CIMA is dedicated to the people and causes that really matter. As a result, we believe in delivering the highest quality work and collaborating to get results. And although we work extremely hard, we also have fun together, keep each other grounded, and value our time away from the office to re-charge. We practice empathy for each other and our clients while also being honest about what is working and what isn’t. Sound like you? We’re always eager to grab a coffee—reach out!
Dan Katz
Prior to founding CIMA Consulting, Dan began his career as a counselor with a small nonprofit organization in Los Angeles called One Voice. Dan has a B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis and an MBA from the Darden School of Business at UVA. In addition to his work with CIMA, Dan also volunteers as a board member with Creciendo Juntos. Dan has lived in Charlottesville since 2011 after moving here with his wife, Veronica, who completed her Ph.D in Education Policy at the Curry School of Education at UVA.
Staff
Alli Sribarra
Alli joined CIMA in 2022, bringing with her nearly two decades of experience with nonprofit organizations of all sizes. She spent ten years working at the Sciencenter, a children’s science museum in Ithaca, NY. There, she grew the museum’s institutional funding through grants and corporate sponsorships. During her last three years at the Sciencenter, she served as the Director of Development and Communications, overseeing all fundraising and marketing for the museum. Alli has a BA in Environmental Studies from the University of Rochester and an MA in Public Policy from the University of Maryland. She is passionate about helping nonprofits find funding that aligns with the work they want to do. Alli serves on the board of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Finger Lakes Chapter. She lives in Ithaca, NY with her husband and two kids and loves traveling, the ocean, and enjoying the outdoors in the Finger Lakes.
Amanda Beadlescomb
Amanda is a storyteller whose career has spanned the publishing, nonprofit, and startup industries. Prior to joining CIMA, she was an executive at the nonprofit Novelly, where she developed programs that refined, uplifted, and amplified the voices of emerging youth writer-advocates. Amanda has a background in communications and copywriting at organizations such as XPRIZE and Beachbody, and has found her passion in finding new ways to partner storytelling and advocacy. She holds a BA in Literature from UC Santa Barbara and is currently earning an MFA from Butler University. Amanda lives in Indianapolis with her husband.
Ana Pieczanski
Ana is a fundraising professional with more than 23 years experience working toward the financial success of nonprofit organizations. Her main focus has been on the environment, including fundraising for biodiversity conservation, environmental sustainability and environmental health projects. She began her career at the International Center for Research on Women in Washington DC, where she worked on several interesting projects on women’s economic development. Ana loves to travel and spend time with her family.
Anna Roberts
Anna is an experienced nonprofit operations and development professional. Before joining CIMA, Anna served as Chief of Staff and Director of Foundation Relations at Montpelier, the historic plantation of James Madison and 300+ enslaved people. She has also led institutional fundraising for CollegeSpring (a national college access nonprofit) and Madison House (the University of Virginia’s student volunteer center). A historian by training, Anna holds degrees from Patrick Henry College and the College of William and Mary. She is active in her community of central Virginia, serving as a pastor at her church and on the grant review committee for a local foundation.
Ari Conterato
Ari joined CIMA in 2022 after a decade in academia. His prior experience includes three years working in Faculty Services at the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business. He has also spent the past 7 years working on a doctorate and teaching in cultural anthropology at the University of California, Davis, with a focus on environmental nonprofits and the formation of identity in coastal Maine. He is passionate about supporting organizations that prioritize conservation, Indigenous communities, and environmental justice initiatives. He has a bachelor of arts in History and Critical Theory from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a master of arts in Social Science from the University of Chicago in addition to his doctoral work.
Ariel Brinko
Ariel joined CIMA in 2024, bringing a background in program and stakeholder relationship management. Most recently, she worked for Monument Consulting providing contingent workforce management solutions to a wide variety of clients. Ariel holds bachelor's degrees in Political Science and Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University and has experience working and volunteering for nonprofit and community-based organizations. She is passionate about community-driven change, civil and human rights, criminal justice reform, and animal welfare; having worked with various shelters and assisted in therapeutic horseback riding lessons. She is a live music lover and lives in Richmond with her two cats, Kiki and Kat.
Christiana Shields
Christiana has honed her talent over a thirty-year career in the nonprofit world. For the ten years before joining CIMA, she worked as an independent consultant doing board development and fundraising for a wide variety of organizations in the Shenandoah Valley. Prior to that, she worked for nonprofit health clinics, homeless shelters, and arts organizations in Alabama, Kentucky, Illinois, and Virginia, including a seven-year stint as the Director of Development for the Community Foundation of the Central Blue Ridge. Christiana has a B.A. in Comparative Literature from Princeton University and an M.A. in English Literature and Composition from the University of Louisville. She is passionate about the role that nonprofits play in our society and their ability to transform both lives and communities. Living in rural Augusta County, Virginia with her husband and three children, Christiana maintains her sanity and sense of humor by reading, cooking, writing, and hiking.
Elana Rosenthal
Elana is a grant writer and editor with a decade of professional experience in crafting original copy and polishing language at nonprofits and book publishers. She has worked on a wide array of projects in education, literature, and the arts, and she especially loves helping nonprofit organizations fund their missions by creating compelling grant proposals. In her free time, she volunteers as a co-leader for the Boston chapter of the Feminist Bird Club, which is dedicated to promoting inclusivity in birding.
Eleanor Kootsey
Eleanor joined CIMA after a successful career as a nonprofit executive in a variety of roles across the country. Eleanor enjoys helping organizations refine their case for funding, create expansion plans, develop strategic partnerships, and cultivate relationships with new funders. She began her career in arts administration with the National Endowment for the Arts, Merce Cunningham Dance Company, and the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet. Eleanor launched the first two expansion sites for Girls For A Change, and the Richmond, Va. expansion for Higher Achievement by raising national and local funding. She has also helped the United Way of South Hampton Roads, Voices for Virginia’s Children, Nashville Ballet and Small World Yoga raise new funding for social justice projects. Eleanor is a strong advocate for public/private solutions to societal problems. She received a B.A. from Northwestern University and studied at Vanderbilt Divinity School. She lives with her family in Roanoke, Virginia.
Jess Hayter
Jess joined CIMA as the team’s operations intern following 11 years of active-duty Naval Service as a Naval Aviator. She is drawn to mission-driven organizations that prioritize service to people and the planet. In addition to previous experience in operations, Jess brings a variety of skills to the team. She received a BS in Oceanography from the United States Naval Academy and is currently a first year MPP student at the University of Virginia’s Frank Batten School of Public Policy and Leadership.
Katie Hall
Katie joined CIMA in 2023, with a focus on the environment and wildlife conservation. Katie has a B.A. in Environmental Arts and Humanities from Sewanee: The University of the South. She brings experience working with nonprofits focusing on whale research and conservation, and she continues to volunteer with an organization studying the whales of Iceland.
Katie Straight
Katie joined CIMA following 17 years of diverse, cross-sector non-profit, international NGO, and consulting experience. Her previous work in global development and poverty reduction was largely focused on stakeholder management and communications, capacity development, strategic program design, and impact evaluation. She is passionate about supporting strategic and sustainable organizational growth and organization-wide leadership development. Katie received a B.A. in History from the University of Virginia and an M.Ed. in International Education Policy from Harvard. In concert with her role as Director of Business Development and Client Success at CIMA, Katie serves as an adjunct lecturer of global development policy at UVA's Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. Katie lives in Charlottesville with her three small children and their family pup, Emma.
Laura Toscano
Laura is a Senior Consultant and joined CIMA following a career focused on leading, advising and scaling up social enterprises and startups. She enjoys growing mission-driven organizations by developing partnerships and by engaging the next generation in a meaningful way. Prior to her current role, Laura worked at the University of Virginia and with several nonprofit organizations, including Ashoka, the Hands On Network, KaBOOM!, and DC Central Kitchen. Laura holds a B.A. in Philosophy from Yale University and lives in Charlottesville with her family. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening and pottery.
Leigh Kirchner
Leigh joined CIMA in 2021 after having served as Director of Development and Donor Relations at the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank and Advancement Manager at Appalachian Voices. Her prior experience spans membership, grants and institutional fundraising, and individual donor development. She has areas of interest in developing impact measurements and advancing efforts toward building more diverse, equitable, and inclusive organizations. Leigh is a proud supporter and board member at Wild Virginia, where she serves as Treasurer. She has a bachelor of arts in English from Virginia Commonwealth University and a master of arts in Appalachian Studies from Appalachian State University.
Sebastian Singh
Sebastian Singh is a Business Development Intern at CIMA and a Master of Public Policy candidate at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. This past May, he graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.A. in Economics and a minor in Public Policy. Sebastian interests lie at the intersection of economics, environment, and public policy. He previously worked at the Center for Economic and Policy Studies housed in the Weldon Cooper Center, where he analyzed policy pathways for the transition to transportation electrification in Virginia. Currently, he is working on an Applied Policy Project consulting the national non-profit, Keep America Beautiful, on solutions addressing plastic marine debris. Outside of CIMA, Sebastian also works with the Public Engagement in Governance: Looking, Listening, and Learning Lab, working to align professional practices in public administration with communal expectations and empower marginalized groups in policy co-creation.
Shelby Finkelstein
Shelby joined CIMA in 2024, bringing her experience in fundraising, grant management, and stakeholder engagement. She is passionate about supporting nonprofit organizations in their work to create positive social impact. Before her current role, she worked at William & Mary in the Office of Corporate & Foundation Relations and with several arts and culture-focused nonprofit organizations. She holds a B.A. in Arts and Nonprofit Management from the College of Charleston and lives in Williamsburg, Virginia, with her husband, daughter, and rescue dog, Monty.
Stella Sokolowski
Stella joined CIMA in 2023, bringing a background in technical writing and nonprofit music education programming. She received a B.A. in Philosophy from Princeton University, with certificates in Music Performance and Jazz Studies. In addition to her work at CIMA, she works part-time as a Program Associate and Teaching Artist for MIMA Music, a 501c(3) nonprofit organization based in Central Virginia that provides youth songwriting and musical improvisation programs. Stella is a guitarist, singer-songwriter, cellist, and composer who is passionate about equal access to music and arts education. She is also passionate about sexual assault prevention and awareness, having worked with Princeton’s SHARE (Sexual Harassment/Assault Advising, Resources and Education) program. To maintain a sense of mental clarity, she enjoys various forms of individual and group exercise, such as calisthenics, yoga, running, weight lifting, and cycling. She lives in downtown Charlottesville with her family.
Tatyanna Patten
Tatyanna Patten joined CIMA as a consultant with over 30 years of non-profit experience. Tatyanna has leveraged her administrative and operations skills throughout a long career spanning a wide variety of sectors, including Constitutional and Civil Rights advocacy, public policy, poverty alleviation, digital media, environmental protection, and performing arts. For nearly two decades, she held top executive and development positions with social impact agencies and non-profits, including Public Policy Virginia, The Pendulum, Earth Week, Rivanna Conservation Society, and Ivy Creek Foundation. A Univerity of Virginia alum and long-time Virginia resident, Tatyanna is dedicated to leveling the playing field for low-income and marginalized Virginians.
Affiliate Partners in Project Evaluation
Elgin Cleckley
Elgin Cleckley is an Assistant Professor of Architecture and Design Thinking at the University of Virginia, School of Architecture. Elgin teaches Design Thinking studios and foundation courses at the School of Architecture, with an appointment in the Curry School of Education and the School of Nursing. Elgin previously was the 3D Group Leader and Design Coordinator at the Ontario Science Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, producing architectural designs, art pieces, and exhibitions for Canada and the world. Elgin holds a B.S. Arch from the University of Virginia and an M. Arch from Princeton University. Elgin has taught at the University of Michigan and the University of Illinois, Chicago, working in architectural firms in Toronto, Seattle, Chicago, and New York City.
Maryfrances Porter
Maryfrances Porter, Ph.D., brings nearly 25 years of research experience and using data to leading local change initiatives across a wide range of service providers, including evaluating service systems across sectors (e.g., courts, school districts, non-profits, and local governments). She has expertise in assessing opportunities for growth, developing strategic vision and action, and facilitating collaborative, strengths-based problem solving across diverse groups. Dr. Porter completed her B.A at Emory University, and her Ph.D. in clinical psychology at the University of Virginia (emphasis in community psychology). She is also a licensed, clinical psychologist.