Working With Alex
What can you most help clients with?
I help leaders and communities consider different perspectives and take action to cross their most challenging threshold. By understanding their priorities, leaders can invest and realize new opportunities: whether funding, mission, or other impactful change.
Who are your ideal clients?
Ideal clients are those who want to surmount their challenges, want to get clear about where they are going, and want to take their leadership to the next level. I work with Foundations, Governments, Economic Development Organizations, Community Nonprofits, Chambers of Commerce, and Companies wanting to make an impact.
We start with an intro call to learn about each other, and it could be video, or phone if you’d like to take a walk outside while we talk. You can tell me what’s on the ground. We arrive at the heart of your true needs and I propose a piece of work that brings value and makes your life easier. I become a long-term investor in reaching your outcome.
What would it be like for us to work together?
What is your expertise?
Assessing and Building Transformational New Initiatives
Had initiatives for projects that your organization or community has wanted to make real? Or maybe there’s some hurdle that needs to be figured out to move forward. I’ll work with you to evaluate the idea and, if promising, help you develop it into a well-resourced new program.
Organizational Strategy to Operational Improvement
Someone who will be there with you each step of the way as you take your organization to the next level, providing guidance and perspective. Yes, strategic planning is a good and necessary step, and harnessing that plan into operational prioritizaties can add even more value.
Developing Innovative Partnerships and Collaborative Leadership
Lessons from organizational psychology and management show the leadership team’s execution makes the difference among many good ideas. I’ll help you clearly communicate your story, build new partnerships, and achieve greater goals. I can also coach you and your team to elevate the effectiveness of your collaborative leadership.
Community Marketing and Destination Development
Your community wants to show all you have to offer to potential new companies, visitors, and residents? Count on an unbiased but enthusiastic perspective to advise on how to bring people together around your vision.
What else have you worked on?
Regional Community and Economic Development; Local Government; Housing Development Finance; Land Use and Transportation; Organizational Finance and Budgets; Agriculture and Rural Development; International Economics in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa
What’s your background?
Born in Texas, I grew up mostly in the Southeast and Midwest, and have also lived in New England, the West, and over a year internationally in Latin America and Africa.
I began consulting in 2023 after serving as an executive with Fahe, a multi-state housing and economic development organization. At Fahe, I collaborated to introduce a number of organizational improvements that have contributed to tens of millions in new housing funding, some of which are highlighted in the case studies here. At the same time, I served in a consultative role to the Fahe network of over 50 organizations across six states.
I currently also serve as an energy economic analyst for a large US company. In the past, I’ve directed operations and developed new business at two growth-stage companies, served as law clerk to a federal judge, and carried out field research on local communities and economic development in Peru as a Fulbright Scholar. I graduated from Yale University in economics and from the University of North Carolina School of Law.
Why do you do this work?
It is the work that is there to do, to pull the pieces together to bring people together. Despite all of the anger and misunderstanding, we still have much in common. When leaders I work with improve outcomes in economic development, social services, or funding strategies, it adds up over time to make all of our people’s lives better and more prosperous. Our republic and the idea that we can work together for a fair American dream matter.
Outside of Work I Enjoy
Reading
“Books are a uniquely portable magic.”
Stephen King
Nature
Nature reminds of the beauty of creation, and how small my challenges are in the big world. It brings joy. This 2023 photo was taken in Burke’s Garden, VA.
Music
I’m not great, but it does feel good to play, and I especially enjoy playing music with friends and family.
Riding my bicycle & playing tennis
Grew up playing tennis and have gotten into riding as a good workout that I can stay with.
Spanish language and Latin America
I learned Spanish in college, and remain fascinated by the way cultures think about their world in both similar and different ways after living and working over a year in Latin America.
Investing as hobby
I’m one of those people who likes analyzing financial statements — challenging myself to see a long-term story others don’t.