Page 7 – Attain Partners

Metrics with Purpose

September 24, 2024/in Fundraising, Nonprofit, Thought Leadership Sterrin Bird/by Olivia Pycha

Fundraising is NOT sales, and sales is NOT fundraising. Do you ever feel like your organization focuses only on metrics and money and forgets that PEOPLE are the key ingredient to all aspects of our work?

As a Chief Development Officer, and now, more recently, as a fractional interim nonprofit executive, I see this all too often. Taking a page from our for-profit brethren, NGOs often lead their efforts with data and metrics, which guide their most important decisions. Their focus is largely, or even solely, on generating the best numbers.

Please don’t misunderstand, I am 100% all in on data-driven decision-making and fundraising. But I am also convinced that if we push the human piece aside, we will not have numbers to report.

We also suffer through a lot of noise in our industry about what we “should” be measuring and why and how this tool or that tool will help us measure what we should be measuring more effectively.

Can I tell you how frustrated I get when people selling into our industry play advice giver without actually being in practice? (Insert head explosion emoji here!)

It’s disingenuous to claim you’re an expert when you’ve been in the seat for only a job or two, or in some cases, never at all. That’s selling, that’s not fundraising or partnership. If you aren’t currently dealing with the realities of what it means to do this work. If you get too focused on the metrics without understanding the nuances of the work, you’ll lose sight of what you’re doing and it becomes a transaction. Philanthropy is defined as love of mankind—it is people helping people, this industry was built on relationships, not on transactions.

Engagement, building community, and rebuilding the sense of belonging in the organization ARE the purpose of nonprofit innovation.

When we focus on engagement, building community, and rebuilding the sense of belonging in the organization, coupled with metrics, that is when the resources will come. In a healthy balance, they should complement each other, not lead one another.

That’s exactly why I’m committed to functioning as a player-coach. I vow to practice what I preach, no matter what. Real-world, “I’ve seen it all” experience is paramount to achieving this balance. This is the Attain Partners difference.

We need to assess how we are using data in order to teach our teams the bigger picture of why the data is important. The analysis should be there to support their work, not to sanitize or overanalyze and be less than human. Our goal should always be to support and encourage our teams. Let’s help them remember why they do what they do and give them the tools to do it!

When in doubt, keep the balance.

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Attain Partners – Your Partner in Driving Meaningful Impact

At Attain Partners, we’re familiar with the unique challenges facing mission-focused organizations and use our extensive experience to help nonprofits leverage Salesforce to accelerate their fundraising efforts, expand engagement with their constituents, manage the entire program lifecycle, and measure their outcomes and impact. Contact us today to learn how we can serve your organization.

For more, check out our Salesforce Innovation services, read case studies about our transformative work, and explore blog posts from our Salesforce experts.

About the Author

Sterrin Bird is a global fundraising leader and transformative figure in the nonprofit community, universally recognized for her nearly three decades of exceptional dedication to philanthropy. Her expertise spans the future of fundraising, building robust teams, and mastering the art of relational fundraising. With a keen focus on breaking down silos and fostering human-centered change, Sterrin excels in leveraging technology in support of mission outcomes and is an advocate for utilizing AI for fundraising innovation.

Prior to her tenure as a development officer, Sterrin catalyzed growth as a development consultant for three notable international consulting firms, where she blossomed into a cross-functional leader. In 2010, she founded her own consulting practice, orienting her approach around uncommon coaching and leadership mentoring. Throughout her multifaceted career, Sterrin has orchestrated over three dozen capital campaigns across the globe, cumulatively raising more than $5.5 billion, securing her reputation as a global fundraising leader.

In her professional journey, she has held pivotal leadership roles at prestigious nonprofit giants such as Duke Medicine, the University of California, the American Red Cross, the March of Dimes, and United Way. Sterrin also spent four years as the in-house nonprofit expert with the global team at Salesforce.

Sterrin holds an Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from the Harvard Kennedy School. She is also a True North Leadership Fellow and was named to the Advisory Council of Rogare, a fundraising think tank in the UK at the University of Plymouth.

Her extensive experience with C-suite executives, nonprofit directors, and leadership across complex organizations speaks to her ability to exceed funding objectives while leading teams and managing the ever-changing nonprofit industry. A distinguished cross-functional leader, Sterrin navigates the intersection of fundraising, marketing, brand positioning, and program advancement with ease.

Originally from Short Hills, New Jersey, Sterrin now calls the Bay Area home, living with her two children, Thomas and Mary. She is a prolific public speaker and is also deeply invested in her community, she sits on the board of Maimoni Valley Preserve, One Life Counseling, and the Young Men’s Service League, embodying the spirit of engaged and impactful citizenship.

Understanding the Four Effective Dates of the 2 CFR 200 Uniform Guidance Revisions

September 19, 2024/in Grants Management, Thought Leadership, Uniform Guidance Gil Tran/by Olivia Pycha

On April 22, 2024, the Office of Management and Budget officially published the major update to the Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200, originally created in 2013. This update is massive and made substantive revisions to 69 out of 191 sections in the 6 subparts and 12 appendices, equaling 36 percent of the document—an Extreme Makeover.

The White House states that: “These updates to what is known as the Uniform Grants Guidance will streamline and clarify requirements for Federal funding…These changes will allow agencies and recipients of Federal funds to focus more time and money on delivering meaningful results for the American people.”

The Four Effective Dates

While OMB announces that the effective date is October 1, 2024, for all federal awards starting or after that date, only the Federal agencies can make the revisions applicable by updating their own regulations. The following discussion assumes that the agencies have successfully adopted the OMB revisions prior to 10/01/2024.

In practice, from a grantee’s perspective, there is not just a single effective date for all changes but four different effective dates depending on the nature of the changes: (a) administrative and some cost changes, (b) financial and cost changes, (c) indirect cost rate and reimbursement changes, and (d) clarification of current policies.

(a) Administrative and Some Cost Changes

October 1, 2024, is the effective date for all administrative changes—such as prior approval requirements, new procurement standards, mandatory disclosure (with credible evidence), and fixed amount award. This date also applies to some of the new cost items such as the 15% De-minimus rate, the conference costs and the closeout costs. These administrative and cost revisions are effective for all federal awards that start on or after October 1, 2024.

Be careful to realize that this means these revisions are not available to current awards, even for awards with period of performance beyond 10/01/24. For example, a grantee with an NSF award that starts on July 1, 2024, cannot use the fixed amount subaward threshold of $500,000 for a subaward starting on January 1, 2025. For this award, the grantee is still limited to the current $250,000 threshold when granting a fixed amount subaward. Similarly, the grantee cannot automatically apply the 15% de-minimus indirect cost rate to direct grant expenditures on October 1, 2024, for existing awards.

On August 15, 2024, the Council on Federal Financial Assistance (COFFA) issued an implementation guidance to the Federal agencies, which strongly encouraged Federal agencies to allow the use of revisions on amendments of existing awards. For example, on the use of the 15 percent de-minimus rate, federal agencies may allow the use of the higher rate on existing awards if the agency determines that there are sufficient funds.

FY-2024-Revisions-to-2-CFR-Supplementary-Information-for-Federal-Agency-Implementation 08 15 24.pdf

(b) Financial and Cost Changes

Upcoming Fiscal Year is the effective date for any financial and cost changes that require a change in the institution policies—such as the new threshold for equipment and supplies (see exception below if grantee has negotiated rates for multiple future years), the new Single Audit threshold, and new internal controls for cyber security. The changes are effective for the first fiscal year starting October 1, 2024. If your institution’s fiscal year runs from July 1 through June 30, the effective date is July 1, 2025 (or FY 2026). Remember that the grantee must make internal decision regarding the threshold levels and change its policy documents before they become effective. For example, a grantee—with a fiscal year ending 12/31/24 and federal expenditures of $900,000 for FY 2024—is still required to perform a Single Audit. However, the single audit requirement is lifted for FY 2025 if the grantee’s federal expenditures remain at the same level (and therefore under the $1 million threshold).

(c) Indirect Cost Rate and Reimbursement Changes

Next Indirect Cost Proposal is the effective date for the revisions that have impact on the calculation of the indirect cost rates and indirect cost reimbursement. The two major revisions with such impact are the changes in the equipment and subaward thresholds. In addition, the allowability of the data management and program evaluation will also have an impact on the rate, if they are charged as indirect costs. The threshold changes will naturally cause a decrease in the rate (as the base is larger and the equipment depreciation costs are smaller) but the overall indirect recovery should be the same (as the lower rate would apply to a larger base). No changes in the rate due to the threshold change and additional costs for data management and program evaluation are allowed until the next submission of the indirect cost proposal. Section 200.110 (b) clearly states that “existing negotiated indirect cost rates will remain in place until they expire.” The existing negotiated rates are to be used on the current modified total direct cost bases (without the threshold increases) until new rates are established.

As an example, if your institution has a predetermined rate of 50% for fiscal year 2025 (July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025), you will continue to apply the 50% to the first $25,000 of the subawards and the supplies of $5,000 in fiscal year 2025. In the case that your institution has a predetermined rate through fiscal year 2028, you cannot implement the threshold changes for equipment and subawards until fiscal year 2029. As an option to take advantage of the burden relief with a higher threshold for equipment at $10,000 in the next fiscal year, you must create and maintain two separate record systems. One is to comply with the property record requirements (at the higher threshold) and the other to use for indirect cost application (at the lower threshold). The two record systems can be complicated and confusing for the auditors to review and therefore, we do not recommend it. One more thing to remember is that the equipment threshold must be the same level used for financial statement reporting and State requirements.

There are exceptions that allow you to implement the higher thresholds starting with the next fiscal year (starting on or after October 1, 2024): (1) if you have submitted an indirect cost proposal to the Federal government and it is currently under review, (2) if you are submitting a proposal with the FY 2024 as your base year, or (3) if you are requesting an extension of your current rate. In these cases, the federal cognizant agencies for indirect costs may ask you to prepare an impact statement to establish future rates with the new thresholds.

The same effective date applies to the new treatment of unused leave as a general administrative cost. This new restriction requires the removal of unused leave costs as direct or fringe benefit costs with the next fringe benefit proposal submission to the Federal Government.

(d) Clarification of Current Policies

Currently Allowable – There are two major cost items that appear to be new cost items in the updated Uniform Guidance but are actually currently allowable in accordance with OMB. OMB provided additional information in the pre-amble that the data management and program evaluation costs (200.455 (c)) and the prizes costs (200.438) are currently allowable on all existing and future Federal awards and the final revisions are only meant to clarify the current policies. As agencies may not be aware of the allowability of these two cost items on their existing programs, we recommend that you check and clear with the federal program officers before charging to the existing programs. Note that the data management and program evaluation costs can be charged either directly or indirectly. In the case that they are charged indirectly, the effective date is the next indirect cost proposal.

OMB provided four other clarifications for policies that already exist and therefore are applicable to all existing programs: (1) the use of prohibited telecommunication equipment and surveillance services, (2) the requirements for use of negotiated rates, (3) the treatment of voluntary uncommitted cost sharing and (4) the authority of Federal cognizant agencies for single audits to grant extension for single audit report submissions.

Effective Dates by Major Revisions

In our April presentation of The Final Reveal – Extreme Makeover: Uniform Guidance 2 CFR Edition, we list out the major revisions by subparts. To help you develop an implementation plan with the correct timeframe, we have prepared a summary table that lists these major revisions by their true effective date for implementation (remember that this list does not include ALL the revisions). We also identify the revisions that will require an update of the institution’s written policies.

We stand by to assist you with any questions or needs for a successful implementation. Happy Implementation but don’t cancel all your Fall festivities for this!

Table: Summary of Applicable Effective Date by Revisions

Fill out the form below to download the PDF.

2024-09 RES: Uniform Guidance Blog Content Downloads

About the Author

Gil Tran is Senior Specialist Leader, Grants Management at Attain Partners. Previously, he served as a Senior Policy Analyst with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Office of Federal Financial Management (OFFM).

A 27-year veteran of OMB, Gil has often served as a go-to field expert and is a sought-after presenter who has earned a reputation as a source of knowledge and an engaging industry speaker. Among his contributions in shaping the financial assistance landscape for future generations are: helping reduce the audit burden for both auditees and federal government oversight agencies; playing an integral role in the development of the Uniform Grant Guidance (UGG) and consolidating cost principles in the guidance; and, in 2005, leading the development of the first-ever government-wide waiver to provide relief to grantees caused by natural disasters.

Gil’s professional contributions have been recognized with several awards including the OMB Robert Damus Award, the National Grants Management Association (NGMA) Newton Award, and the Association of Government Accountants (AGA) Frank Greathouse Distinguished Leadership Award all in 2022 as well as the National College and University Research Administrators Association (NCURA) Joseph F. Carrabino Award in 2015. He is widely recognized as an outstanding leader in the grants management field. Gil received a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from George Mason University, Virginia. He is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Additionally, he chaired the Diversity Committee for the U.S. Tennis Association (Mid–Atlantic Section).

Steph Kirby Anderson Joins Attain Partners as Nonprofit Director, Business Development and Partnerships

September 16, 2024/in Nonprofit, Salesforce Community, Team for Speed Olivia Pycha/by Olivia Pycha

Attain Digital Welcomes Steph Kirby Anderson to Serve the Nonprofit Sector

Steph Kirby Anderson joined Attain Partners in September to serve as Director of Business Development and Partnerships, Nonprofits, within our Attain Digital practice. In her role, she will work alongside Managing Director and Nonprofit Market Lead Kristi Phillips and Nonprofit Executive in Residence Sterrin Bird to continue driving positive and lasting change for nonprofit clients.

With over a decade of experience leveraging technology to help organizations in the public and social sectors create transformational value, including her role serving nonprofits at Salesforce.org, we are thrilled to have Steph as part of Team Attain.

We sat down with Steph to learn more about her background, how she has seen Salesforce transform the nonprofit industry, her heart for mission-focused work, and what led her to Attain Partners.

Attain Partners (AP): How did you get into Nonprofit work and business development? What did you do before joining Attain Partners?

Steph Kirby Anderson (SKA): Some of my earliest memories are of volunteering with my parents and siblings. This family tradition fostered a deep appreciation for community service. As I grew older, I channeled this appreciation into action by participating in Habitat for Humanity home builds, joining the Red Cross Gallon Club, and becoming an AmeriCorps Volunteer.

My dedication to service evolved into a career when I joined New Jersey’s largest YMCA. There, I directed a facility that housed an Early Childhood Learning Center, provided wraparound services, managed summer camps, and oversaw food and diaper distribution. My responsibilities also included marketing and fundraising. However, when the pandemic paused many activities, I turned to the virtual world and discovered Salesforce, which impressed me with its technological potential. My exploration of Trailhead, Salesforce’s free gamified learning platform, inspired me to join Salesforce.org’s nonprofit team as a Business Development Representative (BDR). In this role, I witnessed how organizations could significantly enhance their impact through advanced technology and dedicated myself to supporting nonprofit accounts.

This experience ignited my passion for business development, leading me to transition from a BDR to an Account Executive role for strategic nonprofit accounts. Most recently, I’ve been working with nonprofits at a Salesforce Consulting Partner, further developing my skills and deepening my commitment to the sector.

AP: Which of our seven core values speak to you the most?

SKA: Obsess Externally. The YMCA has been a huge part of my life—as a kid, I belonged to a local YMCA and spent lots of afternoons there staying out of trouble. I spent over half a decade as an employee of the Y and now as a parent, my children attended the YMCA for Child Care, and currently attend summer camp, swim lessons and family programs. I had the opportunity to join the Board of my own “home away from home,” Fairview Lake YMCA. This is a place where my daughter attends sleep away camp and my son learned archery. It’s a place I have spent many long weekends and made many close friends. I know that for every organization we work with, there are a crowd of people who feel the way I do about the Y, about organizations across the globe. And because of that, Obsess Externally is a value that excites me most about this work.

AP: What do you like most about the work you do?

SKA: I find great joy in building relationships with nonprofits, where I can truly understand their mission, values, and challenges. Engaging in solution-oriented conversations and discovering how the right tools can enhance their programs or empower leaders to focus on strategic and innovative approaches in serving their communities makes this work incredibly fulfilling.

AP: What are the biggest ways you’ve seen digital transformation initiatives impact nonprofit organizations?

SKA: I’m thrilled to see organizations harness data-driven decision-making. When they can accurately measure their impact, they’re better equipped to track progress toward their goals and showcase their effectiveness to constituents and community members. This not only leads to more programs that effectively address community needs, but also demonstrates the value of these initiatives through compelling data which complements the powerful stories of impact.

AP: What do you enjoy outside of work?

SKA: My family spends a lot of time outside, from our backyard to camping and hiking and kayaking and swimming. Nothing beats a nap in the fresh air! Both of my children dance, so I spend lots of time at our dance studio! As a family, we love the arts and live close enough to NYC to see live theater and music multiple times a year. We all play instruments and enjoy singing and playing on the weekends!

Attain Partners – Salesforce Experts

No matter if your organization is beginning its Salesforce journey or 10+ years into development, Attain Partners is here to help you achieve your goals. Contact our team today to hear how we can help your organization advance its mission by harnessing the power of Salesforce.

For more, check out our Salesforce Innovation services, read case studies about our transformative work, and explore blog posts from our Salesforce experts.

Learn more – Steph Kirby Anderson

Steph Kirby Anderson brings over a decade of experience in the education and nonprofit sectors. Driven by her passion for merging social impact with technology, Steph joined the Salesforce ecosystem to help nonprofits leverage cutting-edge tools and innovations. With an infectious enthusiasm for radical philanthropy and enhancing efficiency within the nonprofit world, Steph uses her extensive background to inspire organizations to explore new possibilities through digital transformation.

She holds a Master’s Degree in Education from Pace University and an undergraduate degree from Saint Elizabeth University. Her background includes teaching K-4 Special Education as a New York City Teaching Fellow, coaching high school boys’ basketball as an AmeriCorps Volunteer, and earning certification in Prenatal and Children’s Yoga Instruction. Steph resides in New Jersey with her husband and two children and currently serves on the Board of Fairview Lake YMCA.

Interested in speaking directly with Steph? Fill out this form to be connected!

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Insider Secrets to Mastering Your Job Search

August 26, 2024/in Best Practices, Talent Brielle Cassidy, Kara Simms/by Olivia Pycha

Recruiters’ Tips for Securing Your Ideal Role

In today’s job market, finding the right job can feel like a big challenge! From perfecting your resume to nailing the interview, job seekers face many obstacles in their search for the perfect position. To make this journey a bit smoother, we’re excited to share a few of our “recruitment secrets.” We’re hopeful these tips make your job search easier!

Tailoring Your Resume and Application

Gone are the days of sending out hundreds of generic resumes and applications. If that works for you, great! If not, then it’s time to switch things up. As recruiters, our job is to find the perfect candidate for each role, and it goes a long way when we receive personalized applications that show genuine interest in our company and the position. Instead of spreading yourself thin with countless applications, focus on tailoring your resume and application for a few roles and companies.

Instead of spreading yourself thin with countless applications, focus on tailoring your resume and application for a few roles and companies.

Take the time to understand each organization’s culture and align your skills and experiences to the job requirements. Don’t stress if your resume goes beyond one page—it’s perfectly fine as long as it reflects your experience. Customizing your resume and application not only makes you stand out but also showcases your dedication and attention to detail. I promise, making this tweak in your job search will only help you!

Building Your Personal Brand

In today’s digital world, your online presence plays a huge role in how companies perceive you. After viewing your application, the first place that recruiters tend to look is your LinkedIn—think of it as the Instagram of the professional world! Your personal brand is how you present yourself and sets you apart from other candidates, so it’s worth taking the time to show off who you are and why you’re the right fit for the job.

Now you’re probably thinking, where do I start? Highlight your strengths, passions, and accomplishments; ensure your LinkedIn profile is up to date and aligns with your resume.

Highlight your strengths, passions, and accomplishments; ensure your LinkedIn profile is up to date and aligns with your resume.

Use both your resume and LinkedIn to tell your story and make a memorable impression on recruiters and hiring managers. Have fun with it and let your personality shine through!

Optimizing Your LinkedIn Profile

LinkedIn is one of the most popular job sites today, for both job seekers and recruiters alike. Our role as recruiters involves finding candidates with specific skills. Purely applying to jobs can be exhausting, so help us by letting us find you as well!

How do you do this? Optimize your profile so you are discoverable. Just as you should include relevant keywords on your resume, it’s equally essential to incorporate them into your LinkedIn profile, too. For example, rather than simply stating you’re a Software Engineer, list the entire tech stack you are proficient in. Pro-tip: Being active on LinkedIn—by responding to messages from recruiters, applying for jobs, and expanding your network—will increase your visibility in recruiter searches.

Being active on LinkedIn—by responding to messages from recruiters, applying for jobs, and expanding your network—will increase your visibility in recruiter searches.

Mythbusting: Why can’t I beat the Applicant Tracking System (ATS)?!

Many candidates feel that when they apply for a job, their resume gets lost in a dark, deep hole and it is never read by a real person. A common misconception is that the ATS, the software that manages your application, automatically rejects resumes.

We’re here to set the record straight: your resume is only rejected before it meets the recruiter if you don’t meet the specific ‘knock-out’ questions we created. For instance, if a position requires experience in a specific cloud platform, you might be asked, ‘Do you have experience with AWS?’ If you answer ‘no,’ your resume won’t advance to the next stage, and you will receive a rejection email. Another example would be if a position requires at least five years of experience with that cloud platform, and you answered ‘2’ when asked how many years of experience you currently have with AWS.

The truth is, recruiters often receive hundreds of applications for a role. To screen resumes and do our jobs effectively, we simply have to narrow that number down. How do we do that? You guessed it: keywords, keywords, keywords. Tailoring your resume to match the job description is crucial.

Attain Partners – Talent-sourcing Expertise

Your organization is only as good as your people. At Attain Partners, finding and placing extraordinary team members is what we do. Leverage our talent services to take your institution to the next level.

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About the Authors

Brielle Cassidy is a Talent Acquisition Professional at Attain Partners. Her knowledge of recruiting and her genuine passion for connecting with people drive her work each day. She currently lives in Washington, D.C. with her closest friends. Outside of work, you can find her in HomeGoods splurging on everything home decor, playing pickleball, indulging in Sunday brunches, and boating in Annapolis with family and friends!

Kara Simms is a Senior Talent Acquisition Professional at Attain Partners specializing in technical recruitment. She has shown a commitment to understanding each candidate’s unique strengths and aspirations throughout her career, and she cares deeply about career matchmaking and building meaningful relationships. She resides on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and enjoys good bourbon and wine, cooking Italian dishes, and live music with friends!

The Boomerang Effect: Returning to Team Attain After Another Role

August 23, 2024/in About Attain Partners, Team for Speed/by Olivia Pycha

Kristen Longo reflects on her journey back to Attain Partners

At Attain Partners, we proudly proclaim that our people are the best, and we put great effort into caring for our team members’ well-being. But don’t just take our word for it—we have multiple “boomerang” hires, those who have worked with us, left to pursue other opportunities, and then chosen to come back to Team Attain.

So, what is it about our company and culture that makes previous employees want to return? Kristen Longo shares her personal experience coming home to Attain Partners below—read on to learn what elements of our business and approach resonate so strongly with Kristen that she decided to rejoin the team!

Attain Partners (AP): How did you get into your line of work?

Kristen Longo (KL): My career path grew from a mixture of opportunity (and networking), a passion for communications, and a willingness to try anything new. After earning a degree in English from Bucknell University in Pennsylvania, I felt pressure to show how my skills could pivot to the real world. Jumping into publishing as an editorial assistant I learned quickly that I could understand technical topics, in this case, a line of books on SQL for professionals. From there I took on a public relations role with a healthcare system in New York, where I found myself working with every level of stakeholder—patients, physicians, executives, hospital staff, local politicians—to interpret complex medical information or share surgical breakthroughs with the communities that would benefit most from them.

Looking to grow, I moved to greater Washington D.C., and started working as a federal contractor in fascinating subject areas like air traffic control facilities and U.S. Coast Guard research and development. Around then it clicked, I’d found my niche in communications. Especially those that required me to learn complex topics or show an understanding of what people are (and aren’t) saying. Making connections and empowering people to succeed is deeply satisfying; and, while the contracts, industries, and agencies have changed over the years, my career and the success of those I serve, always anchor to communication.

AP: What did you do before Attain Partners?

KL: Before rejoining Attain Partners, I’d taken a sabbatical. The large financial institution I served as an internal communications manager went through an overhaul and downsized in the face of economic uncertainty. Instead of being upset, I used the confidence I’d built and the wide need for good communications as an opportunity to choose the next step in my career. In determining what I wanted that trajectory to look like, my top interest was to work with great people that motivate me. Naturally, I reconnected with my Attain Partners network, and we worked together to find the right role to return!

AP: How does it feel to rejoin us as a boomerang hire?

KL: Being a boomerang feels fantastic! I’m thrilled and jumping right back in. The culture at Attain is unlike any other place I’ve worked and at the end of every day I always felt that we made the best effort, and that we truly appreciated and helped one another. I’ll never forget a leader and mentor taking two hours out of their busy day to teach me how to produce a rough order of magnitude on a rush request by a client. Without question, he shifted his time to help me, and I have always sought to pay that forward. The people made the experience the best and I’ve remained connected to more Attain colleagues and friends than any other company in my career. It’s those connections that brought me back.

AP: What do you think makes our company culture unique?

KL: The authenticity and integrity of our people are what make our culture unique. Attain Partners leaders and colleagues are genuinely invested in both the individual and collective success of one other. You can run into Greg (our Founder and CEO) in the elevator and he’ll not only know what projects you’re working on and check on how they’re doing, but he’ll also ask about your life and happiness and you’ll exit the elevator feeling seen and heard.

Everyone I’ve had the pleasure to work with at Attain Partners is like this—we’re willing to hit the pause button (even when we’re busy) to check in, offer help or insight, or simply be there for each other where and when it matters.

AP: Which of our seven core values speaks to you most?

KL: Have Absolute Integrity. I base this on how I like to work, and the type of people I like to work with. For instance, if we can’t be willing to make or admit to mistakes, how can we expect to learn and expand our knowledge and abilities? Or, when everyone is working furiously to meet a deadline and a colleague shows up and asks where to help, isn’t that a person you want to work with? My most meaningful accomplishments at work and in life have stemmed from a desire to see things through and hold myself accountable.

AP: What upcoming project/initiative are you most excited about?

KL: The Wellness Program, which Attain Partners recently launched to support employees! There are so many aspects that add up to being at our best, from the basics of remembering to stay hydrated and get up and move during the day, to more confusing and far-off peace of mind like saving for the future and retirement. The work done on this program—even the gift of wellness items sent to all employees’ homes—reminds me to create a balance to do my best work and live my best life. That’s a commitment I can get behind!

AP: What’s your favorite memory from working at Attain, LLC.?

KL: There are many great moments to choose from, but I’ll go with a memory that had a really personal impact. In 2019, I participated in a panel for local pre-grads interested in pursuing careers aligned with Attain’s business areas. Many of the questions were based on technical and development languages and applications, until one student asked what opportunities are available to job seekers who don’t have a technical degree or background.

I felt like that question was made for me and saw a few others perk up in the room as I shared how a BA in English carried me across a variety of roles and industries with highly technical aspects, including healthcare, banking, and government. A day or two later I was touched when the student reached out to thank me and chat further, getting more and more excited about jobs they might pursue after graduation. They even let me know where they landed a few months later, and I made sure they knew how to find me in the future. It felt awesome to have a positive influence and serve as living proof that, as long as you’re willing to learn and aren’t afraid to ask questions, everyone’s career path is an open book.

AP: What do you like to do outside of work?

KL: On a daily basis, I thrive off walking my dog and listening to music. My goofball rescue brings so much joy and energy to every day (how I want to be!). Plus, the right tunes can get me pumped and confident for a big presentation or revive me after a long day. (When in doubt, I rock out to some Foo Fighters and life is good.) On a larger scale, my husband and I try to travel to a different National Park each year. Last year we drove through Redwood National and State Parks in California and this year we’ll top off an incredible trip to Alaska with a few days in Denali National Park and Preserve. (Here’s hoping we see some epic wildlife and return from the wilderness with all of our limbs intact!)

Grow Your Career at Attain Partners

Think you may be a good fit for Team Attain? Learn more about who we are and what we stand for on our Careers page. You can also view and apply for any open roles for which you are a good fit!

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Learn more – Kristen Longo

Kristen Longo is a communicator with over 18 years of experience in the field, including project management, technical writing and editing, strategic communications and planning, stakeholder and corporate relations, and business process improvement. Her career has spanned publishing and healthcare, as well as business, management, and government consulting to achieve tactical and strategic communication goals and to analyze and understand how people receive information to make it more accessible to those who need it. She is a servant leader that believes in building self-starting, effective and collaborative teams that are well-equipped and motivated to reach business and professional goals. She is motivated by people – both in developing authentic, trusted relationships with individuals at all levels of an organization and in making connections via transparent, forward-thinking communication that will make a difference in people’s lives. When not working, Kristen enjoys music, being outside, and pretending she can compete with contestants on the Great British Baking Show with her husband and dog in Fairfax, Virginia.

AI and Higher Education: True North?

August 21, 2024/in AI, ERP, Higher Education, Salesforce, Student Experience, Thought Leadership Francis Quinn/by Olivia Pycha

Evaluating the potential impact of the Salesforce-Workday partnership on AI in higher education

Salesforce and Workday recently announced^[1] an agreement to deepen their partnership and enhance the integration between their platforms. Attain Partners’ Francis Quinn gives his take on the new partnership, why it matters specifically for higher education institutions, and his predictions on how it could potentially impact AI functionality. Read on to learn more.

Can we trust AI to generate correct data?

While preparing for a recent road trip, I asked ChatGPT whether Dallas, Texas, is further north or south than Augusta, Georgia. Almost immediately, ChatGPT proudly informed me that, “Dallas, Texas, is further north than Augusta, Georgia. Dallas is situated at a latitude of approximately 32.8 degrees North, while Augusta is at about 33.5 degrees North. Despite Dallas being south of Augusta on a map, its latitude is lower, indicating it’s further north.”

Curious indeed! How can Dallas be at a lower latitude than Augusta and still be further north? You might ask how it is possible for one of the world’s best known artificial intelligence (AI) platforms to make such an obvious mistake. The answer lies in the fact that ChatGPT is a language model: a type of artificial intelligence designed to understand and generate human language. Language models are trained on large datasets of text to learn patterns, grammar, and contextual meaning, allowing them to generate coherent responses. Platforms like ChatGPT are trained using vast amounts of diverse text data and advanced machine learning techniques to handle a wide range of conversational topics, enabling them to assist with questions, generate text, and engage in interactive dialogue. However, language models infer relationships between words based on patterns in text data alone, as they lack other types of data. This limitation is why ChatGPT struggles with tasks that involve, for example, understanding spatial relations, such as interpreting latitude and longitude.^[2]

This limitation is even more concerning given that the use of ChatGPT to power customer service chatbots is increasingly widespread, with many businesses and organizations adopting it for various customer service applications. Indeed, according to OpenAI the consumer version of its chatbot is already in use by more than 92% of Fortune 500 companies.^[3] Have you ever had the impression that the chatbot simply doesn’t understand your query?

Salesforce and Workday partnership to enhance proprietary AI accuracy

Now, Salesforce Einstein® is Salesforce’s suite of AI-powered features designed to enhance its CRM (Customer Relationship Management) platform that offers, amongst other things, advanced data analysis and visualization tools, predictions about which leads are more likely to close, analysis of customer sentiment and intent, and chatbots that can handle routine queries and provide support. The newly announced Salesforce and Workday partnership aims to improve the integration between Salesforce’s CRM and Workday’s enterprise cloud applications, such as HR, finance, and planning. In time, this will allow organizations to connect their customer and employee data more effectively, creating more comprehensive customer profiles and understanding the full picture of employee interactions.

In time, this will allow organizations to connect their customer and employee data more effectively, creating more comprehensive customer profiles and understanding the full picture of employee interactions.

As a point of reference, it’s worth noting that the Higher Education student CRM systems market size was recently valued at $2.1 Billion in 2023 and is projected to reach $5.0 Billion by 2030.^[4] Higher education institutions are increasingly investing in CRM and ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) solutions primarily in order to modernize their business processes, streamline operations, enhance data management, analytics and reporting, and improve student and faculty experience. So why should higher education institutions be taking notice of the Salesforce-Workday partnership?

Capturing the complexities of R1 research universities

Well, if the world’s best-known AI platform struggles to recognize the difference between north and south, imagine how it could struggle with tasks involving complex business processes at an R1 research university (think hiring a new faculty member, securing an endowment, managing a research grant, identifying students at risk, or answering questions about a degree). While it can generate responses based on patterns in the text data it was trained on, it doesn’t have real-world experience or a deep understanding of specific business contexts. This limitation means it might not fully grasp intricate business workflows, nuanced operational details, or education-specific practices. It can provide general advice and information, but for detailed and context-specific business process management, its responses might lack the depth and accuracy needed.

This is where the Salesforce-Workday partnership is so interesting. Training Einstein using detailed information about how complex business processes are managed across hundreds of organizations would significantly improve its ability to perform in this area. The model would gain a richer and more diverse understanding of various business processes, including education-specific practices and nuances. With detailed examples and case studies, Einstein could better understand the context and intricacies of different business process scenarios, leading to more accurate and relevant responses. According to their recent press release, the partnership may lead to the development of new joint solutions or features that leverage the strengths of both platforms.

The human element

As exciting as all that sounds, it’s important to note that even with such training, Einstein will be limited for some time by its ability to interpret and generate responses based on patterns in the data. It will be even longer before it can replace the need for human expertise, especially in highly specialized or sensitive business situations.

Attain Partners has extensive experience in leading both Salesforce and Workday implementations at higher education institutions across the country. As mentioned above, the future looks bright and holds a lot of promise. Time will tell the pace at which AI-powered products will transform the higher education landscape, but you can be sure that Attain Partners will follow developments closely, keeping our clients appraised, and ensuring that they are ideally placed to adopt those solutions that make the most sense and are best aligned with the strategic roadmap for their institution.

Attain Partners – Digital Transformation Experts

No matter if your organization is beginning its digital transformation journey or 10+ years into driving sustained change, Attain Partners is here to help you achieve your goals.

Driving digital transformation from Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions to Data Services, Analytics, and Applications Modernization, Attain Partners provides end-to-end solutions that help advance our clients’ important missions.

Under the strategic leadership of Partner Reshma Patel-Jackson, our Attain Digital practice aligns Attain Partners’ core digital and transformation services to enhance market focus and emphasize delivery excellence, addressing diverse client needs and providing enterprise-wide strategy and technology transformation expertise at scale.

Enterprise Business Solutions – Learn More

Salesforce Innovation – Learn More

About the Author

Francis Quinn serves as Senior Principal and Enterprise Advisory Capability Lead at Attain Partners. He is a globally experienced executive with a proven track record of managing cloud-based technology product development, and client implementations. Francis joined Attain Partners to serve as the Director for the USM MD Connect Program, managing the complex enterprise transformation for the consortium of five universities. In this role, Francis leads the Attain Partners team to deliver program management, organizational change management, and staff augmentation support as the consortium implements a single instance of Workday Financial Management and Human Capital Management systems.

^[1] https://investor.salesforce.com/press-releases/press-release-details/2024/Salesforce-and-Workday-Form-Strategic-Partnership-Unveil-New-AI-Employee-Service-Agent/default.aspx

^[2] Caldarini, Guendalina; Jaf, Sardar; McGarry, Kenneth (2022). “A Literature Survey of Recent Advances in Chatbots”. Information 2022, 13(1), 41.

^[3] https://www.reuters.com/technology/openais-altman-pitches-chatgpt-enterprise-large-firms-including-some-microsoft-2024-04-12/#:~:text=They%20noted%20the%20consumer%20version,92%25%20of%20Fortune%20500%20companies.

^[4] https://www.verifiedmarketresearch.com/product/higher-education-student-crm-systems-market/#:~:text=Higher%20Education%20Student%20CRM%20Systems%20Market%20size%20was%20valued%20at,the%20forecast%20period%202024%2D2030.

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Attain Partners' Summer Internship Spotlight

August 19, 2024/in Talent/by Olivia Pycha

This summer, we welcomed 16 talented students to our Summer 2024 Internship Program. Representing 11 unique areas of study across 14 prestigious universities, this dynamic and engaged group contributed a diverse range of perspectives and skills to the company.

Throughout the eight-week program, we witnessed each intern’s growth and enthusiasm as they used their distinct skillsets to tackle projects across Attain Partners and Attain Sports. Working across domains ranging from business development account planning to professional development design, our internship program offers a unique opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students to gain hands-on experience undertaking responsibilities and confronting challenges in today’s complex and dynamic business environment.

We extend our thanks to this cohort for contributing to the bold, entrepreneurial spirit of The Attain Way and helping us in our work of improving the lives we touch. We are grateful for their impressive contributions to our ongoing projects and initiatives!

Interested in interning with us next summer or know someone who would be?

Look out for recruitment for next summer’s program to start in November 2024 or January 2025!

Open Roles

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Takeaways from NCURA’s 66th Annual Meeting: Uniform Guidance, Change Management, AI, and Community

August 16, 2024/in Change Management, Events, Research, Team for Speed, Thought Leadership, Uniform Guidance Laura Bourland/by Maureen Goldman

The Attain Partners team thoroughly enjoyed sponsoring, speaking at, and attending NCURA’s 66^th Annual Meeting the first week of August in Washington, D.C. This year’s meeting theme was Rediscover Y-our Journey, and provided an abundance of conversation on topics including recruiting a new generation of professionals, managing change, AI, Uniform Guidance revisions, and so many more.

Our team of experts presented 20 sessions, workshops, and discussion groups and connected with colleagues at our booth where we had the opportunity to share details from our proven track record serving over 70 of the top 100 U.S. research institutions and 100% of Ivy League schools.

“As a seasoned research administrator with over two decades in the profession, I am used to being a veteran. This year, I was the rookie on the Attain Partners team. Meeting team members in person and sharing information on the support we provide was a new and exciting opportunity for me,” Suzanne Alstadt, Senior Consultant at Attain Partners said.

Uniform Guidance revisions go into effect on October 1st

Gil Tran, Senior Specialist Leader and Attain Partners all-star, always draws a crowd with his informative and entertaining sessions. At NCURA’s meeting, he presented The Final Reveal – Extreme Makeover: Uniform Guidance 2 CFR Edition to a packed house (standing room only!). Gil left the attendees with this expert advice, “The effective date for the Uniform Guidance revisions is October 1, 2024, but the time for understanding, planning, and implementing the revisions at your institution is now, right after the conference closes.”

In case you missed it

If you missed his session, Gil’s on-demand webinar discussing the policy updates is available on demand: The Final Reveal – Extreme Makeover: Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200 Edition.

Change Management is essential for all organizations

Whether circumstances are anticipated, such as a new system implementation or a revised UG, or unforeseen like The Great Resignation, change management is an ongoing need in research administration.

Attain Partners Kathleen Halley-Octa, Manager, and Ivonne Kalinski, Senior Consultant, led a session on the topic titled, Overcoming the Fear of the Unknown: Change Management Strategies for Research Administrators. “With the turnover that we have seen in the field in the past few years, institutions are recognizing the importance of investing in change management programs. Whether institutions are tackling initiatives themselves or engaging experts like those at Attain Partners, we’re excited about the number of sessions and conversations we have seen!” Kathleen said after her session.

“As technology rapidly advances, institutions must continually adopt the latest and most effective eRAs. Implementing a new eRA requires more than just system procurement and configuration. A change management program is essential to ensure that end-users are proficient and receptive to the new system, ultimately maximizing the university’s return on investment,” said Ivonne Kalinski, Senior Consultant.

AI technology is being used throughout research administration

The future is now, and AI is a huge part of it. NCURA sessions included conversations involving AI in research portfolio analysis, AI-accelerated research agreements, and utilizing AI to understand uniform guidance.

“As AI technology continues to evolve, research administrators continue to look for ways to incorporate its use in day-to-day operations. NCURA’s Discovery and Innovation Showcase highlighted the way that Emory, the University of Florida, the University of Michigan, and SUNY have utilized AI to improve their business processes and provide additional services to PIs,” said Kathleen.

We’re ushering in the next generation of Research Administrators

A common theme in the stories of research administrators is getting into the profession by accident. On the road to another profession, somehow, many find themselves on a different path. Now, they are paving the way for new research administrators, adding signs to point the way and even serving as the friendly voice of navigation. Kathleen Halley-Octa was part of the winning team of the Discovery & Innovation Showcase for the project Access to Careers in Research Administration Program (ACRA).

“At the end of the day, even with advances in AI, it’s important to think of innovative ways to recruit the next generation of research administrators. With such a large percentage of the field approaching retirement age, effectively recruiting, onboarding, and developing research administrators will continue to be a hot topic in years to come,” said Kathleen.

A Network of Support

NCURA’s Annual Meeting is always like coming home for research administrators. There, we find our old friends and provide one another with support and learning opportunities. New friendships and connections are forged, solidifying the bonds that make our profession a family. Team Attain is honored to be part of this family, and our experienced professionals are here to help.

“What an energizing experience,” said Jeff Derr, Principal Consultant. “Seeing 1,800 plus individuals come together to share knowledge, cheer each other on, and share fellowship was incredible. A big thank you to everyone who stopped by the booth and connected with us on how we can help your team and organization! Conference themes of hiring and management, compliance and research security, and self-assessment are all areas that Attain Partners is here for and can help clients with.”

Attain Partners – Research Administration Experts

Compliance is critical to your organization’s ability to make an impact. Our team provides world-class expertise in navigating the complex and dynamic regulatory environment, implementing industry best practices, and optimizing performance.

Learn more about our services here and explore blog posts from our research administration experts here.

Interested in speaking to one of our experts? Contact us today!

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Pre-Award Administration and The Attain Way

August 13, 2024/in About Attain Partners, Research Sarah Milligan/by Olivia Pycha

Creating exceptional value for our clients through value alignment

Pre-Award Administrators oversee the submission of quality, competitive proposals in coordination with investigators and staff. The Pre-Award phase varies from institution to institution, but always represents the beginning of the grant lifecycle. Pre-Award Administration typically begins with budget preparation and proposal submission and ends with award review, negotiation, and acceptance.

The seven core values of The Attain Way and many of the values of a Pre-Award Administrator are interwoven and displayed throughout the profession. Hear from Senior Consultant and Research Administrator, Sarah Milligan, MPA, CRA, as she walks through how Attain Partners’ service to clients fits into The Attain Way.

Invent the Future

We believe that hope is a critical ignition to creating a better world. Our clients are striving toward great things. We work with you to create a breakthrough vision of the future and execute with purpose and diligence to secure results.

Research administrators are deeply involved in research development by assisting Principal Investigators with the administrative burden that goes along with funding. It is our hope that by taking on this administrative burden and assisting investigators in developing competitive proposals, that they will achieve great things and create a better world through their research.

Be Bold

Our clients face tough challenges, but we believe that the glass is half full. We will confront the current reality, whatever it may be, but maintain an unwavering faith in achieving and delivering a purposeful end result.

Research administrators are often faced with challenges between tight deadlines, perplexing guidelines and requirements, and navigating the politics of an institution. At Attain Partners, we confront those challenges with skills, knowledge, and diplomacy. As research administrators, we know that a solution can be found, the proposal must be submitted, and that the research must go on.

Obsess Externally

Our entire focus is on serving our constituent public, including the society at large and the communities in which we live.

Research administrators are absolutely obsessed with serving society in our roles. We are in the perfect place to assist investigators with work that directly affects their institution, community, and society at large.

Be the Best

We strive to be the best in everything we do, while meeting deadline and budget commitments. We don’t just sell it—we live it.

Research administrators possess a wide array of skills, abilities, and broad knowledge to ensure compliance; meet deadlines; communicate in faculty, sponsor, and research administrator jargon; stay up to date on the constantly changing requirements and guidelines; and so much more. While it can be hard to Be the Best and be a generalist at once, Research administrators are constantly striving to meet that goal.

Team for Speed

True teamwork creates agility. We collaborate with our colleagues and clients, bringing passion, focus, and perseverance to our work.

Research administrators live in a world of “it depends,” and must often rely on colleagues from all over the world to help un-muddy the requirements. We must always persevere through the ever-changing landscape of research and research administration and serve our clients with a passion for our work and a focus on the end result.

Execute with Discipline

Great ideas are nothing without discipline and deliberate execution. With stunning intensity, we lead by example and create an empowering environment for great work.

Research administrators can be seen as gatekeepers in the field of research, but we are often holding those gates open for investigators. We have the ability to create an environment that allows investigators to do great work by deliberately working to maintain compliance with the necessary discipline and credibility to do so.

Have Absolute Integrity

Our word is our bond. We act with honesty, respect each other, and honor all commitments. No exceptions.

Research administrators are ethical. We are always working to build trust with investigators, departmental staff, and sponsoring agencies. Investigators and universities as a whole rely on research administrators to provide information that they can trust is accurate.

Attain Partners – Research Administration Experts

Learn more about our services here and explore blog posts from our research administration experts here.

About the Author

Sarah Milligan is a Senior Consultant at Attain Partners with over nine years of experience in Higher Education focusing on pre-award research administration. Prior to joining Attain Partners, Sarah was Senior College Grant Officer at the University of Kentucky, providing pre-award and non-financial post-award administration for several colleges. Sarah is a Certified Research Administrator and holds an MPA.

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Beth Warrick, Leader in the Workday Ecosystem, Joins Attain Partners

July 31, 2024/in Change Management, ERP, Higher Education, Team for Speed/by Olivia Pycha

From Workday Student to Organizational Change Management, Beth Warrick’s Expertise Transforms Clients

Attain Partners is thrilled to welcome Elizabeth (Beth) Warrick to Team Attain! A leader in the Workday ecosystem, Beth will serve higher education clients working to transform their student experiences and streamline internal operations.

Beth brings decades of experience driving digital transformation in higher education institutions—beginning with her time working at universities in different components of campus to her tenure in the Workday implementation space. She has a firsthand understanding of college and university operations and the formal organizational change management background to ensure our clients see the most return on their investments in Workday.

We sat down with Beth to learn about why she chose Attain Partners and hear about the expertise she brings to her role.

Attain Partners (AP): Can you please share a bit about your experience in the Workday ecosystem?

Beth Warrick (BW): I have six years of experience in the Workday ecosystem and hold certifications in Workday HCM, Workday Student Core, Workday Student Curriculum and Records, and Workday Student Recruiting and Admissions. Additionally, I have completed the Workday Configurable Security course. At my previous employer, I primarily worked on the Organization Change and Training Team, but for about 18 months, I served as a Functional Consultant for Workday Student implementations. During this time, I led the Student Recruiting and Admissions Workstream and mentored junior consultants, helping them build their knowledge of higher education and student recruiting and admissions.

AP: How have you seen Workday Student and Workday Human Capital Management/Financials (HCM/FIN) benefit higher education institutions?

BW: One of my new colleagues at Attain Partners referred to Workday as a game changer for higher education and I agree. Workday provides a modern, streamlined, cloud option for institutions who are ready and willing to transform their operations. Creating efficiency and thereby saving money which for higher education is critically important. In addition, Workday Student provides an interface that students are experiencing in other applications—creating a positive, less intimidating, and more personalized experience. More than Workday as a tool, the process of implementing Workday requires that institutions collaborate across the departments, breaking down silos that may exist. The process helps build empathy and understanding across the community that ultimately serves the institution in measurable and non-measurable ways.

Another outcome of the implementation process is the reimagining of existing processes. Many institutions maintain business processes or workflows that are no longer as efficient as they could be. Implementing Workday requires institutions to outline how data and processes will be entered and flow; while sometimes institutions can keep their existing processes intact, the opportunity is there to rethink, refine, and reduce what some see as the red tape present in many organizations.

AP: What brought you to Attain Partners?

BW: I sought a new employment opportunity that aligned with my values and passions, as I believe this alignment is essential for success given the significant amount of time we spend at work. Attain Partners’ seven core values, The Attain Way, resonate deeply with my own, and Attain Partners’ clients share my passion for making the world a better place. I was particularly excited to see that Attain Partners prioritizes education as a key industry to serve.

AP: What are the biggest ways you’ve seen organizational change management (OCM) transform institutions?

BW: Change can be challenging for any organization, but I have found that higher education institutions face unique cultural attributes that make change less frequent. With 30 years of experience in higher education, encompassing roles in student affairs, student recruiting and admissions, faculty affairs, HR, and institutional research, I have a deep understanding of these nuances. Organizational Change Management helps transform institutions by asking insightful questions that drive positive change. The most powerful questions include “Why?” and “How does [___] serve the future of the institution?” Once the college or university has determined that a change makes sense for them, OCM helps the variety of stakeholders within the institution align to the change and feel a part of making the institution better. We want change to be something in which everyone plays a part and finds benefit from.

Many higher education organizations may lack the capacity for transformational change simply because they don’t encounter it regularly. Building change knowledge and capacity within a college or university can be incredibly powerful. It reduces the fear of change, diminishes resistance, and creates a more positive view of change. This readiness paves the way for more effective responses to future political, social, and economic challenges.

AP: Which of our seven core values speak to you the most?

BW: It’s difficult to choose just one, so I need to combine two values to answer this question. Invent the Future is a powerful value that initially drew me to Attain Partners. It emphasizes creating a better world and highlights the incredible impact our clients have in improving the world. It also reflects our commitment to partnering with our clients to turn their visions into reality. The second value that resonates deeply with me is Have Absolute Integrity. To help clients invent the future for their organizations, we must be trusted and trustworthy. An effective and transformative partnership thrives on trust, and trust is built on integrity.

AP: What do you like most about the work you do?

BW: Honestly, it’s the challenges that I enjoy the most. I’m a problem solver and thrive on tackling puzzles and mysteries. My job involves understanding these challenges and finding solutions that not only address the immediate issue but also empower clients to handle future challenges. I also love the emphasis on individuals that my job requires. Organizational change relies on individuals willing to support and adopt new behaviors to sustain the change. Humans are complex, and there’s no single method to ensure change happens. I relish the constant challenge of learning about people, their motivations, fears, and goals, and using that understanding to drive meaningful change.

AP: What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

BW: I love seeing the “change lightbulb” go on for clients. It’s incredibly rewarding when a client starts to understand how change management works, embraces the change capacity they are building, and sees how it can continually benefit their organization. Consultants are often seen as outside experts who impose solutions, but I view my role differently. I see myself as an educator, confidence builder, and coach for the client. When I know I’ve helped someone become more skilled and effective at managing change within their organization, I feel truly successful.

Attain Partners – Digital Transformation Experts

No matter if your organization is beginning its digital transformation journey or 10+ years into driving sustained change, Attain Partners is here to help you achieve your goals.

Under the strategic leadership of Partner Reshma Patel-Jackson, our Attain Digital practice aligns our core digital and transformation services to enhance market focus and emphasize delivery excellence, addressing diverse client needs and providing enterprise-wide strategy and technology transformation expertise at scale.

Enterprise Business Solutions – Learn More

Learn more – Beth Warrick

Beth Warrick has over 30 years of experience in higher education in a variety of roles and several types of institutions. She possesses a doctorate in Higher Education Leadership from the University of Washington (Seattle). Beth is an experienced and skilled change management, organization development, process improvement, and training professional. Beth is powered by building relationships, envisioning, implementing, and improving innovative programs and processes. Beth has supported over 15 Workday ERP implementations in both change management and functional roles. Beth Warrick is a Certified Change Management Professional (CCMP), is Prosci certified, and has completed the Design Thinking Certification from IDEO U.