Why I Write (and What You’ll Find Here)

Hi, I’m Kelli. I’m a strategist, a systems thinker, a sometimes-overthinker, and a lifelong nonprofit nerd who believes leadership should feel like it fits, not like a performance you have to perfect.

This blog is where I reflect out loud. It’s not a place for posturing or packaged wisdom. It’s a space for honesty, for sharing what I’ve learned (and what I’m still learning) after two decades of working inside mission-driven organizations: building strategy, navigating change, managing board dynamics, wrestling with equity, and sometimes just trying to get the Zoom link to work.

Writing is how I learn, and how I start to understand what matters to the organizations I serve. I’m a copious note-taker by nature, and the act of writing helps me notice patterns, reflect on what’s emerging, and stay rooted in purpose. It’s not always tidy, but it’s how I make sense of things, and often, how clarity finds its way in. And if sharing my own experiences helps someone else find direction or feel less alone in their work, I consider that a huge win.

This blog is my way of giving back to the nonprofit community I care so deeply about. I hope that something here helps elevate your practice or breathe new energy into your work, even just a little. Maybe it helps you see something differently. Maybe it uncovers a hidden opportunity. Maybe it simply reminds you that what you’re doing matters.

What you’ll find here is personal, practical, and grounded in reality. I write the way I work, with curiosity, humility, and a deep respect for the people doing essential work, especially those who do it without enough time, budget, or backup.

If something here resonates, I hope you’ll stay. And if you’ve got wisdom of your own—lessons, tools, perspectives—I hope you’ll share it. This space works best when it moves in more than one direction.

Thanks for being here. Truly.

—Kelli