About Me
My Background
I bring an experienced practitioner's lens to the work I do - and a deep commitment to the health and vitality of the sector itself.
I founded my consulting practice over 15 years ago, building on two decades of leadership in philanthropy in a variety of roles. I have led major strategy, evaluation, and organizational learning initiatives - building capacity to embrace and leverage change - for the Surdna Foundation, where I served as director for planning and strategic initiatives. Earlier in my career, I served as a chief aide to the president of The Rockefeller Foundation, directing the activities of the executive office and special projects, including speechwriting.
An active proponent of communities of practice that bring people together to find solutions, I enjoy sharing ideas and have spoken widely about key topics in philanthropy including the intersection of philanthropic voice and impact, and the future of the social sector. I have also guest lectured at:
- Columbia University/School of International & Public Affairs;
- Duke University/Sanford School of Public Policy;
- Grand Valley State University/Johnson Center for Philanthropy.
I support a variety social sector organizations in advisory roles as well, including board member, donor, mentor, advocate, and thought partner. My board service has included:
- Center for Effective Philanthropy (Advisory Board);
- Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (Board of Directors);
- LearnPhilanthropy (Co-Founder and Advisory Board).
Additionally, I am a frequent reviewer for The Foundation Review, the peer-reviewed journal on grantmaking practice, and serve as mentor to emerging foundation leaders for Philanthropy New York, the principal professional community of philanthropists in the New York region.
My Mission
Grounded in equity and belonging, I help clients to meaningfully align resources for results - at the individual, organizational, and field levels.
With expertise in the dynamics of impact - from mission development to strategy, collaboration, and continuous learning - I help clients to advance from ideation to execution. On time, and on budget!
Examples of my client engagements include:
- Enterprise-level strategy mapping and development
- Team facilitation and problem-solving
- Cross-functional community collaboratives
- Program and initiative design, management, assessment and learning
- Field/sector-level talent development
- Thought leadership and executive communications
- Curricula design, in both academic and practitioner settings
My work has been recognized as a "Must Read" (National Network of Network Funders) and "Best Of...." (New York Health Foundation), and has been published by the Stanford Social Innovation Review, The Foundation Review, the Center for Effective Philanthropy, Philanthropy New York News, and the New York Times.
An experienced consultant, I am dedicated to providing expert advice, solutions, and client service. My approach is rooted in appreciative inquiry: let's start from where we are with the strengths we have. The time to build a positive future, together, is now.
Whether you are looking to craft new approaches, collaborate more effectively, or evolve your operations, I am here to help. With my proven track record and personalized approach, I can help you take your work to the next level. Contact me today to learn more about my services and how I can assist you.