About the
SAGE HILL PROJECT
BY MELISSA SWONGER
WISDOM • TRANSFORMATION • KINDNESS • LEADERSHIP
The Sage Hill Project
Who We Are
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The Sage Hill Project is a movement of fierce love and bold kindness—mobilizing ordinary people, teams, and organizations to flip the script and take back power to live with unity instead of division. We want to equip and empower people to be agents of change by building psychologically safe, deeply connected, and purpose-driven communities. We help you transform pain into purpose, isolation into belonging, and good intentions into measurable impact.
Sage Hill is inspired by the “Hill of Deborah” (Judges 4)—a picture of wise counsel, courageous leadership, and justice rooted in compassion. That’s our blueprint: wisdom + leadership + kindness = transformation, put to work in real life.
Mission​
Mobilize radical kindness to heal people, strengthen teams, and transform communities. We do this through trauma-informed coaching, leadership consulting, research-backed training, and stories that spark courageous action.
Vision​
A world where belonging is the norm—homes, workplaces, schools, faith communities, and cities that are psychologically safe, curious instead of cynical, and known for love. Where people realize we are better together because “a house divided against itself cannot stand.”
(Mark 3:25; Matthew 12:25)
Our Values​
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Radical Kindness: Intentional and consistent acts that become movements, regardless of what we may receive in return
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Fierce Love: Truth + grace in action; healthy & functional; courage with boundaries.
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Curiosity over Judgment: Come together to listen first before being heard.
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Belonging: People are seen, heard, and valued—in ways that create dignity and demonstrate worth for all humans
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Integrity: Evidence + empathy; what we teach is how we operate; progress over perfection
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Hope in Action: We measure impact, not just intentions, and document the journey as a testament.
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Witness: Tell what is true; live what is true. Amplify the voices of lived experiences
What We Do
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Trauma-Informed Coaching (1:1 and small groups)​
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For founders, executives, family leaders, creators, and change-agents who want to lead from wholeness. Strengths-based, collaborative coaching practice that acknowledges the presence and impact of trauma, avoids retraumatization, and supports healing.
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Nervous-system aware goal setting & accountability
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From burnout to sustainable pace through introspective reconnection
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Identity, boundaries, and courageous conversations
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“From trauma to trust” micro-skills for everyday leadership
Leadership Consulting & Culture Design​
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We help teams build psychological safety and belonging that drive performance.
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Belonging audits & culture roadmaps that drive engagement, loyalty, and production
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Leader & Manager training: coaching skills, feedback that lands, inclusive meeting design
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Conflict resolution & change leadership
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Kindness as a strategy: rituals, norms, and metrics that scale connection
Workshops, Keynotes, & Retreats​
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Research-backed, story-rich, and immediately actionable. Popular topics:
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Not a Moment, but a Movement: Mobilizing Radical Kindness
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The Arc of Transformation from Grave to Calling to Witness
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Psychological Safety → Belonging → Performance
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From Trauma to Trust: Everyday Skills of a Healing Leader
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Fierce Love & Bold Kindness at Work
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The Epic Love Triangle: Love God, love your true self, love others (Mark 12:30-31)
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Leading Through Crisis: Calm, clarity, and care under pressure
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If you say so: Peter’s Relatable Journey
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Do You Want Change Or Just To Be Heard? The Art of Transforming Conversations
Writing & Thought Leadership​
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Author of forthcoming works including For Whom He Raised, Fierce Love & Bold Kindness; If You Say So: The Relatable Journey of Peter; anthologies: Herstory, The Rise of Her; and A Tribute to Her; docuseries, essays and tools that translate science and story into everyday practices.​​​
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Leaders & teams in business, healthcare, education, nonprofits, sports, and faith-based spaces
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Cities & communities launching kindness campaigns or culture change initiatives
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Individuals ready to heal patterns, reclaim identity, and lead with courage
Who We Serve
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Meet the Founder — Melissa Swonger​
Trauma-informed coach, leadership consultant, author, and speaker. Her expertise in leading transformations stands at the center where personal experience intersects faith and academics. Melissa combines lived experience with rigorous training: Ph.D. candidate in psychology, M.A. in Leadership (Gordon-Conwell), Advanced Graduate Certificate in Evidence-Based Coaching (Fielding Graduate University), and B.A. in Journalism (KU). She’s led culture and belonging work with leaders across sectors, created practical tools for teams, and speaks widely on psychological safety, radical kindness, and courageous leadership. Her heartbeat: help people feel safe enough to be curious, connect, and have the courage to act.
Her family is her favorite part of life and faith is the foundation for everything.
Ready to start a kindness revolution where you are?
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Book a discovery call (coaching or team engagement)
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Bring a workshop or keynote to your organization
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Launch a Kindness Lab in your city, school, or company
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Join the newsletter for tools that turn ideas into action
This is your summons: Be known for fierce love. Practice bold kindness. Start where you are.
“Do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God.”
Micah 6:8