Members
Mackenzie Ryan Walters
PRESIDENT
Marketing Strategy & Websites
StoryStruck Marketing
Mackenzie Ryan Walters believes every organization has a unique story to tell – about the people, purpose, and passion that unite to make our community better. A national award-winning journalist, Mackenzie now guides nonprofits and businesses on how to market their story to drive results. Her team researches and recommends marketing and public relations strategy, builds websites, creates marketing collateral and crafts SEO-friendly strategies that tell your story for social media, email, digital, and print distribution.
Mia Ellis
VICE PRESIDENT
Executive Coaching
Amplify Leaders
Mia Ellis is an Executive Coach for purpose-driven organizations and leaders across the United States and internationally. She is passionate about helping leaders and organizations unlock potential and amplify impact. Mia holds a BA in Communications from the University of Colorado, Boulder and an Advanced Coaching Certificate from the Hudson Institute in Santa Barbara, California. Since 1999, she has provided support to purpose-driven leaders and organizations as a nonprofit Executive Director, board chair, public speaker, outdoor educator, and facilitator. She lives in Ankeny, Iowa with her husband and three daughters.
Andy Haning-Brown
SECRETARY
Business & Operations Consulting
Canary Consulting
Andy Haning-Brown has more than twenty years of proven experience as a dynamic leader in positions across multiple disciplines, including human resources, corporate communications, and technology solutions. Andy co-founded Canary Consulting Group in 2019. An entrepreneur at heart, Andy enjoys helping non-profits and small businesses resolve pain points related to their growth through strategy, process improvement, and organizational design. Andy is a passionate communicator with a strong desire to leave things better than he found them.
Stephanie Majeran
TREASURER
Data & Research
Well Run Results
Stephanie Majeran is the owner of WellRun Results, LLC, where she empowers small businesses and non-profit organizations to overcome challenges in order to make better and more profitable decisions. She has over fifteen years of experience across a broad range of industries, including higher education and both global and local professional services firms. Her services include creating surveys/assessments, performing market research, evaluating data procedures, interpreting and analyzing datasets, and utilizing data to plan and forecast.
Ariane Sundean
Graphic Design
Inspired Vision
Ariane Sundean is a Visual Communications and Graphic Design Specialist with extensive experience in print design and branding. Ariane works with organizations who have big ideas but limited resources, helping them to produce creative visuals that boost engagement with their cause. She guides her clients through the design process from concept to delivery, offering graphic design, art direction, project management, and various other services. Ariane’s award-winning work has appeared in dozens of niche publications from business to lifestyle.
Sarah Ennis
Leadership & Staff Training
SparkPoint, Inc.
Sarah Ennis is a Leadership Development Consultant who works with leaders and organizations to build leadership competencies, improve team and organizational dynamics, and create healthy workplace cultures. She holds a Master’s Degree from Drake University, and since 2001 has worked with thousands of people across the country to develop leadership and communication skills. She supports nonprofits with customized leadership training, competencies and on-boarding, organizational teaming and communication practices, and tools that minimize workplace dysfunction and develop high-performing teams.
Lisa Grefe
Financial Advisor
Black Mammoth
Ellie Burns
Director of Nonprofit Resources
Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines
With a unique background in education and project management, I am committed to building relationships, continuous improvement, and exceeding the expectation. I have experience developing and evaluating programs designed to improve systems of professional development and technical assistance. In my role, with the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, I serve as a knowledge broker, connector, and capacity builder.
Jodi Rhone
Business & Operations Consulting
Canary Consulting
Jodi Rhone has more than twenty years of experience in strategy development, organizational design, service delivery, process improvement, and business architecture and analysis. She co-founded Canary Consulting Group in 2019 with a focus on helping non-profits and small businesses grow and operate more effectively. A natural problem-solver and analytic thinker, Jodi enjoys coaching executives and leadership teams, helping them define and communicate priorities to their teams, maintain focus, and accomplish more together.
Mollie Frideres-Smith
Human Resources
MFS Consulting, LLC
Mollie Frideres-Smith, founder of MFS Consulting, LLC, has over 25 years of experience in Human Resources working in professional and leadership positions. Mollie earned her B.S. in Psychology and Masters of Business Administration from Iowa State University. A lifelong learner and advocate of education, Mollie teaches at Des Moines Area Community College. She shares her passion of helping others achieve goals and solve problems by providing local non-profits with personnel support and leadership development.