Hi, I'm Maureen. I help Brave leaders change the world.
Now, more than ever, the world needs leaders and organizations rooted in the courage and resilience needed to put humanity on a different path. In my 20+ years working in the nonprofit and social sectors, I was one of those leaders, carrying the weight of changing the world, of nurturing my teams, and of growing and nurturing myself. I know it’s a lot to carry!
I work with brave changemakers through high-impact strategic planning, coaching, facilitation, and advising. My goal is to provide truth and partnership (aka, Candor & Company) to ensure changing the world is never a lonely venture.
About Me
My life has taken me from small-town drama club kid to a big-town professional with a deep desire to change the world for the better. Once called ‘the most drama-free leader I’ve ever worked with’ I drive impact through creative social change. My core values are contribution and balance: I strive to always be contributing, knowing when my voice is critical, and when my greatest contribution is holding space for others. I always seek balance, both in the ratio of chocolate to vegetables I consume daily, to ensuring equal parts work and play in my days.
I spent my early career in academia, working in fundraising and alumni relations at The George Washington University, East Carolina University, and Antioch College, earning a Masters of Higher Education Administration along the way. Following my Air Force husband around meant both new opportunities in new places, and quitting and starting anew every few years.
A "start-up higher ed" experience at Antioch College changed my career trajectory. After being closed in 2008, passionate alumni bought the campus and set out to open as a "new" liberal arts college. I was part of a gritty bare-bones crew daring to to reopen an abandoned 1850s campus. I got to experience what it was like when barriers of bureaucracy were removed (or ignored) while a commitment to reinvention reigned supreme. It was inspiring, thrilling, and a major reason I opened my consulting business.
Our next military move returned me to Washington, DC, where in 2014 I launched my consultancy, then named MK Fundraising Solutions, then focused mostly on development and fundraising work. Over the years, that evolved to contracts in change-management, strategic planning, and leadership coaching, resulting in the 2020 rebrand to Candor and Company, LLC. We have worked with dozens of non-profit organizations, big and small, local and national, to craft creative strategies, empowered teams, and impact-oriented results.
I am a certified professional coach with the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching and a published author. I’ve got a dog, a daughter, a husband, and a community I volunteer in regularly. I've got a knack for baking and am slowly turning my black thumb into a green one. I enjoy biking, reading, Netflix, and doing hard things.
