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.”

Hannah received her undergraduate degree in economics and finance from Westminster College in Salt Lake City and her masters in nonprofit management from Columbia University in New York. In her free time, Hannah enjoys running and camping.

Dr. Andrew George has extensive experience writing, editing, and managing competitive private and federal grants for academic and non-profit organizations. Andrew is a grant procurement consultant with Almora Advisors and a grant writing educator and practitioner at the University of Utah, where he leads grant writing workshops and consultations for researchers. Andrew has aided professionals from various fields, including science, engineering, education, and communication, in writing and submitting competitive grant proposals. He has over a decade of experience writing winning grant and fellowship proposals as a principal investigator. Andrew and his clients have received funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the US Department of Education, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and several private foundations.

Andrew received his B.S. in marine biology from the College of Charleston and his Ph.D. in integrative biology from the University of Chicago, where he received multiple federal fellowships. After completing his degree, Andrew was awarded an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship to pursue conservation research and design science communication activities for public groups at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. He has also acquired private foundation grants to fund his field research expeditions. His personal grant writing and grant consulting experiences have shown Andrew first-hand how important and impactful funding is in allowing people to pursue new ideas and achieve ambitious goals. Andrew is passionate about helping people and organizations acquire the funding they need to develop innovative ideas, conduct impactful work, and sustain valuable programs. Outside of work, Andrew enjoys hiking, cycling, and skiing in the Utah mountains.

Leah has a lifelong commitment to service. Following a career in banking and direct marketing, she has dedicated 25 years to working with nonprofits. As a valued partner and board leader, she has wide-ranging experience in strategic planning, board governance, board organization and recruitment, financial oversight, leadership transition, development and fundraising, and community outreach.

Leah has served on numerous boards including: Arm In Arm, Corner House, The Watershed Institute, 101:Fund, and Princeton Girls Lacrosse. During her board tenures she took on multiple leadership roles, including secretary, treasurer, and vice-chair. Leah is well regarded and has been awarded for her remarkable commitment to volunteer service. Drawing on her comprehensive board experience and guided by a life principle that feeling cared for makes us stronger, she has been a long-time volunteer with a focus on non-profits that are committed to feeding and housing neighbors in need, to those supporting mental health services and addiction recovery, as well as local schools and numerous youth sports organizations. Leah is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and Columbia Business School. She is also a certified fitness instructor, inspired by the belief that good health, physical and mental, is the foundation of a resilient global community.

Christa is a consultant at Almora Advisors, working with clients on grant procurement, strategic planning, and organizational culture. She also works in Client Services at Sotheby’s. In addition to other roles in the art world at the Guggenheim Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Christa worked in broadcast media at CNN, NBC, and WNYC.

Christa received her master’s degree from the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) at Columbia University and holds a BA in Spanish and Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia. She lives in Manhattan with her husband and son. Christa is the founder and owner of a nut-free cookie company, Happily Nut-Free, and serves on the board of America SCORES New York, a nonprofit organization providing after school programming in soccer and poetry for New York City youth.

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.

Fidelma is a nonprofit community organizer and leader with over twenty years of diverse experiences, primarily in marketing and education. Following a career in Sales and Marketing in the Travel Industry, she has dedicated herself to non profit efforts. Fidelma is a founding board member of Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart and remains active as an Emeritus trustee. She has served on various boards and held many volunteer leadership roles including a term as Head of the Parent Faculty Organization of the Hong Kong International School. As a successful fundraiser her expertise is in the area of donor relations, annual giving and major gift solicitation. She has also led Board of Trustee retreats and training, as well as facilitated climate surveys and Head of School searches.

Fidelma received her undergraduate Bachelor of Arts degree with a Business minor from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA in Marketing from Fordham University. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, and is an avid walker who appreciates walking with others as a way to grow and connect. She loves to travel and is always planning her next adventure.

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.

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!