What Clients & Partners Say

"I have had the privilege of collaborating with LaToya Shields through several maternal and child health initiatives, including the Voices of the Pregnant and Parenting Group and our shared participation as panel members for the 2026 Maternal and Child Health Education and Outreach Event. Through these collaborations, I have witnessed LaToya's commitment to elevating community voices, strengthening partnerships, and advancing meaningful solutions that support pregnant and parenting individuals and families. LaToya brings a powerful combination of lived experience, professional expertise, and systems-level leadership. She has a unique ability to keep often marginalized voices centered while also identifying opportunities to translate community experiences into advocacy, education, and sustainable improvements in care delivery. Through the Voices of the Pregnant and Parenting Group, LaToya spurred meaningful conversations that centered the experiences of pregnant and parenting individuals. These discussions contributed to broader efforts to amplify community perspectives, including the development and submission of a maternal health manuscript. Her ability to connect lived experience, community insights, and system-level opportunities demonstrates the depth of her leadership and commitment to health equity. In our work together on maternal and child health education and outreach efforts, LaToya has consistently demonstrated strong partnership-building skills, strategic thinking, and a passion for ensuring communities have access to relevant information, resources, and support. She understands that lasting change requires collaboration among community-based organizations, healthcare systems, and community members themselves."

"From the beginning of her board service, LaToya made an immediate impact. She has strengthened our governance practices by sharing board-development best practices, identifying opportunities to streamline processes, and offering thoughtful recommendations to help our organization operate more effectively and sustainably. LaToya's professional insight in the mental health space has also brought a meaningful perspective to the strategy and logistics of our loss support program. She consistently considers how our programs can remain compassionate, accessible, and responsive to the needs of families navigating pregnancy loss. In addition, she is working alongside our grants team to strengthen the processes we use to track outcomes, communicate our impact, and demonstrate the difference MPSG is making in the community. Her commitment extends well beyond the boardroom. LaToya has been all hands on deck with our fundraising efforts, helping secure sponsors and donors for our upcoming Life After Loss 5K & Fun Run. She understands that strong fundraising is rooted in authentic relationships, clear communication, and a deep connection to the mission. I especially appreciate LaToya's willingness to leverage her relationships on behalf of MPSG. She has connected us with mission-aligned organizations and professionals, creating valuable opportunities for collaboration, shared learning, and greater visibility for our work serving the pregnancy and infant loss community. LaToya is a strategic thinker, collaborative leader, and dedicated advocate who brings both compassion and accountability to her service. Her contributions have strengthened our board, programs, fundraising efforts, and community partnerships."

"LaToya | Synergy Solutions LDZ helped me respond to a health department solicitation and made a complicated process feel manageable. She understands how these submissions are read and scored, so she pushed me to be specific in the places I was being general. What could have cost me weeks took days. I submitted on time and I submitted with confidence. For anyone doing community-facing work who wants to compete for public dollars, she is worth every bit of the investment."

"I was blessed to be surrounded by such educated professional talent who answered my call and raised the caliber of content on this year's conference agenda. LaToya | Synergy Solutions brought meaningful expertise, insight, and value as a breakout session presenter, and the compliments from attendees flowed freely and abundantly. I am grateful for what she poured into our attendees and for the professionalism and knowledge she brought to the Healing Her conference."

"LaToya Shields provided invaluable support to NBHP during the sunsetting of the Harris County Pathways Community HUB. Her deep knowledge of the program, its partners, and the relationships built throughout the community helped ensure a thoughtful, professional, and orderly transition. LaToya was instrumental in maintaining relationship continuity, facilitating stakeholder communications and introductions, and transferring critical institutional knowledge and historical context. Her collaborative approach and commitment to preserving the integrity of the work helped ensure that important partnerships, lessons learned, and community connections were carried forward beyond the life of the program."

"I have worked closely with LaToya on a variety of health equity, maternal and mental health advocacy, and violence prevention efforts. She has a rare ability to lead cross-sector partnerships, policy systems change, and build coalitions strategically and smartly, while always being people-first and approachable. LaToya was a key player in advocating for the passage of HB 12 at the Texas legislature, which extended postpartum Medicaid coverage in Texas. She has been an invaluable partner in our SHINE Houston initiative, always contributing unique ideas to move toward community and healing-centered solutions around issues of gender-based violence in our community. LaToya is a fierce advocate, powerful speaker and facilitator, strong systems-level thinker, and collaborative leader."

"LaToya has been a trusted thought partner and strategic advisor on several initiatives over the years, and every collaboration has strengthened both the work and my own leadership. Her commitment to excellence is evident in the measurable outcomes, strategic deliverables, and lasting impact of the initiatives she has led. What is more difficult to quantify is the professional curiosity, strategic insight, and principled commitment she brings to improving systems for under-resourced communities. LaToya is a cross-system subject matter expert, an authentic advocate, and an equity-focused changemaker."

"Working with LaToya has been a truly valuable experience. Her leadership, strategic thinking, collaborative approach, and commitment to advancing community-centered solutions are evident in her ability to build meaningful partnerships, connect diverse stakeholders, and help organizations move toward sustainable impact. LaToya brings a thoughtful and intentional approach to every engagement, combining systems-level insight with a deep understanding of the importance of relationships, equity, and community voice. Her ability to bridge perspectives, identify opportunities for collaboration, and translate vision into action makes her a trusted partner in advancing meaningful change. Her dedication to strengthening communities and creating sustainable solutions is reflected in the lasting relationships she cultivates and the positive impact of her work."

"LaToya is an exceptional leader in the field of perinatal and maternal mental health. I have complete confidence in her ability to advise organizations on designing and implementing equitable, trauma-informed systems that transform how care is coordinated for mothers and families, strengthen cross-sector partnerships, improve access, and advance maternal health outcomes. She has cultivated strong relationships with both community and clinical partners, allowing her to effectively connect patients with the resources and support they need. Her collaborative leadership style, strategic thinking, and commitment to data-informed decision making make her an invaluable partner."

"When the intersection of your work is aligned with LaToya's, I highly recommend bringing her on as a cross-sector partner for any collaboration. When asked, “what can you bring to the table?”, she will find a way for her program to maximize its impact in alignment with the collaborative's."

"As a professor, mentor, and supervisor in public administration, I have witnessed LaToya consistently bridge public administration theory with applied public service practice. She brings analytical rigor, professionalism, and the ability to translate complex challenges into clear, actionable strategies through research, collaboration, and systems thinking. Her expertise extends beyond traditional public administration into community resilience, emergency preparedness, and organizational continuity, where she thoughtfully integrates equity into planning, recovery, and cross-sector collaboration. Her leadership reflects a rare combination of strategic vision, practical implementation, and an unwavering commitment to advancing equitable outcomes."

"During my time as an Operational Leader at Access2Care, I had the privilege of collaborating with LaToya to address critical healthcare access barriers - specifically evaluating transportation challenges for members of the community and especially pregnant mothers in Houston. LaToya is exceptional. Her sharp strategic insights are matched only by her unwavering compassion for the community. She possesses a rare combination of intellect, operational expertise, and genuine dedication that turns complex challenges into meaningful solutions for those who need them most."