Based on anonymous feedback from 11 clients, June 2025
Why Clients Choose to Work with Me
Clients describe working with me as energizing, collaborative, and transformational.
Through recent anonymous feedback from 11 clients, several themes emerged:
Making Hard Work Feel Joyful
I'm known for making challenging work feel manageable, even joyful, while delivering strategic depth and operational excellence.
Combining Strategy with Humanity
I excel at coalition-building, participatory processes, and systems change work, particularly in philanthropy and social justice contexts. I blend deep strategic expertise with emotional intelligence and warmth.
International Perspective & Deep Experience
My European base brings cross-continental insights to US clients, while my 15+ years in regenerative economics provides extensive experience to draw from.
"Kelley is one of those rare consultants who combines deep wisdom with warmth, fun, and a fierce commitment to getting things done. Working with her feels energising and grounding at the same time."
"What surprised me most was how effortlessly she combines deep strategy with deep humanity. She brings a quiet confidence and emotional intelligence that makes even the most complex or high-stakes work feel manageable."
"How much fun it was! It felt very collaborative and enjoyable, which deepened the work we were doing. I hadn't expected to look forward to our work so much."
"She has this superpower of making people feel good while getting things done, but in a way that genuinely shifts the energy of a group."
Donna Daniels, PhD | Vice President Integrated Capitals and Communities, Heron Foundation
"Kelley's in-depth knowledge of philanthropy and participatory grantmaking has been invaluable. She is a trusted thought partner whose expertise and professionalism has been integral to advancing our efforts to work in community thoughtfully and equitably."
Hannah Paterson | Head of Funding - UK Portfolio, National Lottery Community Fund
"Kelley is incredible. Having worked with her to set up and manage the Participatory Grantmaking Community I have seen first-hand the care, attention and skills she puts into her work. She has been instrumental in the community growing from 12 to 800, developing our governance structure and the direct running of the Community. Kelley is thoughtful, effective, impactful, diligent, analytical and detail-oriented. She works with care and compassion and brings this together with professionalism that not only gets the work done but brings people along as she does it."
Raquel Iglesias | Cultural Funding, City of Oakland
"Working with Kelley has been instrumental to my understanding of trust based practices in philanthropy. Her expertise and passion for transforming donor advised funds contributed to the development of key programs, donor education, and best practices within our department, as well as motivated all who worked with her to push beyond the limits of structures in place.
Kelley's management style deeply aligns with her values. As the former leader of our department, she led our team with collaboration and trust being at the forefront of everything we did. Because of this, working under Kelley was the most rewarding and effective work experience I've ever been a part of."
Bart Westdijk | Co-Director, New England Grassroots Environment Fund
"For the Grassroots Fund, stepping in to a gifting circle as part of our participatory grantmaking model is a first. It's an approach that is outside the norms of philanthropy and really invites participants to co-create the program. Kelley's support has been key to ground this new approach in previous experiences, being able to answer any questions and draw from a wealth of examples that help the group gain confidence that this approach has worked and holds great potential."
"Working with Kelley continues to be one of the treats of my professional career. She's always generous and real when I work with her."
"She manages to get an extraordinary amount done, always with grace and good humour."
"Delivering high quality work at pace that still centres care"
"It is just so wonderful and easy. I LOVE when I get to work with Kelley."
"Kelley is excellent at connecting with people, she makes time to build relationships that go beyond the transactional."
"She brings joy to the work and leaves people feeling more confident, more connected, and more capable."
"She never made me feel like the help I needed was anything but normal and doable."
"I am struggling to think about what Kelley is not qualified to do. Everything I have worked with her on she's been incredible."
When asked to describe my consulting approach in three words, clients most frequently chose:
Thoughtful • Open • Strategic • Knowledgeable • Responsive
Also mentioned: Patient, conscientious, reflective, supportive, generative, collaborative, generous, thorough, effective, professional, empathetic, caring, fun
If you're facing complex challenges at the intersection of philanthropy, regenerative and solidarity economies, systems change, and community power, or if you're ready to make difficult work feel more manageable and even joyful, I'd love to hear from you.
Contact me to start a conversation.