Marci/Meetinghouse Solutions provided critical
guidance in our strategic planning efforts and in the development of
our Board of Trustees during the school’s evolution from a charter
proposal to a thriving middle school with the highest state exam scores
of any urban middle school in Massachusetts. Marci helped trustees
understand their role in ensuring the school’s fulfillment of our
charter, contributing funds and cultivating a community of financial
supporters, and supporting and supervising the school leaders. We
credit Marci for helping us develop a professional and thoughtful Board
culture with a deep commitment to preserving the boundary between
governance and management.
Evan Rudall, Founder
Roxbury Preparatory Charter School
As the founder of a charter school, I found
Marci was there with me every step of the way. Her knowledge of
charter school boards and governance issues enabled us to build a
strong, effective, well-informed, tightly-knit board. We share a
common vision for our school and for how we should govern as a
board. To a large extent, that success is a product of Marci’s
extensive knowledge, skillful facilitation, and powerful coaching.
I have a board that my authorizer and other
charter school leaders look at and say, “Wow. How did you get
them so involved, so knowledgeable, and so clear on what good
governance is?”
Most of what I have accomplished comes from
following Marci’s wise counsel.
Max Koltuv, Lead Founder
Leadership Prep Charter School, NY, NY
As the Board Chair of a start-up school who
was experiencing many new things at once, I turn often to Marci for
examples of best practices, training for me and the rest of the Board
on important governance functions, and an experienced and wise sounding
board when I face particularly challenging issues. She adds tremendous
value and has played a critical role in our growth.
Owen Stearns,
Board Chair
Excel Academy Charter School of East Boston
KIPP Ascend Charter School is in its second
year. Since only one member of our eleven person board had board
experience, we had much to learn about charter school governance.
Soon after we decided for Marci to train our board she began helping us
prepare for a board retreat. Her guidance before, during, and
after the retreat was invaluable. Her years of studying the inner
workings of charter school boards provide her with an incredible
perspective. She did an exceptional job of sharing best practice
during our retreat. Our board and consequently our school have
improved thanks to her.
Jim O'Connor, Principal
KIPP Ascend Charter School
Marci Cornell-Feist worked with our charter
school's Founding Board and helped us to set a clear structure for
board and committee meetings. More importantly, she helped this
new group articulate and prioritize concerns and critical tasks.
Our first retreat with Marci catapulted us into effective action.
We are going back to her this year as the Board of Trustees heads into
a new phase that includes greater focus on development and
fund-raising. Marci is a skilled facilitator. She plans
collaboratively. She gives clear direction and is able to push
the group to attempt new and necessary challenges.
Paula Evans, Head of School
Community Charter School of Cambridge
Meetinghouse Solutions provided facilitation
and strategic guidance at a critical time in D.C. Preparatory Academy's
development. From the earliest planning stages to compiling and
analyzing feedback from all stakeholders, Marci Cornell-Feist was
integral to our retreat and in following up on its outcomes. By
leading sessions of both faculty members and the Board of Directors,
she helped our staff and leadership to gain a common understanding of
the current state and future direction of our school. Marci's clear
thinking, strategic perspective, deep knowledge, excellent
interpersonal skills and passion for her work combined to make her an
extremely effective facilitator and partner. We highly recommend her
for any school community.
Valerie Rockefeller Wayne, Board Member
DC Preparatory Academy Charter School
Meetinghouse Solutions has been a true partner
in the development of our charter school. Members of our Board of
Trustees had experience in various other non-profit organizations, but
never with an organization as complex as a charter public school.
Through group and one-on-one coaching, Marci Cornell-Feist helped us to
develop a governing body that truly understood their role and
responsibilities. She created innovative ways to improve
communication between the Board and the management team to ensure
smooth growth as an organization.
Julia Bowen, Executive Director
Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter School
Meetinghouse Solutions has played an
invaluable role in shaping the Boston Preparatory Charter School
Founding Group into a high-functioning Board of Trustees and management
team. Our Board is intensely, meaningfully involved in the work
of the school. As Head of School, I know that I will be
thoughtfully held accountable without the fear of being
micromanaged. In an era when so many organizations fail due to
mismanagement or bad governance, Marci’s experience, insight, and
superb interpersonal skills set us on a path of long-term
organizational health.
Scott McCue, Head of School
Boston Preparatory Charter School
Marci instructs and counsels in a
non-threatening, highly engaging way, making her a natural
teacher. I've worked with her in peer settings and those in which
her audience comprised trustees and major donors, among receptive
colleagues and with audiences that did not unanimously welcome her
message. In situations that would rattle anyone, Marci always
keeps on point and negotiates conflict incredibly well. I
recommend Meetinghouse Solutions without reservation!
Shireen Rustom, former Development Director
Academy of the Pacific Rim Charter School
Don’t assemble or work with a board without
first getting a heavy dose of Marci Cornell-Feist and the Meetinghouse
Solutions exemplary nonprofit board life lessons! Marci is a
master at presenting the dos and don’ts of highly successful boards
with crystal clarity. Building Excellent Schools, a national
charter school leadership training program, has depended on Marci to
lead our Fellows through the sometimes haze and maze of solid,
compliant, creative and exemplary board and governance practice.
Thorough, detailed, and cohesive are trademarks of Marci’s broad board
reach.
Linda Brown, Executive Director
Building Excellent Schools
On behalf of 34 Building Excellent Schools Fellows!
When I learned that my school had received a
grant to strengthen our Board, there was no question who I would turn
to for help. Marci has the experience, knowledge and nuanced
understanding of what it takes to build a high-functioning Board. We
are a stronger institution today as a result of the advice and counsel
that she has given us.
Michael Thomas Duffy, Executive Director
City on a Hill Charter Public School
Marci helped our Board develop successful long
and short term strategic plans both for the school and ourselves.
She was especially helpful guiding us through workshops on board
development and getting through the "founders' syndrome" period.
She doesn't take over, but rather listens and draws out the best from
the participants--and all with a genuine sense of humor. She's
great!
Charlie Toomajian
First Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter Public School
Adams, Massachusetts
From its inception, our organization realized
that a strong Board of Trustees was critical to our success.
However, we were not completely clear on what a strong Board looked
like and how to create one. As a result, we decided to work with
Meetinghouse Solutions and have been doing so since our founding.
Marci’s advice and direction has been critical to our organizational
success and has resulted in us developing a strong Board that has a
clear understanding of its roles and responsibilities.
Yutaka Tamura, Executive Director
Excel Academy Charter School
I always come away from Marci's sessions
wishing that all of our board members had attended. I can't tell you
how much I have appreciated her insights and materials. With Marci,
nothing is fuzzy.
Diana Lewis, Board Member
New Orleans Math and Science High School
In a word, I think Marci is absolutely terrific. She was wonderful for
our organization, and I would most highly recommend her. Marci added a
great deal of value up front (benchmarking, process suggestions, actual
preparation tools, etc.), and was a terrific facilitator during the
day—always leading us to where we needed to go, ensuring everybody
participated, playing devil’s advocate where needed, etc. We
really got a lot out of the day, and Marci was a key driver of our
success.
Doug
Porter, Chief Executive Officer
Ronald McDonald
House
Board Chair,
Namaste Charter School