When I started, consulting was just a hat I imagined wearing for a little bit. Four years later, maybe I should acknowledge I may be wearing it for a while.

As 2025 started, I was completing work with two valued, long-time clients. At PCGVR, we onboarded a Director of Operations and at Resolve Philly, a new strategic plan was launched (with major implications).

The year also brought some core anchor clients - Community Spring and Nationalities Service Center were two of them. And literally, in the last year, people tried to make the work that both did illegal.

Illegal!

So yeah, things weren’t easy.

Despite the darkness, there was much light.

I also had the opportunity to meet many new clients. This year, I worked with Juvenile Law Center, Collective Climb, and I returned again to my friends at YSRP. The world of criminal legal reform is one in which my knowledge deepens, and I hope that makes me more helpful to clients.

This summer, I used the flexibility of my consulting life to do something I hadn’t done in twenty years: I coached a swim team - this time with my younger brother, an exceptional coach. Together, with several talented friends, we won a championship. It was wonderful for my mental health and terrible for my calendar.

I’ll never forget that jump off the diving board with my brother, and I can’t wait to coach again.

My board service has also demanded much of me this year, as I led nominating and religious life committees at Penn Charter. It has been extremely fulfilling to deepen my own Quaker faith through such service. Quakerism found me during my adolescence. Today, it guides me as a citizen and a parent. And I will always love the school that sheltered me through some of the hardest moments of my life.

And, more recently, I’ve been able to return to my roots as a therapist. The demand for executive coaching services is exploding, and I think my experience as both a therapist and an executive director makes me particularly helpful in these dark times. I’m happy to be bringing a little light - a little hope - when I can.

And when I can’t, succession planning is really important.

Toward the end of the year, two new clients - GLEC and the Black Church Food Security Network - approached me. The impact of what we can do together remains unseen, but I’m excited. The work we do as communities - local work - will become incredibly important in the months and years ahead.

The year was also sad, on a personal level, at times. I went to three funerals. I hated every one of them. I watched the news, then I turned it off.

I ventured into coaching around art activism, narrative construction, and animal welfare. People are hurting. My role in this moment might be to help leaders do something with that pain. I’m here for it.

There’s one client I’ve been working with for three years. My role was to - as I say - “build the fundraising machine.” They had the resources in place, but I needed to make them work together. In December 2025, we had a million dollar month. A million dollar month in a place where every one of those dollars will be put to good use making America what it could be. That gave me a lot of hope going into 2026.

I truly believe we’re ready for this moment.

I’ve been lucky to work with old friends and new colleagues. I’ve been so privileged to spend Monday and Friday afternoons with my son. I feel I’ve found ways to be helpful. That’s always the goal.

I’m working in different ways than I once did. But, I’m still here. And if I can be helpful, I would love to hear from you. I imagine we could do some really good work together.

And, as we’re all making resolutions this time of year, one of mine is to write on this blog more often. So, hopefully I’ll talk to you soon!