Resume - Laura Pierce, Principal

Principal, Laura Pierce Consulting, June 1998-present

·         Board development training and technical assistance

·         Facilitation of strategic and business planning, board retreats, collaborative work and community meetings

·         Organizational assessment

·         Interim direction for nonprofit organizations

 

Selected Recent Projects

·         Strategic Planning, including extensive stakeholder input activities, for Southwest Youth and Family Services, New Beginnings, Mountaineers Foundation, Eastside Baby Corner, 826 Seattle

·         Research and evaluation work in the emergency food arena, including a best practices catalog for emergency food providers with the Washington Food Coalition, a capacity assessment and input survey of food banks and meal programs for Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development; and an evaluation project to solicit input from over 200 member agencies for Food Lifeline

·         Interim Executive Director for seven Seattle-area nonprofit organizations over an eight year period:  Seattle Rape Relief, Lambert House, Team Survivor Northwest, Salish Sea Expeditions, Seattle Urban Nature Project, Earth Ministry and Verbena Health

·         Program developer and presenter as a member of the steering committee of the Nonprofit Assistance Center’s Capacity Builders Network, a four-day advanced cultural competency training for consultants.

·         Capacity building for multiple agencies through programs of Bainbridge Island Housing, Health and Human Services (11 human service agencies) and the Pride Foundation (coordinator for Queer Youth Capacity Building Project serving 6 agencies)

·         Teaching Associate at the UW Evans School of Public Affairs (philanthropy, strategic planning) and Lead Instructor for the Nonprofit Management Certificate Program through UW Extension (2002-2009)

 

2008 Client List

·         Cal Anderson Park Alliance

·         Camp Ten Trees

·         Cascade Harvest Coalition

·         Cascade Regional Blood Services

·         Chaya

·         Chelan-Douglas Counties Volunteer Attorney Services

·         Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development

·         Eastside Baby Corner

·         Food Lifeline

·         King County Coalition Against Domestic Violence/DV Directors Group

·         Longhouse Media/Native Lens

·         Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Northwest

·         Mountaineers Foundation

·         New Beginnings

·         Nonprofit Assistance Center

·         Nonprofit Center of South Puget Sound

·         Northwest Girlchoir

·         Northwest Community Land Trust Coalition

·         One America

·         Pacific Northwest Lesbian Archives

·         Peace Community Center

·         Southwest Youth and Family Services

·         University District Service Providers Coalition

·         Washington Assistive Technology Foundation

 

Prior Work Experience

 

Outreach Director, Pride Foundation, 1996- 1998

Develop and implement a successful statewide outreach program which involves volunteers from outlying communities in fundraising and grantmaking to benefit their local communities; manage scholarship and grant programs; provide technical assistance to grassroots groups

 

Evaluation Team Member/Intern, Office of Management and Planning, City of Seattle, 1996

Evaluate the neighborhood planning program using qualitative methods (interviews, focus groups); design public participation strategy for the Cultural Resources element of the City’s comprehensive Plan

 

Peer Advisor, UW Graduate School of Public Affairs, 1995-1996

Advise and counsel students in areas of curriculum planning and course selection; refer students to university services; primary spokesperson to prospective students; led information sessions on program

 

Long Range Planning Intern, Seattle Repertory Theatre, 1995

Staff the Long Range Planning Committee; draft and edit portions of the long range plan, prepare financial analysis

 

Director, Brown University Resource Center, Brown University, Providence, RI, 1992-1994

Coordinated daily operations of Resource Center, financial management and resource development; hired, trained and supervised student staff; counseled students on academic issues, career development, and life skills; outreach and events planning

 

Development Director, Bromfield Street Educational Foundation (publisher of  Gay Community News), Boston, MA, 1991-1992

Established and managed fundraising programs (annual gifts, major gifts, events, direct mail marketing); doubled annual fundraising to $100,000; financial management; participated in collective decision-making, staff liaison to the board

Education

Masters in Public Administration, concentration in Nonprofit Management, June 1996

                The Graduate School of Public Affairs, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 

Bachelor of Arts with honors in Feminist Politics and Artistic Production, 1989

                Brown University, Providence, RI

Leadership Tomorrow, Class of 2000

Powers of Leadership, Whidbey Institute, Class of 2007

 

Community Service

·         Board Member, Whidbey Institute, 2008-present

·         Vice President, Maple Elementary PTSA, 2007-2009

·         Systems Support Impact Council member, United Way of King County, 2005-2009

·         Technical Assistance Provider/Trainer, United Way of King County, 1998-present

·         Volunteer Event Organizer, “Philanthropy in Indian Country”, Potlatch Fund, 2004

·         Board Secretary/Treasurer, Magic Lantern Montessori Preschool, 2003-2004

·         Steering Committee Member, Beer Sheva Park Playground Committee, 2001-2003

·         Volunteer/Granting Committee Member, A Territory Resource, 1996-2000

·         Board Member, Lambert House Youth Center, 1996-1999