Who are we?

Sandra has spent over 30 years as a trusted advisor in the nonprofit sector, dynamically engaging in organizational design, strategic planning, leadership development, sustainable fundraising, and board governance. She draws on her past experiences serving and leading on boards, managing strategic and tactical efforts, chairing strategic planning, designing and implementing annual and capital campaigns, developing major donor strategies and intervening to help in crisis management.

Sandra has served on the boards of the National Domestic Violence Hotline as chair, The Lawrenceville School, the Watershed Institute, Princeton Nursery School, and The Shelter for Abused Women and Children where she has helped grow dynamic and sustainable organizations. Sandra has focused on creating diverse, capable boards and worked with executive directors and board chairs to strengthen their positions both internally and in their communities. She also serves on the advisory board of SofterWare, a leading for-profit corporation in nonprofit philanthropy management.

Sandra holds a Masters in Nonprofit Management from Columbia University, where she teaches courses in Organizational Governance. She founded Almora Advisors to bring best practices to small-to-mid-sized nonprofits that have often been underserved in the past and actively leads her all-women team in the firm’s engagements.

“I love my job! I wake up every morning excited and energized by the opportunities to contribute to helping organizations create greater social impact. I founded Almora after years of volunteering and serving on boards, yet seeing that nonprofits are overworked and understaffed. I also created a corporate arm to help align philanthropic corporations with outstanding nonprofit partners to enable them to do “more good.” The ability to help a diverse set of organizations tackling hard issues such as domestic violence, climate change, health challenges, and furthering educational opportunities keeps me on my toes. Thinking about creative ways to strengthen the C-Suite and boards to reach their goals and be better leaders enriches my work. Doing this all alongside a phenomenal team of amazing women is the chocolate fudge (my favorite) icing on the cake. Our talented and experienced team bring their “A game” to every engagement forming partnerships with our clients to address difficult issues they simply don’t have the capacity to meet. We become an extended part of the organization to help fulfill their mission. I do this work because it gives me immense joy to be trusted by so many incredible organizations to help them make a difference in the world.”

Caroline is a dedicated advocate for nonprofits, leveraging her diverse background to create a lasting positive influence. With experience in community advocacy and project management, she collaborates with various nonprofits, infusing enthusiasm into each project. Her multidisciplinary approach involves using research and data to craft innovative solutions to social challenges, from strategic planning to fundraising. Caroline’s ability to connect with diverse stakeholders and effectively communicate complex ideas further amplifies her capacity to drive meaningful change and inspire collaboration within the nonprofit sector. Fluent in both English and Spanish, Caroline’s bilingual proficiency enhances her ability to engage with a wider range of communities.

During her time as a sociology major at Dartmouth College, Caroline delved deep into the study of social structures and inequities that pervade society. She graduated Cum Laude with distinction, garnering recognition as an Emerging Leader for her exceptional contributions. Caroline’s commitment to social impact, extensive experiences, and academic achievements position her as a driving force for transformative change in the nonprofit sector. In her free time, Caroline enjoys spending time with her baby boy and swimming in the ocean.

Mark is a seasoned professional excelling in strategic planning, fundraising, and marketing within the nonprofit sector. Holding degrees in Psychology and Sociology from Columbia University, his profound understanding of societal trends enables him to develop dynamic strategies that help implement tangible social change. As a Cuban-American, Mark’s unique background empowers him to work with a variety of clients to significantly enhance Almora’s initiatives and collaborations. His unwavering passion for staying current with marketing trends, paired with a sharp sense for business development, plays a pivotal role in driving the organization’s success and aligning marketing efforts with broader objectives. Beyond his professional role, he’s an avid athlete, actively competing in tennis and Pickleball leagues.

Olivia enjoys pursuing and supporting causes that benefit the environment, social justice, and economic equality. As a Project Manager at Almora, her work allows her to plug into these causes through grant writing, development strategy and actions, and marketing and strategic planning initiatives.

Rachél (Ra-shell) Oatis is a Louisiana gal turned DMV transplant, eyewear enthusiast, lover of people, and committed to helping philanthropic organizations become better partners in the community. She is skilled in the areas of organizational and strategic development, board governance, fundraising, DEI and culture building in the nonprofit sector. She is currently leading DEI and Culture work at a tech startup and has held positions at Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT Black Equity at Work Program), Obama Foundation, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Washington National Cathedral, and the District Office of the honorable Congressman John Lewis and newly appointed White House official, Cedric Richmond.

She is a proud alumnus of Spelman College, where she earned her B.A. in Political Science and graduated Phi Beta Kappa. She also earned her M.S. degree in Nonprofit Management at Columbia University. At Columbia, Oatis was a HBCU Fellow, served as a Curation Officer for TEDxColumbiaUniversity and hosted their 2019 conference. She was a committee member of the Graduate Inclusion Advisory Committee and was recommended by faculty and staff to serve as the Nonprofit Management Student Marshal. In her free time, Rachel enjoys expanding her worldview through meeting new people and learning new languages, playing tennis, nailing her parallel parking skills, and being a cool Godmother!

Kara has been designing and developing websites since 2007. She has worked with many different CMS (Content Management System) platforms. She enjoys working with people to help get their website projects completed. The process can be confusing, but her knowledge helps keep things organized and efficient. Whether you need help with maintaining your website, content updates, a redesign, or are starting from scratch, she can help you get started and get things lined out.