Alissa (she/her) is the co-founder, owner and principal consultant of Four Stones Consulting. Alissa is a heart-connected systems shaker, with significant experience in healthcare, LGBTQ+ rights, government relations, leadership development, board governance and fundraising. Alissa was the Executive Director of Family Tree Clinic from 2010-2022, President & CEO of the Bakken Museum and continues to serve as a Senior Advisor at Gender Justice.

Her passions include executive director support and coaching, strategy & planning, capital campaign fundraising and partnering with boards to amplify and advance justice oriented change work through high engagement and thoughtful governance. Alissa is a geek about role clarity, and loves deep listening, visioning, and resourcing with abundance.

Crystal (she/her) is co-founder of Four Stones Consulting. Crystal is an experienced leader with a background in arts & culture, youth work, social enterprises, and local government.

She specializes in empowering emerging leaders, developing and managing projects, and facilitating capacity building. Passionate about creating impact, Crystal loves to help organizations refresh their strategic plans with clear, inclusive action steps. As a creative strategist, she brings authentic connection, artistic vision, and a collaborative approach to every project.

katie robinson (any pronouns) is a consultant collaborator with Four Stones Consulting and provides intentional communications and facilitation services. katie is a writer, facilitator, educator, scholar, and interdisciplinary artist devoted to the exploration of what is present and possible outside of the white supremacist colonial imagination.

Their essay, “Here’s How I Let Them Come Close,” a meditation on encounters, extraterrestrials, and the creative process, was featured in A Darker Wilderness: Black Nature Writing from Soil to Stars from Milkweed in 2023. They are currently a PhD candidate at Pacifica Graduate Institute, where they are writing a dissertation at the intersections of depth psychology, decoloniality, and police and prison abolition. 

Michelle Hesterberg (she/her) has over 15 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, fundraising, political organizing, and social change advocacy. Michelle’s passion is building power for progressive causes through grassroots fundraising.

She has run record-setting fundraising campaigns, raising millions of dollars for LGBTQ+ equity, reproductive freedom, social justice, environmental protection, and progressive candidates. Michelle has worked as Development Director for Gender Justice, OutFront Minnesota, and Save the Boundary Waters. She has extensive experience with major gifts, grant seeking, event planning, canvassing, sponsorships, working with boards, and digital fundraising.

Sara (she/her) is a relationship-centered fundraiser, storyteller, and strategist who believes meaningful change begins with genuine curiosity. Her care for people, their experiences, and what motivates them has shaped a 15-year career in philanthropy, communications, and community engagement. As the former Vice President of Development & Communications at Camp Fire Minnesota and Philanthropy Director at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, she partnered with donors, foundations, corporations, and community leaders to grow sustainable support and advance mission-driven goals.

Sara loves blending strategy with humor, heart, and creativity, helping organizations uncover the stories that inspire action and build lasting relationships. She enjoys partnering with organizations on donor engagement and fundraising strategy, grant writing, appeal writing, communications strategy, ethical storytelling, event management, and building meaningful community partnerships.