“What problem are you trying to solve?”

All of Cathy’s consulting engagements start with a deep dive into the problem itself, making sure that all stakeholders agree on the issue at hand and what success looks like. Her expertise is in business and strategic planning and nonprofit management, but she has also led AI Integration projects, brand studies, fund development strategies and other problems rooted in mission and messaging.

In addition to project management, Cathy is a skilled facilitator, leading groups to discover their own solutions through dialogue, debate, and data. She has taught workshops and facilitated groups large and small for Chicago-based Community Connections Fund, a leadership development program for community leaders; the business community in the Chicago suburbs; and the nonprofit community in the Chicago area.

Cathy is a dynamic speaker with experience engaging groups ranging from 5 to 500. She can address any of the 6 Segments (Administration, Community, Development, Finance, Marketing and Programs) or any of the 4 Foundations (Big Questions, Ethos, Positioning, and Strategy) in the 6+4 System. Hire her to speak at your next professional gathering as a keynote speaker, panelist or breakout room leader.

Curious? Watch her TEDx Talk.

n a pinch, you can hire Cathy as a Grant Writer for your nonprofit - but she’d much rather teach you how to do it yourself.

Ask Cathy to help you build a Center of Excellence for grant management within your organization. Develop clear messaging, build a component library and learn how to deftly describe your organization or program’s purpose - and how you plan to fulfill that purpose and measure its impact with grant funding.

After years of seeing purpose-driven people enter the nonprofit space without the management training to succeed, Cathy created her own coaching system, called “Rising Stars.” Let her coach a team or individual in your organization to help that person develop professionally even while becoming a more effective contributor to your organization. Program can be customized to meet the needs of your nonprofit.

Our proprietary 6+4 System for Nonprofit Management provides a ten-point checklist for ensuring that you are organized and managing for impact.

This specific service is an assessment of the clarity and effectiveness of both the 6 Segments of nonprofit operations and the 4 Foundations of nonprofit strength. We’ll evaluate how things are working and whether they are aligned to your purpose.

This is a terrific exercise for any nonprofit nagged by doubts that it is going its best work.