Here’s how I can help!
Management &
Operational Advisory
Periods of growth, change and uncertainty can be incredibly challenging for organizational leaders to navigate. When you're in the thick of things, it can be very hard to see the forest for the trees. I know what this is like. I get it, because I have been there myself.
I have a wealth of experience working with leaders to build, re-build and grow their organizations in ways that better position them for success. I support them to clarify priorities, communicate more effectively with their teams, use their resources as efficiently as possible, and develop plans to get stuff done. When necessary, I apply a legal/governance lens to management and operational issues to help my clients successfully identify and manage organizational risk. And, I provide confidential, non-judgmental support every step of the way. My services include:
Management coaching for first-time Executive Directors and managers
Change management advisory services
Fractional management services for organizations that are transitioning to new leadership
Facilitation
Great decisions come from great conversations. Whether you have a group of two or twenty (or more!), the right facilitator can help diverse stakeholders focus on key issues, provide meaningful input, uncover new ideas, and make strong decisions - together.
As a facilitator, my job is to help you bring people together for meaningful conversations that propel your work forward. I am available to facilitate events both in-person and online. I offer a range of support, including:
Team building sessions
Vision and values workshops
Stakeholder mapping workshops
Stakeholder consultations
Strategic planning retreats
Strategy Check workshops
I’ve worked with organizations and enterprises ranging from long-standing charitable foundations and social service providers to non-profit start-ups. I’ve even supported an internationally renowned team of co-authors to distill their expertise and insights into an accessible and engaging best-selling book - starting with an intensive three-day retreat on gorgeous Saturna Island.
As a high-energy, creative and dynamic individual, I am always learning and growing. I continually invest in my facilitation prowess through ongoing professional development offered by organizations like the Institute of Cultural Affairs.
Strategic Planning
A strategic plan should never sit on a shelf. When done right, a strategic plan provides a realistic roadmap that helps your team to optimize how it spends its precious resources - and ultimately, grow its impact.
My approach to strategic planning centers on questions like:
Why are you here?
What difference are you making in the world?
How do you know you are meeting the needs of the people you hope to serve?
What is stopping you from growing your impact in a sustainable way?
Whether you need to develop a multi-year strategy, are looking for an annual Strategy Check workshop, or see the value in adding a Virtual Strategist to your operations, I’m here to help. Along the way, I’ll draw on my training as a professional facilitator. I’ll also integrate analytical frameworks and data-gathering tools into the process where they make sense, such as:
Online surveys
Focus group sessions
One-on-one interviews
Literature Reviews
Environmental scans
SWOT and PESTLE analyses
Stakeholder mapping exercises
Journey Walls
Board Training
Strong boards can play a truly transformative role in their organizations. Ineffective, disengaged, and uninformed boards can have an equally devastating impact on organizational sustainability and viability.
The most resilient non-profits invest in the capacity of their boards to partner with management, make good decisions, and contribute to a positive organizational culture.
I provide training and workshops that equip non-profit boards with an understanding of their duties and obligations as directors, best practices in governance, and their role as ambassadors for their organizations.
I do this through customized half-day and full-day workshops on a variety of topics, including:
Best practices in policy development
Organizational risk management
The fundamentals of non-profit governance
Building an engaged board