Operational Alignment · Nonprofits
Your team is working hard. Your mission is strong. And yet something inside the organization feels harder than it should - and most days, you're the one holding it together.
Let's start a conversation →The reality
They struggle because the mission grew faster than the structure supporting it. Roles got blurry. Systems got patchworked. People who are genuinely good at their jobs are working at cross-purposes because no one has stopped to ask whether the right people are in the right roles. And somewhere along the way, leadership started carrying operational weight that was never meant to sit in one place.
What becomes clearer
You feel it in the meetings that go sideways. In the decisions that keep landing back on your desk. In the team that's working hard but not always together. The processes exist - but they're not working the way they should, and the tools you've added haven't solved it.
Who I Am
Operational Alignment Consultant
I bring over 20 years of operational leadership experience - including a long career at one of the largest corporations in the world - to nonprofit organizations that are doing meaningful work but feeling the weight of complexity they never planned for.
My approach is relational and embedded. I don't arrive with a framework and leave with a report. I show up, listen carefully, and work alongside your team - inside the real dynamics of how your organization functions - until the work starts to move the way it should.
What I've learned is that the human side of operations is where everything either comes together or falls apart. The way teams communicate, make decisions, and carry responsibility matters as much as any system or process. That's where I focus - part consultant, part coach, always embedded in the real work alongside your team.
I work with a small number of organizations at a time - by design. Every engagement deserves full attention, and I'm not willing to do this work any other way.
Learn more about how I work →What people say
"Working with Karen changed what our team thought was possible. She brought clarity to our operations, focus to our people - and did it all in a way that felt genuinely human. When we asked our leadership team how they felt, the response was unanimous: if it's not Karen, we don't want it."
Gabrielle Thompson, CEO
Reclaim: Dignity + Hope + Life · Established international nonprofit operating in Jordan, Kazakhstan, Guatemala & Argentina · 50+ global staff
"Karen helped our staff work more efficiently and gave our organization a clearer picture of our gaps as well as a practical roadmap to address them. What sets Karen apart is her ability to make people feel heard while still pushing them beyond their comfort zones."
Bill Merrifield, EdD · Chief Strategy Officer
Reclaim: Dignity + Hope + Life
"Karen walked into our organization and became a beautiful strength and steady voice of discernment almost immediately. The trust she built with our team happened faster than I would have believed."
Marcy Carter
Compassionate Hands · Nashville, TN
How we get started
Every engagement begins the same way - a real conversation about where your organization is and what it actually needs. I ask questions before I offer anything. Most engagements run 90 days. The scope is shaped by your organization, not a preset structure. There's no formula. No package. Just focused, experienced support for the season your organization is in.
Start the conversation →Get in touch
I work with a small number of organizations at a time. Fill out the form below and I'll be in touch within two business days.
Common questions
The questions most nonprofit leaders have before they reach out.
Transitions are often exactly when this work is most useful. When roles are shifting, leadership is changing, or the organization is restructuring, the operational foundation either holds or it doesn't. A 90-day engagement during or immediately after a transition gives you a clear picture of what's working, what needs to be rebuilt, and what decisions to make next - before the new structure calcifies around old problems.
The tools, rhythms, and clarity we create together are designed to live in your team - not leave when I do. My goal is never to create dependency. It's to build your organization's capacity to operate well on its own. That said, some organizations choose to continue working together after the initial engagement. That's always their choice, based on what's genuinely useful.
That's one of the most common things I hear - and a fair concern. Most consulting engagements are designed around the consultant's process, not your organization's reality. I don't work that way. I work embedded within your organization, not from the outside looking in. I'm in the meetings. I'm talking to your team. I'm learning how your organization actually functions before I offer any recommendations - and I stay long enough to help you act on them.
In my experience, teams are more open than leaders expect - especially when they feel heard rather than assessed. I don't come in with a clipboard and a verdict. I come in with genuine curiosity about what's working and what isn't. Trust tends to build quickly when people feel you're actually on their side.
Complexity is exactly where this work tends to have the most impact. Organizations with simple operations rarely feel the strain that brings someone to this conversation. The more moving parts, the more important it is to have clear roles, shared ownership, and systems that actually support the people using them. Complicated isn't a disqualifier - it's usually the starting point.
We start by listening - meetings with leadership, conversations with team members, a close look at how your systems and workflows actually function. From there, we assess honestly, identify priorities, and begin stabilizing the areas that need the most attention. By the end of 90 days, you have a clear picture of where your operations stand, what needs attention, and a practical path forward. Day-to-day involvement typically runs 6–12 hours per week depending on complexity and need.
No - and that's exactly why this model exists. A 90-day engagement gives you experienced operational leadership without the cost or commitment of a full-time hire. It's designed for organizations that need more than a consultant but aren't ready - or aren't able - to bring someone on permanently. Many organizations use this engagement to get clarity on what they actually need before making any long-term staffing decisions.
Some consultants operate alone. Karen doesn't have to. When an engagement calls for it - strategic direction, leadership development, brand clarity, or organizational alignment - Karen works in connection with eyeBrand, a 10+ year consulting practice that works with mission-driven organizations.