The WHY of Nonprofit Nav
If you haven’t heard Simon Sinek or “Start with Why” referenced a few too many times, welcome, you must be new to the nonprofit sector. To successfully engage with outside talent or consultants, you must first understand why they’re helping.
Is it money? Guaranteed, to some degree…otherwise, they’d volunteer, right?
Ideally, however, it’s something that transcends profit.
We’ve been in your seat. We’ve faced the budget, the board, the volunteers, and the loneliness of leadership when you’re making big strides. We’ve lost sleep because of stress, but also because the work is so exciting – the potential so significant – that sleep feels like time wasted. The lingo, the politics, the pressures and the possibilities are all familiar to this team and the network of experts we work with. We are in this for you and with you.
Navigating any business is a challenge and it helps to work with someone who knows the landscape.
Meet the Team
Katie’s nonprofit career includes a variety of leadership roles for human service, foundation, and publishing-related nonprofits, as well as many volunteer roles. Under Katie’s leadership, nonprofit organizations have developed new programs related to free healthcare, affordable and accessible housing, and literacy programs for K-12 students. In her first Executive Director role, Katie increased the annual revenue of the organization she led by 300% and received the top grant prize in the nation for affordable housing through the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis. She went on to help establish Do More Good. This nonprofit educational platform eventually merged with Nonprofit Hub, one of the largest free content sites for nonprofits in North America.
Today, Katie serves as the contract leader of Inform USA in addition to her work with nonprofit consulting through Nonprofit Nav. She also serves as an adjunct professor of nonprofit leadership for Cornerstone University.
Her educational background includes an undergraduate degree in business administration and a masters degree in nonprofit leadership.
Katie serves on the boards of the National 211 Steering Committee, Gracious Grounds, and the Grand Haven Children’s Museum. She is an active member of the Nonprofit Innovation Circle, Grand Rapids Young Nonprofit Professionals, the Grand Haven Chamber of Commerce, Cause Network, the Lakeshore Nonprofit Alliance and the Association of Fundraising Professionals.
Paula brings a blend of corporate and nonprofit expertise to Nonprofit Nav. She worked for over two decades in the corporate marketing environment, developing strong skills and experience in leading comprehensive marketing initiatives, including customer segmentation, product development, branding, pricing and distribution planning, as well as multi-media promotional campaigns. Her nonprofit experience includes
serving on the Board of Directors for several organizations, including the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce, Read Muskegon, Nelson Neighborhood Improvement Association, and the Association for Corporate Growth West Michigan. Additionally, she was a founding member and longtime board leader of the Lakeshore Ethnic Diversity Alliance.
serving on the Board of Directors for several organizations, including the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce, Read Muskegon, Nelson Neighborhood Improvement Association, and the Association for Corporate Growth West Michigan. Additionally, she was a founding member and longtime board leader of the Lakeshore Ethnic Diversity Alliance.
Paula has worked as a strategic growth consultant since 2011, helping corporate and nonprofit leaders to define their visions and develop strategies to achieve their goals.
Joining Nonprofit Nav provides Paula with the opportunity to follow her heart and focus exclusively on supporting clients in the nonprofit sector who work every day to make the world a better place.
With over 20 years of experience in customer service and human resources management, Danielle is a highly skilled professional recognized for her ability to lead and manage complex HR functions and build strong relationships across all levels of organizations. Over the course of her career, she has successfully managed HR operations, employee relations, compensation and benefits, and compliance.
Beyond her corporate career, Danielle is deeply committed to community service. Since 2018, she has volunteered with the National Sexual Assault Hotline, providing online crisis support for survivors of sexual violence. This work has led her to volunteer with her local sexual assault service provider as an advocate for those affected by sexual assault in her community and surrounding area. Her dedication to this cause continues through supporting non-profits in the region while continually improving her skills through ongoing education and training.
Danielle is known for her strong communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and organizational acumen. She is passionate about helping others and brings a thoughtful, empathetic approach to her professional and volunteer roles.
Beyond her corporate career, Danielle is deeply committed to community service. Since 2018, she has volunteered with the National Sexual Assault Hotline, providing online crisis support for survivors of sexual violence. This work has led her to volunteer with her local sexual assault service provider as an advocate for those affected by sexual assault in her community and surrounding area. Her dedication to this cause continues through supporting non-profits in the region while continually improving her skills through ongoing education and training.
Danielle is known for her strong communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and organizational acumen. She is passionate about helping others and brings a thoughtful, empathetic approach to her professional and volunteer roles.
Jess Ronne is Nonprofit Nav's expert on community building and social media. In addition to consulting through Nonprofit Nav, Jess is an author, speaker, podcast host and caregiver advocate. Her personal memoir, "Sunlight Burning at Midnight," has been shared on The Today Show, Daily Mail and Huffington Post and is detailed in her memoir Sunlight Burning at Midnight.
Nonprofit Nav Guiding Values
Relevancy
It’s difficult to provide guidance to the sector when you’re no longer in it. Our team engages in board service, volunteerism, and contract leadership to keep our relevance.
Simplicity
Trending lingo, the latest theories, and strategic fads are lost on us. We use what works and what can be easily understood by our clients. Everything else is for scholars. We’re practitioners.
Raising the Bar
We don’t just aim to set the bar; we attempt to raise it with every engagement. We are competing with ourselves.
Always Learning
We have something to learn from each person we interact with – especially our clients. The things we have figured out may need to be refigured tomorrow. It’s ok, we’re committed to always learning.
Demonstrated Confidence
(Not Declared)
Our introductions will never take the air out of the room. Our confidence is demonstrated by our intellect, belief in our systems, and familiarity with the sector. We don’t feel the need to declare it.
It’s Not About Us
We believe our gifts are being stewarded for a greater purpose. God and our clients get the glory, we get the honor of supporting their work.
