Laura Stokes-Gray
Principal | Stokes-Gray Consulting
Wheaton, IL, UNITED STATES
Nonprofit Management in the 21st Century
Biography
Stokes-Gray Consulting specializes in strategic initiatives for the nonprofit sector including: capacity building; operational restructuring; strategic planning; interim executive director leadership and transition support; crisis management; institutional advancement; marketing communications and public relations; media strategies; public education; community outreach; board governance, development and training; grant research and writing; institutional image and branding; special events; speechwriting and public speaking.
As an independent consultant with Executive Service Corps of Chicago’s Interim Executive Director Program, Laura Stokes-Gray has served as interim CEO for an international nonprofit as well as a Chicago-based legal advocacy organization. She enjoys taking on particularly challenging engagements involving crisis intervention and management, difficult board and staff situations, deficit reduction, full-scale IT conversions, and/or organizational turnarounds.
As a professional writer and editor, Stokes-Gray's capabilities extend to annual reports, position papers, policy statements, case statements, white papers, LOI's, grants, logic models, speeches, newsletters, strategic plans, business plans, marketing brochures and collateral materials, copywriting, proposals, RFPs, policy manuals, technical writing, training materials, website/social media content, articles, feature stories, and press releases. She is especially adept at sifting through complex concepts and translating them into clear and impactful messages.
Prior to joining the nonprofit sector in 1996, Stokes-Gray spent more than 20 years as an executive in the banking and financial services industry. Her extensive experience included: retail banking, investments, consumer lending, private banking, commercial services, cash management, compliance, product development, marketing, advertising, public relations, community relations, media relations, quality service training, and senior officer training.
Industry Expertise (3)
Management Consulting
Philanthropy
Non-Profit/Charitable
Education (2)
Barat College of DePaul University: B.A., Political Science
University of Chicago: Non Degree Program, Marketing/Business
Affiliations (2)
- Stokes-Gray Consulting
- Executive Service Corps of Chicago
Links (1)
Sample Talks (1)
ESC - Champions for Nonprofits
Executive Service Corps of Chicago is a nonprofit that helps other nonprofits. It is the largest provider of capacity-building programs and services for nonprofits and public agencies in the Chicago metropolitan area and beyond. ESC delivers viable and affordable solutions for more than 150 nonprofits and public agencies each year.
Style
Availability
- Keynote
- Moderator
- Panelist
- Host/MC
- Corporate Training
Social