HABITABLE
Positioning a legacy research nonprofit for global leadership in planetary health.
FROM
Technical authority
Fragmented messaging
Tactical execution
TO
Global thought leader
Unified narrative
Strategic direction
The Challenge
When I joined Habitable (formerly Healthy Building Network), the organization had deep technical credibility but no internal brand function or shared narrative. Previous agency work had produced outputs, but not momentum.
The challenge was making specialized research actionable for funders, policymakers, and partners—without compromising rigor.
The Transformation
I led a comprehensive repositioning to align Habitable with its next phase of influence, clarifying its role in a rapidly shifting environmental and philanthropic landscape.
As an internal department of one, I built the foundation from the ground up: a new name, mission and vision, narrative architecture, and identity system designed for scale. In parallel, I established the structures required to sustain the work beyond launch. The real work was translating my expertise across organizational functions to create clarity, alignment, and integrated strategy.
The result was not just a new brand, but a new strategic direction—one oriented toward accessibility, influence, and long-term growth. This evolution reshaped not only how Habitable communicates, but how it operates.
“Nicolette transformed our communications. Just compare a report from before she joined to one after—the improvement is undeniable. She helped us appeal to a much broader audience.”
Rebecca Stamm, Senior Researcher | Habitable
How I Led
Reframing the organization’s impact, not just its messaging
Rather than refine the organization’s existing niche narrative on toxic chemicals, I broadened the frame to include pollution, equity, and climate—positioning Habitable to compete within a rapidly shifting philanthropic and political landscape.
Translating science into strategy
I worked closely with the research team to shift from expert-to-expert to audience-centered communications, helping technical experts present their work through the lens of funders and policymakers without compromising rigor.
Designing for attention in a technical field
In a space dominated by dense reports, we built a brand that led with strong visuals and data storytelling—using design as a strategic lever to draw audiences into complex science rather than talk at them.
Proof of Concept
Early proof came through communications developed for Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Beyond Petrochemicals Campaign (BPC), one of several new funders attracted post-rebrand.
A visually-driven policy brief translated complex research on plastics in building materials into an accessible format and was promoted at the UN Global Plastics Treaty negotiations (INC 5.2) in Geneva, Switzerland. Translated into French and Spanish, it marked Habitable’s shift from technical authority to global thought leader.
In parallel, I supported the internal team in developing a systems-change framework to guide how philanthropic capital could accelerate petrochemical reduction worldwide—helping mobilize additional funders and sector-level momentum.
The Impact
Following the rebrand, Habitable attracted four new philanthropic funders and unlocked $250K in dedicated communications funding in the first year after launch.
More importantly, the organization gained the narrative clarity and internal systems required to sustain influence long-term.