The Colorado Trust: Community Resilience Initiatives Grant

Consultants

The following consultants are working alongside CRC to provide one-on-one coaching support to interested CRI grantees:

ThinkSharp! Consulting

Lori Sharp
Founder & Principal

Lori (she/her) brings 15 years of Nonprofit consulting experience, built upon a successful career in global advertising and marketing, to her role leading ThinkSharp! Consulting. Since founding the firm in Western Colorado, she has established a proven track record of securing stable funding and fostering organizational growth through comprehensive grant management and strategic planning. A founding board member of the Montrose Recreation Foundation, Lori’s commitment to community development extends through her dedication to mentorship and training. Her expertise spans critical areas including board development and strategic initiatives that strengthen organizational capacity and community impact. Her relationship-first approach ensures deep understanding of each client’s mission while delivering measurable results with the highest standards of professional excellence. Lori’s work consistently demonstrates that rural organizations can compete effectively for resources when equipped with the right tools and training. She holds a degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Katy Pepinsky
Consultant & Client Lead

For over twenty years, Katy Pepinsky (she/her) has worked with a diverse array of Nonprofit and service organizations to help build more resilient communities including Community Resource Center, La Plata Youth Services, Cooking Matters Colorado, Growing Partners of SW Colorado, Mercy Hospital, Peace Corps, and Colorado State University Extension.

Most recently, Katy served as the Director of Grant Services at Community Resource Center (CRC), where she led efforts to strengthen the capacity of Colorado nonprofits to access and manage public and private grant funding. Drawing from her experience as a former Executive Director, grant writer, trainer, and facilitator, she brings a deep understanding of nonprofit operations, strategy, and sustainability to her consulting practice. Katy’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion has shaped much of her professional work, including the development and launch of CRC’s GrantCorps initiative—an effort aimed at creating more equitable access to grant resources across the state.

Katy holds a master’s degree in Extension Education from Colorado State University and a Professional Nonprofit Management Certificate from Fort Lewis College. Through her consulting, she continues to support nonprofit leaders and organizations across Colorado and beyond, offering services in grant strategy, training, facilitation, and organizational development.

Hannah Max
Consultant & Client Lead

Hannah Max (she/her) is a nonprofit strategist, grant consultant, and leadership consultant with a background spanning public health, technology innovation, and mission-driven organizations. At ThinkSharp! Consulting, she works alongside nonprofits to strengthen their structure, systems, and people — helping teams and leaders operate at their highest potential.

Hannah’s career reflects a rare combination of frontline service and high-level systems thinking. At Newlab Brooklyn, she managed corporate innovation projects and product development for a range of city and federal partners, and was part of the founding team of AppliedXL, an AI startup focused on clinical trials data, where she led product management. She has also directed public health operations, running San Miguel County’s contact tracing program during one of the most complex operational challenges in recent memory. Her clinical experience as a medical assistant and ER tech grounds her work in the realities of high-stakes environments and the impact of mission-driven work on the individuals served.

Hannah is deeply committed to the communities she serves through active board leadership. She currently serves on the boards of the San Miguel Resource Center, the Telluride Medical Center Foundation, and The Sanctuary Collective — bringing the same strategic lens to governance that she brings to her consulting work. Through her work with leaders and organizations, Hannah also offers coaching and professional development support for those navigating growth, change, and building stronger teams and cultures. She holds a degree in photography, art history, and marketing from NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study — a background that informs her belief that creativity and structure are not opposites, but partners.

Hannah believes nonprofit success starts at the structural level, and that organizations and people truly shine when they have defined programs, practices, and roles. She is honored to serve clients doing profound work in their communities, and gives deep respect to the teachers and mentors who have shaped her own path.

Aspire Nonprofit Consulting, LLC

Sarah Shikes
Owner

Originally from Denver Colorado, Sarah (she/her) has worked in the nonprofit sector for over 25 years. Through her experience she has developed a deep understanding for what it takes to run a successful nonprofit organization and what pitfalls to watch out for when considering sustainability and capacity. The majority of Sarah’s career has been spent in the roles of associate director, operating officer, and executive director at Denver based nonprofit organizations specializing in early childhood education and social justice. Most recently Sarah served as the executive director for Centro Humanitario Para Los Trabajadores providing leadership and strategic direction in alignment with the national movements advocating for the rights and wellbeing of immigrant workers.

In 2024, Sarah graduated with a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Colorado Denver, she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Foreign Languages from Pitzer College, Claremont, CA in 1993. Following college Sarah spent three years living in San Jose, Costa Rica working for the Institute for Central American Development Studies, and sharpening her skills to become fluent in Spanish. Sarah now works as a consultant supporting community efforts that promote belonging and equity for all residents. Outside of her consulting work Sarah spends time with family and friends, volunteering, traveling, taking “urban hikes” around the city and occasional get-a-ways to the Colorado mountains.

Intersecting Solutions

Juan Pérez Sáez
Principal

Juan (he/him) has over 20 years of experience in the environmental, conservation, and outdoor recreation fields. His areas of expertise include executive nonprofit leadership, environmental education and advocacy, watershed management, and environmental restoration and stewardship. Juan holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Environmental Management from the School of Agricultural Engineering at the University of Panama as well as a Master of Science in Environment and Natural Resources from The Ohio State University. His career spans work with nonprofit organizations in Panama, Central America, and the United States, including serving as Executive Director of Environmental Learning for Kids and Water Education Colorado.

Fioletowa Ksenyak
Principal

Fiolet (they/them) is a queer, nonbinary, and neurodivergent disruptor dedicated to creating a reality where everyone and everybody can experience belonging and thrive—whether at work, in outdoor spaces, or in all aspects of life. Fiolet works to drive progressive, systemic change through a human resources practice rooted in justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility (JEDIA), with antiracism serving as the foundation of their work. With a career in human resources spanning over 20 years, Fiolet brings extensive experience from sectors including environmental restoration and stewardship, youth leadership and conservation, international development, outdoor recreation, and environmental education. Before transitioning to HR consulting, Fiolet also worked as a newspaper reporter and copy editor. Bilingual in Spanish and certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).

Cindy Chang Consulting

Cindy Chang
Principal

Cindy (she/her) is a seasoned nonprofit leader with over 20 years of experience guiding organizations through strategic growth, financial development, and mission-driven impact. She has a proven track record in fundraising, program management, and organizational transformation, with deep expertise in cultivating partnerships across public, private, and philanthropic sectors.

As Executive Director of Groundwork Denver, Cindy led the organization’s strategic direction, expanding cross-sector collaborations, strengthened internal leadership, and implemented innovative approaches to environmental justice and community resilience. Prior to this, she served as Director of Philanthropic Partnerships at Community Shares of Colorado, where she successfully grew corporate giving and major gifts.

Cindy’s consulting experience includes roles at Prosono and Rebound Solutions, where she worked with nonprofits, foundations, and community-based initiatives to enhance strategic planning, financial sustainability, and leadership development. She is passionate about equity-driven solutions that uplift communities and create lasting change. Cindy holds a Master of Environmental Management and MBA from Yale University and a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Environmental Studies from Tufts University.

For more information, please contact:

Alex McHenry, Director of Operations & Programs