“Kelly Bathgate was absolutely instrumental in helping our organization navigate the most important transition in its 33 years of existence: a founder transition. She was incredibly thoughtful in her approach and built tremendous trust amongst all stakeholders involved at a time when truly little trust existed.

With Kelly's expertise and guidance, our beloved non-profit landed on its feet and is now thriving with a new Executive Director who is beautifully leading the organization to the next iteration of itself.

I would recommend Kelly in a heartbeat to anyone requiring a skilled leader in conflict resolution or simply getting unstuck in the stickiest of situations.“

Tina Chang
Board Chair, Homeless Prenatal Program
Partner, Associate Capital

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“Kelly worked with our Labor, Health, and Safety team to develop a high-level vision and strategy for our future work. She was able to learn the context of our work quickly to facilitate strategy sessions, and did an excellent job drawing knowledge and ideas out of our team to come up with an aligned vision, rather than pushing a preset plan or formula.

Kelly showed great flexibility and pivoted many times to ensure the best engagement of our team and final product, amidst an ever-shifting corporate context.

I highly recommend partnering with her for your strategy or team development needs.” 

Annukka Dickens
Former Senior Director, Labor Health, Safety team at Nike

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“Working with Kelly Bathgate was transformative for us as a board. Kelly's strategic thinking and decisiveness differentiate her and her work. She brings a rare courage that shines through when partnering with clients, especially when navigating difficult and thorny issues where there are no good options or clear solutions.

What truly sets Kelly apart is her exceptional ability to engage with a wide range of personalities on a nonprofit board. Her skill in driving consensus and fostering team building is unparalleled. 

Kelly does more than consult; she immerses herself in the work, demonstrating a genuine commitment to not just achieving goals, but exceeding them.

She was coach, therapist and task master to us – one who always kept the big picture in mind while holding us accountable to the work at hand. A straight shooter who possesses tremendous empathy and understanding of nuance, Kelly was an invaluable partner to us and I know we are better off for the contributions she made.“

Kelly McGinnis
Board Vice Chair, nonprofit
Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer, Levi’s

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“StarrWise Solutions helped us identify the alternative funding opportunities that we have in the rather unique space where we do business. I found her perspective, gained through her consultations with the main players there, very useful to our non-profit initiative." 

Marcelo Delajara, Ph.D.
Deputy Director, Anker Research Institute

• • • • •

“As a leader of a small, non-profit, Kelly not only helped create a board development strategy, but really took the time to cater that strategy to our unique organizational needs.

Motivating boards can be tough and Kelly got our board excited about service and aligned on shared goals.

We are still developing as an organization, but I'm a more confident Director knowing that the board has worked with Kelly and the StarrWise Solutions team!" 

Rachel Johnson-Farias,
Founder + Executive Director, Esq. Apprentice

• • • • •

“Working with Kelly Bathgate has been a game-changer for my leadership journey. As a new CEO, Kelly's expert coaching provided me with the tools and insights needed to navigate significant organizational changes and manage our nonprofit board with confidence.

Kelly’s approach is both personalized and strategic, making complex challenges manageable and even exciting to tackle. What truly sets Kelly apart is her direct but supportive communication style, which ensures clarity and fosters a strong, trusting coaching relationship.

Her support has not only enhanced my leadership skills but also positively transformed our organization.

I'm deeply grateful for her guidance and highly recommend her services to anyone looking to make meaningful, impactful changes in their professional world.” 

Janéa Jackson, CEO, HomeRise