Clients

My clients create positive social impact in many ways. 

Some support high quality public education experiences that prepare students for the future. Others provide programming to expose young leaders to ideas and experiences and develop their skills to combat ignorance and bigotry. Some cultivate local leaders to innovate the ways citizens are mobilized and communities are developed. 

Others are investors, major donors, and champions for particular issue areas and geographic regions. Many of my clients work towards improving health outcomes. 

Here are examples of some of my social impact projects:

Achieve Foundation of South Orange & Maplewood

Achieve is an education foundation with the mission that all students in the public school system receive a high-quality education that prepares them for the future. Achieve does this by supporting educators, addressing resource inequities, 

and inspiring innovation throughout the school district. 

As Achieve welcomed new leadership and adapted to pandemic, I assisted the board and staff with developing a strategic plan. Gathering information and feedback from those within the foundation and those in their community, we worked together to clarify mission, vision and strategies and improve operations to ensure the foundation’s stability as well as planned growth. 

NAMI Kansas

I worked with NAMI Kansas to design and roll out a mini-grants program to engage allied organizations in small projects focused on implementing the Tobacco Guideline for Behavioral Health Care, which NAMI Kansas developed in close collaboration with other stakeholders. This project was built from the ground up and required an aggressive timeline to develop the RFP, solicit and review grant proposals, and execute grant agreements with a cadre of 14 mini-grantees. Through these mini-grants, partners prevent tobacco use, increase health provider capacity and integrate systems, and help those with mental health diagnoses quit smoking. 

Israel Education Center (IEC)

The IEC empowers the next generation to develop a meaningful relationship with Israel through campus-specific programming, civic engagement projects, and diverse immersive experiences to support personal and communal development. I evaluate their programs that engage young people with one another and Israel, connect them to Israel’s history and culture, and combat delegitimization and antisemitism. From our evaluative learning, we strategize and determine ways to leverage resources for continuous program improvement and positive social impact. 

Kansas Health Foundation (KHF)

KHF invests in ideas for healthy people and stronger communities. 

I evaluated a number of their grant strategies: leadership, healthy behaviors, recognition grants, impact and capacity grants, among others. Working with the Programs Team, we considered system improvements and refinements to philanthropic strategies. 

I facilitated grantee cohort gatherings, where grant recipients 

discuss their challenges, progress, and identify cohort-based opportunities 

(e.g., sharing resources, cross-agency promotions, research and field-building, etc.). 

Also, we co-authored a publication.

Cornerstone Family Programs

Cornerstone Family Programs strengthen communities by helping people build better lives. They offer preschool, children and teen programs, parent and family programs, as well as veterans’ and senior programs. I worked with their strong leadership team to develop a strategic plan that honed in on empowering staff, 

resourcing signature programs, reducing some operating costs, and creating processes for ongoing growth and innovation.