About Openfields
Story
Openfields was founded in 2014 with the vision of bringing the most creative, strategic tools for innovation from across sectors to bear on our the most pressing, complex social challenges. Our name, Openfields, comes from the insight that these challenges cannot addressed from a single field of work or discipline of learning, but demand leaders, organizations, and networks that are able to work within and beyond traditional boundaries. The fields of work are open and we need new ways to learn, think, and work together.
We've learned that to achieve different outcomes we have to embrace different ways of working. Like other consulting firms we bring proven processes and experienced experts to help clients solve complex problems and develop big ideas. Unlike other firms we operate primarily as a collaborative team, empowering your organization with a new level of learning, capacity, and creativity. We deliver immediate solutions, while helping your organization grow and adapt.
Openfields Mission
To help visionary leaders imagine and
accelerate a more creative and just future.
Our mission is inspired by a quote from James Boyd White's "Living Speech":
“If we cannot imagine the lives of others—the half of the world’s population who live on less than $2 a day, for example—we cannot be capable of justice towards them, for imagination is the root of justice. And if we cannot see others as they are, and understand our own role in systems of wealth and power, we certainly are incapable of love towards them too.”
Based on their talent, experience, and commitment, effective leaders generate deep knowledge about how systems work, but they also learn to be successful according to the rules of the system. As a result, leaders can have visionary ideas for rethinking the system, but the processes, community, and incentives around them don't reward the short-term actions needed to advance those ideas. Openfields is committed to helping leaders articulate their vision and then mapping and advancing creative paths and programs for change.
Openfields Values
People, not programs, change lives.
Bill Milliken, the founder of Communities in Schools, has been such an effective, inspiring leader because from the very beginning of his work he understood the power of genuine relationships to transcend every divide and overcome every doubt. The only "programs" or projects that will have lasting impact are the ones that cultivate meaningful relationships.
Pursue possibility.
We believe that more is possible than we can imagine, so we push ourselves to always learn, challenge assumptions, and generate new ideas to build confidence in the future we want to make reality.
Elevate the work.
We create work and experiences that remind every person how valuable their time, attention, and commitment is, even if the market doesn't. The details matter.
Generous hospitality.
We believe in abundance and creating time and space where people feel welcome and nourished. In these spaces we can ask better questions, share more honestly, and steadily face down hard realities with hope and purpose.
Openfields Team
Amy Jonason, PhD
Amy is a social scientist who helps organizations understand and address complicated social problems. Her skills include qualitative and quantitative research methods, data analysis, group facilitation, and project management. She earned her PhD in sociology from the University of Notre Dame.
Catie Buckingham
Catie is a licensed social worker committed to improving processes and systems with her team and clients. Catie holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Winthrop University, and an MPH from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. As a Bloomberg Fellow, Catie studies ways to understand the impacts of complex social environments on health and justice equity.
Grady Powell
Grady is a futures-oriented strategist, designer, experienced NPO executive, and entrepreneur. In addition to founding Openfields, he co-founded Capita, an ideas lab for ensuring a future in which all young children and families flourish.
Hilary Rikard
A consummate professional, Hilary bring two decades of experience training and coordinating staff and volunteers, developing programs, and fostering community relationships.
Jeff Bailey, PhD
Jeff is an experienced advisor to government officials, NGO leaders, think tanks and universities on best practices related to growth, program design, and strategic outcomes. He previously taught at Cambridge University, and was the Managing Director of the Centre for Social Justice in London. Jeff earned his Ph.D. at Cambridge and Masters at Duke University.
Katie Pittman, MBA
Katie is an experienced consultant, previously serving as Director of Recruitment at KIPP DC and at McKinsey & Company where her projects focused on public school effectiveness, government spending effectiveness, and philanthropic organization transformation. Katie earned her MBA at UVA's Darden School of Business.
Meghan Chaney, MSW
Meghan is a skillful facilitator, professional project manager, and collaborative leader with extensive experience working with communities, coalitions and networks seeking to create social and systems change. She earned her MSW at the University of Denver.
Molly Kaminski, MCRP
Drawing on her previous experience as an educator in Poland and community planner for the city of Charlotte, NC, Molly brings a human-centered approach to data strategy and visualization. Her technical skills include proficiency in RStudio, ArcGIS, and QGIS, and she earned her Master’s degree in city planning at Clemson University.
Sean Rusnak, MURP, MPH
Sean brings an interdisciplinary understanding of public health and urban planning to his work. He earned his MA in Urban and Regional Planning and MA of Public Health from the University of Colorado-Denver.
Tim Green, PhD
Tim is an experienced researcher and educator focused on designing research, data architectures, and tools that shed light on complex problems. He was previously an Assistant Professor at Clemson University where he taught courses in urban and regional economics, impact modeling, GIS, and research design. He holds a Master’s and a PhD in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Illinois.
Haley Robison Dake, MBA, MEd
Haley in an experienced designer, facilitator, and leadership coach. Haley most recently served as CEO of Kammock, an outdoor gear company based in Austin Texas. She previously worked at IDEO and Bain Consulting. She earned her degrees at Stanford University.
Jared Simmons
Jared is the founder and CEO of OUTLAST Consulting LLC, an Atlanta-based consultancy that helps companies bring an innovation mindset to tough business problems. Prior, Jared worked at Coca-Cola, McKinsey and Procter & Gamble.
Joe Waters
Joe is the co-founder and CEO of Capita. His commentary on issues facing America’s families has been published by the Chronicle of Philanthropy, SSIR, Investor’s Business Daily, The Charlotte Observer, and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Kyle Coolbroth
Kyle is a serial entrepreneur with more than 30 years of executive experience in startups, consulting, high-growth companies and enterprises across several industries. He is Founder & Chairman of FUELED COLLECTIVE where he is a pioneer and thought leader in the coworking industry.
Nate Wong
Nate serves as a Partner at The Bridgespan Group, a social impact consultancy helping donors, non-profits, and impact investors catalyze transformative change. He is also an Adjunct Professor and Lecturer at Georgetown University, where he pioneered an open-sourced course called Building a Social Impact Consciousness. Prior he served as the Chief Strategy and Social Innovation Officer of the Beeck Center.