If you’re leading something that matters — and sensing it wants to evolve — you may be navigating questions of structure, narrative, and leadership all at once.
I advise community foundations, nonprofits, and universities on institutional strategy, editorial, and leadership.
FOUNDATIONS, UNIVERSITIES, ALUMNI, NONPROFIT, COMMUNITY
What I Do
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I work with organizations to understand the changing environments in which they operate, imagine what is possible, and make consequential choices about their future. My approach combines research, environmental sensing, systems thinking and coaching, and collaborative strategy development. Together, we examine emerging needs and opportunities, challenge assumptions, and align organizational strengths and resources with a clear sense of direction. The result is strategy grounded in evidence, informed by imagination, and designed to move organizations forward.
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I work with organizations and leaders to develop distinctive editorial voices that contribute meaningfully to the conversations shaping their fields and communities. My approach combines research, strategic positioning, and editorial development to identify the ideas, sensibilities, and stories worth advancing. Together, we build the capacity to move beyond conventional institutional communications toward publishing that demonstrates thought leadership, shapes public understanding, and contributes to meaningful change.
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I help organizations design and prepare for ambitious campaigns by clarifying the priorities, narrative, and architecture that will carry the work forward. This often includes stakeholder interviews, strategy workshops, campaign framing, and the development of a clear case for support. The goal is to align leadership, donors, and the broader community around a shared vision so that the campaign reflects both the institution’s identity and its moment of opportunity.
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I coach leaders who are navigating complexity, growth, or transition within their organizations. Our work focuses on strengthening clarity, judgment, and presence so leaders can hold difficult decisions, relationships, and change with steadiness. Coaching often accompanies strategy work, but it can also stand alone as a confidential space for reflection, insight, and leadership development.
Lately …
An urban university in the PNW needed comprehensive campaign logic to build a $500 million campaign.
A $600M community foundation needed enterprise strategy grounded in a deeper understanding of the region’s changing civic, economic, and social landscape. The work combined environmental research, systems thinking, and collaborative inquiry to identify emerging opportunities and shape the foundation’s future role in the community.
A New York-based university needed editorial content for their first annual report.
A large urban university needed website architecture, branding, and communications strategy for its alumni association.
A consulting partner needed website architecture, branding, strategy and messaging to differentiate itself from competitors and clarify its offering.
Social entrepreneurs and global nonprofit professionals sought 1:1 coaching support funded by a Silicon Valley foundation.
A candidate for U.S. Congress needed narrative strategy and messaging for a 16-week email campaign to mobilize volunteers, fundraising, and voters.
A statewide network of community foundations needed storytelling training for executive directors new to fundraising.
An edtech company needed 1:1 onboarding strategy and design to help students clarify their goals and maximize success in a fast-paced online learning environment.
About me.
With interests in identity, structure, and expression, I help institutions recognize the patterns shaping their future and design what comes next. I began my career as a reporter for The Phoenix Business Journal, covering tourism, hospitality, and airlines. Then I returned to school for my MFA in creative writing and poetry from the University of Arizona. I’m trained as a coach and facilitator in many modalities, but my most comprehensive coach training is through the Co-Active Leadership Institute and CRR Global. My experience in philanthropy and nonprofits is a rare combination of breadth and depth. In addition to holding leadership positions in advancement in large research and land-grant universities — where fundraising campaigns aspire to raise billions — I’ve also worked for a mid-sized community foundation, and served as executive director of two nonprofits that taught documentary and fine arts to all ages. Each had an annual operating budget under $1 million. As a writer, I publish a newsletter about nonprofit strategy, communications, and leadership, and I’m a contributor to Why Is This Interesting? Recent pieces include The Luxury Ice Cube Edition, The Archery Edition, and Why Is Sedona Interesting?
