive sustainable change. We equip teams with the skills to understand diversity, distinguish equity from equality, and implement practices that advance belonging and improve outcomes. Our mission is to turn insight into action—creating environments where people and systems can thrive.
Alexis S. Upshaw, Founder and Principal Consultant
AU Consulting Group was founded on Alexis Upshaw’s belief that meaningful organizational change begins with trust—and that trust must be intentionally built, strengthened, and sustained.
Throughout her career in education, organizational leadership, and consulting, Alexis has led complex initiatives, secured multimillion-dollar partnerships, facilitated transformative conversations, and worked alongside leaders and teams navigating growth, change, and moments of organizational challenge. Across those experiences, she saw a consistent pattern: organizations often know the culture they want to create but struggle to identify the systems, behaviors, and unspoken barriers standing between their intentions and their impact.
Alexis created AU Consulting Group to help organizations close that gap.
Through thoughtful discovery, courageous conversation, leadership advising, and practical organizational strategy, AU Consulting Group helps leaders better understand what their people are experiencing, confront the barriers that may be limiting progress, and translate insight into meaningful action. The work is grounded in the belief that lasting change is not created through a single training, initiative, or conversation—it happens when organizations build the trust, leadership capacity, and structures necessary to sustain it.
As a mother of three, educator, strategist, and advocate, Alexis brings both professional expertise and a deeply personal commitment to creating environments where people feel seen, valued, heard, and equipped to thrive. That commitment continues to shape AU Consulting Group’s work today: advancing equity, strengthening inclusive leadership, and building belonging—so organizations can move beyond intention and create lasting impact.
Our Mission
Advance Equity
Build Environments where Belonging is the Standard
Strengthen Inclusive Leadership
We help organizations move equity from intention to action by examining the systems, practices, and barriers that shape people’s experiences. Through thoughtful strategy, honest reflection, and meaningful action, we work alongside leaders and communities to expand access and opportunity and create the conditions for people to thrive.
Strengthen Inclusive Leadership
Build Environments where Belonging is the Standard
Strengthen Inclusive Leadership
We help leaders build the awareness, confidence, and capacity to lead people with intention. Through coaching, facilitation, and strategic advising, we create space for leaders to examine their practices, recognize barriers and biases that may be limiting their teams, and translate insight into action. The result is stronger leadership, g
We help leaders build the awareness, confidence, and capacity to lead people with intention. Through coaching, facilitation, and strategic advising, we create space for leaders to examine their practices, recognize barriers and biases that may be limiting their teams, and translate insight into action. The result is stronger leadership, greater accountability, and cultures where people and organizations can thrive.
Build Environments where Belonging is the Standard
Build Environments where Belonging is the Standard
Build Environments where Belonging is the Standard
We partner with organizations, schools, and communities to build environments where people feel seen, valued, heard, and connected. By strengthening the systems, relationships, and practices that shape people’s everyday experiences, we help create cultures grounded in dignity, trust, and belonging. Because belonging should not depend on w
We partner with organizations, schools, and communities to build environments where people feel seen, valued, heard, and connected. By strengthening the systems, relationships, and practices that shape people’s everyday experiences, we help create cultures grounded in dignity, trust, and belonging. Because belonging should not depend on who you are, where you sit, or who is in the room—it should be built into the culture.