NLI Local Teams

The Nonprofit Lifecycles Institute engages local experts who know and serve their communities as part of our team. The NLI teams meet on a regular basis to ensure strategic alignment and oversight of all projects. Learn more about our local teams below.

Colleen Conley, MNLM

Arizona Co-Lead Consultant

Colleen Conley, MNLM

Colleen Conley is a Lifecycle capacity consultant. Her holistic approach to developing the capacity of nonprofits includes designing and implementing capacity building cohort programs, supporting nonprofits with strategic planning, organizational self-assessments, facilitation, executive coaching, mergers and acquisitions, governance training and developing cross-sector relationships with an eye towards sustainability.

Prior to co-founding ckSYNERGY, Ms. Conley earned a Masters Degree in Nonprofit Leadership and Management from ASU and worked in national and international law firms as member of the senior management team directing business development and marketing efforts, and leading the corporate foundation.

Amanda Kaye, MNLM

Amanda Kaye collaborates with clients to strengthen the capacity of their organizations to build healthy, resilient communities. She approaches her work with a holistic, Nonprofit Lifecycles framework that engages boards and leaders, focusing on leading facilitative processes and trainings. She specializes in cohort-style capacity building programs and organizational self-assessments, in addition to business plan development, strategic planning, collaborative meetings, and retreats. She is particularly passionate about working with local, community-based organizations as a co-founder and partner of ckSYNERGY.

After graduating from the University of Arizona, Amanda received a Master of Nonprofit Leadership and Management degree (MNLM) from Arizona State University. She is a Lifecycles capacity consultant and is a member of Local First Arizona. In addition to her work, Amanda serves on one national and one local board.

Amanda Kaye, MNLM

Arizona Co-Lead Consultant

Ryan Williams Headshot

Ryan Williams

New York Consultant Partner

Ryan Williams

Ryan Williams is a Lifecycle capacity consultant.  In 2020, Ryan founded RAW Consulting, a business consulting firm working with social impact organizations and entrepreneurs, generating over $2 million in revenue for clients through business model innovation and capacity building.  Ryan is also the Chief Operating Officer at the Good Life Youth Foundation, a non-profit organization aiming to interrupt cycles of youth violence, poverty, and incarceration by utilizing entrepreneurship and hip-hop culture.

Ryan studied public health and well-being at Syracuse University and brings skills in strategic management, personal development, and project management.