Kristin Patton
Kristin Patton brings over twenty-five years’ experience helping leaders and stakeholders of arts organizations, nonprofits, philanthropies and corporations come to shared understanding around core purpose, then align and lead operations, programs, and planning from that powerful center. Specialties include organization and board development; governance; strategic planning; leadership transitions; project development and management; assessment/evaluation; and meeting, workshop, and retreat facilitation. Kristin’s passion is at the intersection of art making, community building, and supportive, inclusive and equitable policies and practices.
As Founder and Lead Facilitator of Ensemble Consulting, Kristin works independently and in collaboration with other consultants. She has extensive experience with arts organizations, funders, advocacy groups and service providers. For over a decade she served as Arts Program Consultant and Board Secretary at Woods Fund Chicago and has served as a grant reviewer and consultant for the Arts Work Fund for Organizational Development. She has presented and consulted with the Arts & Business Council of Chicago, Axelson Center for Nonprofit Management at North Park University, the Illinois Arts Alliance, Chicago Center for Arts Policy, and the School of the Art Institute. As Vice President and Corporate Secretary of private investment firm, Sahara Enterprises, Inc., Kristin provided leadership in corporate governance, communications, client relations, strategic planning, operations management and managed Sahara’s corporate giving program.
Kristin holds an MBA with high honors from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a BA in Foreign Languages from Lewis & Clark College. She is certified in Group Process Facilitation through DePaul University and Dynamic Work Design through ShiftGear Work Design. She is a member of the Association of Consultants to Non-Profits and the Association of Nonprofit Specialists. Kristin began her career as a professional theater and opera stage manager. Additional information can be found at ensembleconsulting.org.
