About BelongingU
BelongingU is a consulting and storytelling practice led by Dr. Benjamin “Benny” Rieth. Through his work as a storyteller, facilitator, trainer, and educator, Dr. Benny partners with campuses, nonprofits, businesses, and student organizations to cultivate real, meaningful belonging.
Grounded in Indigenous ways of knowing and guided by his Five Rs framework—relationships, relevance, reciprocity, respect, and responsibility—Dr. Benny helps communities build connection, restore joy, and deepen purpose in their work and environments.
Through keynotes, workshops, retreats, coaching, and program design, he moves communities from insight to action and from intention to transformation—creating spaces where students, staff, and teams feel seen, supported, and empowered to thrive.
His work blends research, lived experience, and storytelling to invite individuals and organizations to reflect, reconnect, and grow together
Who We Serve
BelongingU partners with:
- Colleges and universities
- K–12 schools and school districts
- Tribal colleges and Indigenous-serving institutions
- Nonprofit organizations
- Student governments and leadership groups
- Senior leaders, administrators, and teams
Each engagement is tailored to meet communities where they are, honoring their strengths, challenges, and vision for the future.
How BelongingU’s Approach Sets Us Apart
BelongingU does not rely on generic frameworks or one-size-fits-all models.
Dr. Benny’s approach is rooted in Indigenous knowledge systems and his research on belonging, including the Five Rs framework and his work on space and student sense of belonging. His work centers relationships, story, reciprocity, and the environments people move through every day.
Rather than focusing solely on policy or compliance, BelongingU helps organizations understand how belonging is created, experienced, and sustained—through everyday interactions, environments, and practices.
This is not performative work. It is relational, intentional, and built to last.
Dr. Benny's Focus
While many consulting approaches emphasize programs and metrics, Dr. Benny focuses on people, space, and transformation.
He works alongside leaders and teams to:
- Strengthen relationships and trust
- Build cultures rooted in care and accountability
- Reimagine environments where people learn and work
- Integrate Indigenous ways of being into everyday practice
The result is not just improved outcomes but healthier cultures, stronger communities, and a deeper sense of belonging.
About Benjamin "Benny" Rieth Ed.D.
I am the founder of BelongingU: Rieth Strategy Solutions and a higher education leader dedicated to creating communities where every person feels seen, valued, and connected. As an enrolled member of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and a descendant of the Menominee Nation, my work is grounded in Indigenous ways of being and guided by the Five Rs—Relationships, Responsibility, Respect, Relevance, and Reciprocity. These values shape how I approach leadership, strategic planning, and belonging-centered transformation.
With nearly a decade of experience in higher education, I have led initiatives in student affairs, enrollment, DEIB, first-year experience, and student engagement. Throughout my career, I have developed belonging ways of being that transforms cultures, reimagined campus programs, and helped institutions create cultures that align with their mission, vision, and values.
I bring storytelling, joy, and authenticity into everything I do whether consulting with college departments, coaching student leaders, or speaking to teams about belonging, optimism, and Indigenous knowledge. My goal is simple: to help organizations strengthen their culture, build meaningful relationships, and create spaces where people thrive.
Belonging isn’t just an outcome—it’s a way of being and I’m here to help you bring that to life in your community.