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About Us

Who Are We?
At Ozark Street Consulting, we believe in the power of informed people. Our mission is to bridge the gap between small businesses, nonprofits, government entities, and their communities, empowering individuals to actively participate in shaping policies and initiatives that impact their lives.

We envision a world where everyone is empowered to engage in civic life, informed by a deep understanding of government and how it works. We strive to connect our clients to the communities they serve, ensuring their initiatives are understood and supported. Through our work in civic education, voter registration, and advocacy, we aim to foster a more informed, engaged, and equitable society.
We focus on:
  • Bridging the Gap Between Organizations and Communities: We help organizations effectively communicate their initiatives to the communities they serve through tailored messaging and community-centered engagement strategies.
  • Empowering Communities Through Civic Engagement: We promote voter registration, provide comprehensive voter education resources, and encourage active participation in civic processes.
  • Advocating for Positive Change: We support organizations in developing and advocating for effective policies and facilitate community-led initiatives to address local challenges.
  • Building Trust and Transparency: We adhere to high ethical standards, promote transparency and accountability within organizations, and foster trust between organizations and their communities.

OUR FOUNDER

RAY B. SHACKELFORD

Ray B. Shackelford is a Native Houstonian passionate about problem solving to develop transformational solutions that ensure the community is better than he found it. Professionally, he has accumulated a diverse work experience spanning education, nonprofit, and the private sector working for corporations like Coca-Cola, Grainger, and Southwest Airlines. This helped to inform his journey as an entrepreneur, when he launched his own social impact consulting firm, Ozark Street, in 2019.

His firm provides a variety of services related to community education, civic engagement, advocacy, social impact programs, public policy and leadership training. Through the work at his firm, he has been able to train hundreds of community members and reach millions through “Get out the Vote” (GOTV) and issue-based advocacy campaigns. His most significant work to date involves representing his client the Houston Area Urban League (HAUL) as the lead witness in the Senate Bill One (SB1) lawsuit on voting rights.

Ray’s education consists of a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration-Finance from Morehouse College, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Houston and a Master of Policy Management from Georgetown University.

He has also been nominated twice by former Mayor Sylvester Turner to serve on boards for the city of Houston. The first in 2016, the Independent Police Oversight Board (IPOB), where he reviewed use of force complaints and made recommendations on training, updates to the general orders, and in some cases discipline. In 2020, Ray was appointed to the Houston Housing Finance Corporation (HHFC), where he works alongside his colleagues to provide gap financing on affordable housing projects ensuring that they are both profitable and in the best interest of the community. In 2024, he was made a federal appointee for the inaugural HBCU MSI advisory committee for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Outside of his board service, Ray has also worked to educate the community consistently through various platforms at one point serving as a host on podcast, radio and tv. All these local efforts have been focused on educating the community on the civic process and providing actionable steps to make a difference.

He is a lifelong member of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church where he serves on the Social Justice Ministry. Ray is also a proud member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated. Ray wears a lot of hats, but none is more important to him than the hat of “father.” Ray is the proud father of a fifteen-year-old daughter, Jordan.

COLLABORATIONS

At Ozark Street, we believe in the power of collaboration. We understand that every client and every project is unique, requiring a tailored approach and a diverse skillset. That’s why we don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all solution.

Our ecosystem is made up of dynamic and diverse experts that we pull from to assemble the right team every time. These professionals include:

  • Seasoned strategists who understand the complexities of the political landscape and can develop effective advocacy campaigns.
  • Creative communicators who can craft compelling narratives and translate complex information into engaging and accessible messages.
  • Data analysts who can analyze data and identify key trends to inform our strategies and measure our impact.
  • Community organizers with deep roots in the communities we serve, ensuring that our work is grounded in the lived experiences of the people we aim to empower.

This collaborative approach allows us to leverage the unique strengths of our network, ensuring that we deliver the best possible results for our clients.