WORK
Selected work.
A sample of recent engagements.
Case Study 01
Building a Culture of Continuous Learning Across a Federal Health Workforce Portfolio
Organization: Public Health Institute
Role: MEL Advisor → Director, Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning
Focus: MEL infrastructure, performance measurement, partner coordination, continuous learning
Engagement: 2017–2025
CLIENT CONTEXT
Following an initial consulting engagement, Public Health Institute brought me on as staff to lead MEL across a growing portfolio of global health workforce programs — placing hundreds of fellows, interns, and specialists across federal health agencies and international postings. Programs operated across institutional partners including the Aspen Institute, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of San Francisco. The organization needed rigorous MEL systems that could operate across multiple programs and partners simultaneously — and give funders and leadership actionable data, not just compliance reporting.
OBJECTIVE
Build and lead MEL infrastructure across a complex multi-program portfolio — designing performance frameworks, coordinating partner reporting, and creating conditions where data informed decisions in real time rather than after the fact.
APPROACH
— Developed PMEPs and MEL plans from scratch for multiple programs, defining indicators, data collection methodology, and reporting frameworks aligned with funder requirements
— Designed surveys and qualitative data collection tools tailored to each program's context and learning questions
— Coordinated MEL across institutional partners — aligning reporting standards and synthesizing findings across organizations
— Established a continuous learning approach — using monitoring data collaboratively with program teams to identify emerging issues, recognize progress, and make course corrections before problems escalated
RESULTS & IMPACT
— PHI had reliable, detailed MEL systems and proposal-ready performance frameworks across its global health workforce portfolio
— Funders received consistent, high-quality reporting with early visibility into evolving program situations
— Program teams developed a genuine culture of data use — treating monitoring as a collaborative learning tool rather than a reporting burden
— MEL infrastructure adapted successfully across program types, including a public-private partnership with the Medtronic Foundation and a COVID-19 emergency response project
ONGOING ROLE
Engagement concluded January 2025 with the closure of USAID-funded projects.
Case Study 02
Connecting Strategy to Execution Across a 60-Branch National Organization
Organization: National women's membership organization, 60+ branches
Role: Strategic Program Consultant
Focus: Strategy implementation, performance measurement, organizational alignment
Engagement: Ongoing
CLIENT CONTEXT
The organization had drafted strategic plans across seven national program areas and conducted three years of an annual branch survey — but the plans lacked measurable outcomes and the survey wasn't connected to strategic priorities. Leadership needed both to be operationalized and linked.
OBJECTIVE
Build a practical coordination and measurement infrastructure to enable leadership to align branch insights with national strategy, track progress consistently across all seven program areas, and strengthen organizational accountability and decision-making.
APPROACH
— Worked with each of the seven National Chairs to operationalize strategic plans — defining measurable outcomes and connecting program activity to organizational goals for the first time
— Led a needs assessment with National Chairs to clarify what data was needed and how it would be used — then redesigned the annual all-branch survey into a strategic learning tool aligned with program-area outcomes
— Built an integrated results framework and performance measurement and evaluation plan (PMEP) connecting branch-level data to national strategic priorities
— Provided capacity building support to strengthen grant readiness and impact reporting across program areas
RESULTS & IMPACT
— Strategic plans across all seven program areas now have defined, measurable outcomes for the first time
— Annual survey redesigned into a strategic learning tool aligned with all seven program areas
— Integrated results framework established, connecting branch activity to national strategic priorities
— Organization positioned with the measurement infrastructure to support future grant applications
ONGOING ROLE
Currently completing the first full measurement cycle: analyzing branch president survey results, integrating findings into the PMEP, and preparing individual sessions with each National Chair to review baseline results and establish targets for their program indicators.
Case Study 03
Securing Inaugural City Funding for a New York Diaspora Cultural Organization
Organization: New York diaspora cultural organization
Role: Grant Strategy & Proposal Development
Focus: First-time city grant application, project design, outcomes framework
Result: Funded — $10,000 NYC Department of Cultural Affairs baseline grant
CLIENT CONTEXT
The organization had a strong track record of cultural programming but had never applied to the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs. They were ready to pursue city funding for the first time and needed support navigating the application process, shaping a compelling project, and building an outcomes framework that would satisfy funder requirements.
OBJECTIVE
Develop a fundable first-time application to the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs — identifying the strongest alignment between the organization's existing programming and funder priorities, building a realistic monitoring framework, and writing a compelling grant narrative.
APPROACH
— Reviewed funder priorities and requirements to identify the strongest fit with the organization's programming
— Collaborated with organizational leadership on project design — clarifying goals, activities, and intended outcomes
— Built an outcomes framework connecting project activities to measurable results
— Led the grant development process — coordinating with organizational staff and writing the proposal narrative and application
RESULTS & IMPACT
— Secured $10,000 in inaugural NYC Department of Cultural Affairs funding
— Established the organization as an eligible recipient for future city funding cycles
— Delivered a reusable outcomes framework the organization can apply to future grant applications
ONGOING ROLE
Engagement concluded upon successful award. The outcomes framework and application materials remain available to the organization for future funding cycles.