About Quaneka Falls
MHA, CHW, Certified Grief Coach
Quaneka Falls is the founder of Harper McKenzie Consulting, a consulting practice dedicated to grief-informed coaching, strategic consulting, and professional speaking. She brings a unique combination of lived experience, academic training, and professional expertise to every client and organization she serves.
Lived Experience
At age 14, Quaneka experienced the loss of her mother to breast cancer—an event that profoundly shaped her life, purpose, and professional journey. Navigating grief during adolescence without adequate support gave her a firsthand understanding of the challenges many children and families face after loss.
Rather than allowing grief to define her future, Quaneka transformed her pain into purpose. Her lived experience fuels her passion for creating safe spaces, meaningful resources, and supportive communities for individuals navigating grief, trauma, and life transitions.
Today, she combines personal experience with professional expertise to help children, families, organizations, and communities build resilience, find hope, and heal with dignity. Her mission is simple: no one should have to navigate grief alone.
Professional Background
Quaneka Falls is a public health professional, nonprofit leader, and community strategist with extensive experience leading initiatives across local government, public health, and the nonprofit sector. She holds a Master of Health Administration (MHA), a Bachelor's degree in Community Health Education, and is both a Certified Community Health Worker (CHW) and Certified Grief Coach.
In her leadership role with Mecklenburg County's Office of Violence Prevention, she helped guide community-based violence prevention strategies, facilitated cross-sector partnerships, led community engagement efforts, and contributed to strategic planning initiatives designed to improve safety and well-being across the county.
Quaneka also founded Connecting the Gap in 2020, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting grieving youth, young adults, and families. Under her leadership, the organization has expanded its reach through mental health resources, economic empowerment initiatives, educational support, and community partnerships.
Through consulting, speaking, and organizational development, she helps nonprofits, government agencies, and community organizations strengthen programs, engage stakeholders, and advance strategic goals that improve outcomes for the communities they serve.
Credentials & Education
- Master of Health Administration (MHA)
- Bachelor's in Community Health Education
- Certified Grief Coach
- Certified Community Health Worker (CHW)
- Nonprofit Management Certificate (Duke University)
- WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) Facilitator
- Nonprofit Founder & Executive Director
- Published grief journal author
Athletics & Leadership
Before her career in public health and grief work, Quaneka served as a collegiate team manager for the UNC Wilmington Women's Basketball program from 2005 to 2009. Her time in athletics taught her the value of teamwork, discipline, resilience, and showing up for others even when the work is hard.
These lessons carry directly into her coaching and consulting work today. Whether she's supporting an athlete processing grief, a team navigating loss, or an organization planning for the future, Quaneka brings the same commitment to preparation, accountability, and results.
Approach & Philosophy
Quaneka's work is grounded in the belief that grief is not a problem to be solved—it's a human experience that deserves acknowledgment, support, and space. She meets clients where they are, offering practical tools and compassionate guidance without judgment.
Her consulting work follows the same principle: meet organizations where they are, understand their unique challenges, and build strategies that are sustainable and rooted in the community they serve.
Ready to Work Together?
Whether you need grief coaching, strategic guidance, or a speaker for your next event, Quaneka is ready to help.
Book a Discovery Call