Our People

At Growth By Design, our strength comes from a small but mighty team of professionals dedicated to helping nonprofits thrive. We believe in building deep, trusting relationships with our clients — and that starts with knowing exactly who you’ll be working with.

  • President & CEO

    Kristi Ackley is a dynamic and inspiring leader and facilitator with a rich background in visioning and goal setting for organizations and communities. Her expertise spans donor-centric fund development, community and volunteer engagement, and leading highly productive boards. With a proven track record of helping hundreds of nonprofit and community boards achieve their goals, Kristi brings a wealth of experience and dedication to every project.

  • Associate Consultant

    Jen Emerick-Cayton is a business strategist and growth consultant with nearly two decades of experience in entrepreneurship, operations and coaching. She partners with executives and change-makers to optimize systems, align teams, and scale impact. Blending operational expertise with her professional background in behavioral psychology, Jen helps mission-driven leaders build the resilient organizational structures needed to achieve ambitious goals.

  • Chief Juggler

    Amy keeps the Growth By Design team on track and provides support to both the internal team and clients in a multitude of ways. Amy is a writer, interviewer, prospect researcher and creative project manager. She holds a BA in English.

    Since beginning work in the nonprofit sector, Amy has helped hundreds of clients plan and execute successful projects during times of transition, including capital campaigns, executive searches and hires, strategic planning, and program evaluation.

  • Accounting Manager

A woman with straight red hair smiling outdoors, wearing a blue top and a silver necklace, with trees and a white brick structure in the background.

Kristi Ackley

A woman with curly, blonde-gray hair smiling, wearing a colorful, patterned top and earrings, posed against a blue background.

Amy Nord

A middle-aged woman with curly hair and glasses, wearing a floral pink top and a white cardigan, standing indoors with wooden furniture in the background.

Joan Block

Jennifer Emerick-Cayton

Key Partners

Trusted professionals who bring their expertise to our flagship programs and strategic initiatives.

  • A headshot of a smiling middle-aged woman with blonde hair, wearing glasses and hoop earrings, against a dark background.

    Amy Allen, Escape the Ordinary

    Fundraising for a New Era Course Facilitator

    Amy serves as the lead facilitator for our fundraising certificate program in partnership with Winona State University.

  • A woman with shoulder-length reddish hair and blue eyes smiling, wearing a black blazer, jewelry, and a patterned blouse, posing with her hand near her chin against a gray gradient background.

    Julie Page, ImpactForward Strategies

    Strategic Planning Lead

    Julie serves as our primary consultant for strategic planning clients.

  • A woman with curly blonde hair, wearing a white blouse and a maroon blazer, smiling and standing against a plain white background.

    Monique Forcier

    Mastermind & Retreat Facilitator

    Monique works with our sister company, She Leads International, to provide mastermind programs and international retreats.

Preferred Collaborators

We’re proud to work with a network of experts who share our commitment to excellence. While not part of our core team, these professionals collaborate with us on specialized projects.

Terri Allred, Allred Coaching & Consulting

Jebeh Edmunds, Jebeh Cultural Consulting

Les Heen, Independent Consultant

Samantha Herr, Herr Branding Co.

Dylan Koltz-Hale, Mesaba Digital

Michelle Massman, Massman Companies, Inc

Janie Moore, Brico Works

Christy Ramler, XT Creative