Our Team
William (Bill) Moore is the Principal at The Strategy Group and Senior Fellow with the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership. Bill was recently appointed by Mayor Copeland to the Olathe Human Relations Commission to continue his work on equity, diversity and inclusion for Olathe, KS. Bill has spent his entire career working in our most challenged communities - both urban and rural - and with vulnerable populations to find solutions to our most pressing social, education, and health concerns. As the former Vice-President of Programs and Evaluation at the REACH Healthcare Foundation he designed and guided implementation of community projects designed to give rural communities a chance to redefine what it means to live in rural America and be healthy. In Kansas City, Kansas he led the investment of funds to find out why urban economically disadvantaged persons and their families could not access the health care services they needed. And, at the Institute for Research and Reform in Education he worked with dozens of under-performing urban schools to improve the engagement of students, the alignment of instructional content, and the rigor of curricula to prepare youth for academic success and improved life chances. His personal mission is to help people and improve the world we all live in. Previously, Bill served as the Director of Research in two urban school systems and at the University of Kansas Medical Center. A former professor at the University of Kansas Medical Center and Senior Research Associate at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. View Bill's LinkedIn Profile here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moorewp/
William Moore, Ph.D. - Principal: The Strategy Group, Bill's LinkedIn Profile
David Smith is a Senior Affiliated Consultant with The Strategy Group. A former Club kid himself, Smith was hired in 1994 as President of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City and led the organization for nearly 25 years through tremendous growth. Smith's time at the Clubs was the zenith of an entire professional career spanning close to 50 years helping young people develop and grow. Over the years at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City, Smith worked with boards of 25 plus members to accomplish: • Annual operating revenue growth from $1M to over $8M. • Increased to 1,000 youth served daily. • Grew net assets from $2.5M to nearly $18M. • Expanded operating units by 5 locations • Successfully led five capital campaigns for renovation, expansion and general support of the Clubs generating over $31M. • Pioneered the Kids Night Out special event, one of the most successful fundraising events in Kansas City, raising more than $15M between 1996 and 2018. In addition to having a positive impact on the youth served at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City, Smith had a 12-year career with the YMCA of Greater Kansas City in Program, Center and District Director roles, and completed his tenure there as Vice President for Community and Financial Development. In April 2002, Smith was elected to the Kansas City, Missouri School Board (KCPS) as an at-large member. He was re-elected in 2006, serving two terms as KCPS School Board President. In 2018 following his retirement from the Clubs, Smith in partnership with his late son, David A. Smith, Jr., founded The David Group, LLC to provide a range of consulting services to non-profit organizations.
David A. Smith, MA, CFRE, Senior Affiliated Consultant: Founder, The David Group, LLC
Amanda Krenos is a Senior Affiliated Consultant with The Strategy Group. She is an award-winning creative professional with more than ten years of experience turning ideas and concepts into eye-catching visuals. In addition to her work with The Strategy Group, Amanda spends her time on personal art and freelance projects, and works as the graphic designer at Kansas City PBS. During her time there, she has been responsible for developing art direction for campaigns and projects as well as creating art and design for broadcast, video, print, social media, web, email, and large-format applications. Her work supports efforts that include sales, marketing, fundraising, and production. Amanda’s experience at Kansas City PBS also includes maintaining, using, and understanding multiple national and local brands. These include PBS, PBS Kids, and separate materials for the organization’s local TV Station, radio station, and journalism center. She has served in lead graphics roles for two major rebrand efforts at the station. Amanda earned her bachelor’s degree in art at The Pennsylvania State University before coming to Kansas City.
Amanda Krenos, Senior Affiliated Consultant: The Strategy Group
Jennifer Alexander is a Senior Affiliated Consultant with The Strategy Group and is the founder of Optimize Passion LLC, a boutique management consultancy that provides capacity building and support services to small businesses and growing nonprofit organizations. Jennifer specializes in building the governance, administrative, fund development, and marketing capacities of nonprofit organizations transitioning from start-up to growth. She particularly enjoys working with passionate founders and inaugural board members who are navigating the nonprofit sector for the very first time. She offers a 3-module online crash course – Nonprofit 101 – designed specifically for nonprofit founders. During the past 9 years, Jennifer has facilitated board retreats, engaged in strategic planning, conducted stakeholder research, crafted agency policies and procedures, reworked logic models, drafted case statements, built volunteer programs, diversified revenue streams, created fundraising toolkits, drafted annual development plans, designed signature fundraising events, and facilitated budgeting processes. Since 2011, Jennifer has served numerous social impact organizations in the Kansas City metropolitan area including Pathway To Hope, Sisters In Christ, KC Mothers in Charge, Amethyst Place, Harvesters Community Food Network, the Child Protection Center, GateWay of Hope, the Carousel Adult Day Care, and Veronica’s Voice. Jennifer obtained a Master of Public Administration in Nonprofit Management in 2015 and Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 2011 from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professional and holds a Certificate in Fundraising from the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership.
Jennifer Alexander: Senior Affiliated Consultant, Optimize Passion, LLC
Mike Sherry is a Senior Affiliated Consultant with The Strategy Group. Mike provides communications expertise to our clients. Mike is the founder and principal of OnPoint Communications. Mike draws upon more than three decades of journalism experience to help small and mid-sized nonprofits tell their stories to funders and the wider community. OnPoint Communications fills the critical gap between program staff and the development team. By interviewing staff and clients, then marrying that material with program data, OnPoint Communications captures material that too often falls by the wayside or is scattered throughout the organization. Mike has worked as a reporter and editor at publications on the East Coast and Midwest. In addition to three stints in Washington, D.C, Mike has worked at newspapers in State College, Pennsylvania, St. Joseph, Missouri, Omaha, Nebraska, and in his hometown of Kansas City, Missouri. Prior to focusing on OnPoint Communications full time, Mike was the senior reporter for KCPT - Kansas City PBS. At KCPT, he wrote and edited online news stories, managed interns, coordinated long-term multimedia projects, and assisted with videos.
Mike Sherry: On-Point Communications
Harlan Brownlee is a Senior Affiliated Consultant with The Strategy Group and a consultant with Focus 5 Inc. Harlan understands the transformational power that the arts have to improve the quality of life for individuals and the community. He possesses a passion for the arts guided by a disciplined approach to change. Brownlee has worked for thirty-four years in the arts education field as a performing artist, educator, and arts administrator. He was the Chief Executive Officer for the Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey (KCFAA) from 2015 to 2018. KCFAA teaches young people critical life skills through dance, and models interracial and multi-cultural community partnerships. From 2009 to 2015, he led ArtsKC - Regional Arts Council as the President and CEO, developing community partnerships dedicated to insuring access to the arts and cultural development for the region. From 2005 to 2009, he served as the Executive Director for Kansas City Young Audiences, a non-profit dedicated to engaging all youth in the arts, promoting creativity, and inspiring success in education. Mr. Brownlee is on the Kennedy Center’s National touring roster for the Partners in Education program and Changing Education through the Arts. He has conducted master classes, workshops and residencies extensively in the Midwest and throughout the United States. Most recently, Harlan was chosen as a presenter for Project Lead the Way’s National Conferences. In addition, he has designed and implemented hundreds of lesson plans over 34 years instructing a weekly class at Community School #1 that integrates dance and movement into the general curriculum with an emphasis on the subject areas of science and literacy. Harlan has been an adjunct professor for Rockhurst University’s School of Education and the University of Missouri – Kansas City’s School of Education. Harlan served as a consultant for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and as a member of the Fine Arts Task Force. Mr. Brownlee received his B.F.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee where he was educated as a dancer and choreographer. His performance background includes work for thirteen years as one of the Artistic Co-Directors with City in Motion Dance Theater in Kansas City, Missouri. Mr. Brownlee received his M.A. in Educational Research and Psychology from the University of Missouri - Kansas City. He has served on the NP Connect and Community School #1 boards as well as the Regional Vice-President for the Missouri Citizens for the Arts (MCA) and the Past-President of the Missouri Dance Educators Organization (MDEO). Past board service also includes the Kansas City School of the Arts (KCSA), the Missouri Alliance for Arts Education (MAAE), the Missouri Association of Community Arts Agencies (MACAA), and a past Associate Editor for the Teaching Artist Journal.
Harlan Brownlee: Senior Affiliated Consultant
Michelle Gambone is a Senior Affiliated Consultant with The Strategy Group. Michelle is a prominent sociologist and the President of YDSI, Inc., YDSI is a nonprofit consultancy focused on improving the conditions where children and youth spend the majority of their time - after school programs, youth serving agencies and schools. YDSI is a key partner with The Strategy Group.
Michelle Gambone, PhD, Senior Affiliated Consultant: President, Youth Development Strategies, Inc., Youth Development Strategies, Inc.
Annalisa Gramlich is a Senior Affiliated Consultant with The Strategy Group. Annalisa is an education research psychologist, licensed professional counselor, and certified yoga teacher. She has Master’s degrees in Education Research and Psychology and Counseling Psychology. Annalisa has a wealth of experience in various industries and disciplines including leadership studies, education research and psychology, market research, and independent consulting. She specializes in helping others find the answers that they are looking for through thoughtful collaboration. Annalisa is a key partner with The Strategy Group
Annalisa Gramlich, MS, MA, LPC, RYT-200, Senior Affiliated Consultant: Director of Assessment and Accreditation, Rockhurst University
