Our Team

 Kristin Johnstad is a Senior Affiliated Consultant with The Strategy Group. Kristin is Principal at Johnstad & Associates. Kristin is a certified facilitator, integral coach, and network leadership coach. Kristin helps leaders of communities become more successful and effective in complex systems and networks. Kristin is a key partner with The Strategy Group.

Kristin Johnstad, Senior Affiliated Consultant: Johnstad & Associates, LLC, Johnstad & Associates

 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

 Andrea Anderson is a Senior Affiliated Consultant with The Strategy Group. Andrea is the founder of North Star Planning & Evaluation Consultants and currently serves as the Director of Evaluation, Learning and Impact at The Skillman Foundation. She has 20+ years of experience conducting evaluation, applied research, and technical assistance and consulting for philanthropic and non-profit sector clients. She specializes in a theory-driven approach to evaluation, which is often leveraged to facilitate planning and organizational development for social and racial justice programs and initiatives. Working collaboratively with stakeholders, her approach to evaluation builds a foundation for reflexive learning for her clients and their organizations. Andrea is a key partner with The Strategy Group.

Andrea Anderson, PhD, Senior Affiliated Consultant: Principal, North Star Planning and Evaluation Consultants, North Star Planning and Evaluation Consultants

 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

 June Holley is a Senior Network Advisor to The Strategy Group. June founded the Network Weaver Consultants Network and provides national leadership around the implementation of network weaving as both a community engagement strategy and a model to guide community-based initiatives.

June Holley, MS, Senior Network Advisor: Founder, Network Weaver Consultants Network, Network Weaver Consultants Network

 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

 Andrea Routh is a Senior Affiliated Consultant with The Strategy Group. Andrea serves as a coach and advisor for non-profit executives. She is also an organizational consultant bringing over 25 years of executive management, strategic leadership, board development, health policy, community engagement, and advocacy experience to The Strategy Group team. Andrea specializes in helping non-profit executives develop themselves as effective leaders in public policy advocacy. Most recently, Andrea served as the Interim CEO of MetroCARE of Greater Kansas City, guiding its Board of Directors and staff through a complex merger process, while maintaining operations and important client services. From 2008 to May, 2015, Andrea served as the founding Executive Director of the Missouri Health Advocacy Alliance, a non-profit statewide coalition of fifty consumer advocacy organizations and safety net health care providers, providing a united consumer voice for quality affordable health care choices in Missouri. Andrea is an attorney with over 3 decades of experience in health policy and senior issues. She served in policy, research, and senior management positions in Missouri state government, including two years as Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan’s Director of Policy Development. Andrea brings a unique background of public and non-profit sector understanding and expertise to The Strategy Group team and its clients.

Andrea Routh, JD: Senior Policy and Leadership 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