For more than two decades, I have helped social change makers in the U.S. and around the world increase effectiveness and impact in service of a more equitable, just, and climate-resilient future.

I delight in accompanying individuals and groups as they learn and adapt. My work takes many forms: advising senior leaders, designing learning and evaluation systems, facilitating multi-stakeholder, board, and staff strategic dialogues, stewarding communities of practice, and leading collaborative research initiatives. I am especially passionate about fostering cultures where diverse people and perspectives can come together to imagine and enact paths toward a better future.

I held leadership positions inside foundations for six years. At the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, I oversaw and provided hands on support for learning, evaluation, and strategy efforts across five program areas. At Skoll Global Threats Fund, I stood up a new learning and evaluation function and designed and executed key components of the organization’s sunset. Before entering the foundation world, I worked as a strategist, facilitator, and researcher at the social change consulting firm, Monitor Institute, where I spearheaded a multi-year research and learning initiative on philanthropy’s role in catalyzing networks. Prior to Monitor, I honed my scenario planning skills at Global Business Network, a futurist think tank, learning network and consultancy.

I speak regularly at conferences and have authored numerous articles for philanthropic and nonprofit audiences, including Cultivating Equity-Promoting Networks (RWJF, 2021), Resilience in 2020 (S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, 2020), Catalyzing Networks for Social Change: A Funder’s Guide (GEO, 2011), Working Wikily (SSIR, 2010), and What If? The Art of Scenario Thinking for Nonprofits (GBN, 2004). Currently I serve on the advisory panel for the Emergent Learning Community of Practice.

I graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Vassar College. After teaching and studying in Japan and India, I did a master’s degree in religious studies with a focus on Asian traditions at University of London’s SOAS. Later in my career, I completed a master’s in public administration at the Harvard Kennedy School.  

I live in San Francisco with my husband, two sons, and our dog, Junebug.

Who I work with

Working in close partnership with leaders and their teams, I shape and evolve the work to ensure fit for purpose and changing circumstances. Select clients include:

 

S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation

Center for Evaluation Innovation

Climate Advocacy Lab

Commonweal

Environmental Defenders Collaborative

Fetzer Institute

Omidyar Network

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors

Skoll Foundation

The David and Lucile Packard Foundation

The Lemelson Foundation

Tides

Walton Family Foundation