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My Story

When I was a kid and people asked what I wanted to do with my life, I always answered, “To help people.” I still feel that way, but I’ve refined my mission: I love to help people help people. I went to law school to be a social justice lawyer and discovered that I love helping people fight effectively for a just and equitable world. During my 11-year career as a professor at CUNY Law School, I taught and mentored students pursuing “law in the service of human needs.” Many of them are now fighting for the rights of marginalized people.

I moved back to my beloved home state of Montana to lead the ACLU of Montana for 7.5 years. There I had the joy of hiring and supporting a diverse team of talented people with a passion for civil rights and social justice. I was able to use my unique skills to grow an organization financially healthy and robust enough to make the team’s work matter. My leadership style is characterized by a fearless approach to addressing and navigating complex challenges, a commitment to living my values, and a dedication to transformative change. I now support organizations and leaders committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable society to achieve their missions and make a lasting impact.

Key Accomplishments

➜ FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP. At the ACLU of Montana, quintupled net assets to $4+M and tripled annual fundraising to $1.42M. Developed a fundraising strategy that positioned the organization for sustainable future growth.

➜ MISSION-DRIVEN INITIATIVES. Launched groundbreaking programs such as the Indigenous Justice Program, which has become a model of culturally competent advocacy within the nationwide ACLU.

➜ DIVERSITY IMPACT. Transformed organizational demographics to achieve significant BIPOC and LGBTQ+ representation, including in leadership roles.

âžœ BOARD LEADERSHIP. Served on a number of nonprofit boards, frequently posing questions like what the board’s role should be and how the board could most effectively support the organization.

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