Testimonials
“Working with Lisa Watson has been a true gift to me and the Adaptive Sports Center. Our work with her first started with her advice on how to prepare the organization for a nine-month sabbatical of our Executive Director position. That work went so well that it has since blossomed into consulting work on everything from board/staff relations to organizational strategy to staff conflict resolution. Lisa has an incredible way of listening deeply, connecting with the people involved, understanding the issue at hand, and then helping address what we are facing in a way that is positive, authentic, and aligned with our mission. Her guidance has brought clarity and confidence when going into difficult situations. I am very grateful for her advice, candor and support, and would enthusiastically recommend her to anyone seeking thoughtful, mission-driven consulting.”
Christopher Hensley, adaptive sports center
“Working with Molly and the WCG team is always a refreshing and impactful experience. What stands out is the quality of work and the depth of research - essential for building an evidence-based strategy you can actually implement with confidence. When The Volunteer Center engaged Molly and WCG to help us sharpen our fundraising strategy at a critical moment of growth and evolution, Molly delivered a comprehensive and digestible roadmap grounded in who we are, what we value, and where we need to grow. The plan didn’t just sit on a shelf - it gave our team and board shared clarity and language to move forward. In a space where trust really matters, Molly and WCG earned ours completely.”
Dr. Josh Gezahegn, The volunteer center
“I was introduced to Lisa Watson and her team through the Durfee Foundation. Lisa served as El Nido Family Centers’ sabbatical consultant, providing excellent guidance and support to me and our leadership team during my sabbatical. Now, as I approach retirement, I immediately thought of Lisa to help guide El Nido’s succession planning process. Lisa has extensive knowledge in non-profit management, leadership development, organizational planning, collective impact facilitation, and transition and succession planning. Having served as an executive director of an LA-based non-profit for many years, Lisa deeply understands the complexities of non-profit management: the internal and external opportunities that can enhance our impact and viability, and the challenges we face. Her knowledge and experience, coupled with her warm, collaborative, and caring style, have served El Nido exceptionally well.
I highly recommend Lisa and her team.”
Liz herrera, el nido family centers
“Working with Watson Consulting Group has been a game-changer for SHD. We embarked on this journey in collaboration with One Roof, and it has been nothing short of transformational. They have demonstrated a level of commitment and excellence that truly stands out.
Their support in bringing in philanthropic funding to the DCFS Supportive Housing Division has been remarkable. With their guidance, we've secured crucial resources that have allowed us to expand our services. It's not just about the funds; it's about the positive impact those funds have had on the lives of those we serve. Our participation with One Roof has led to the creation of data sets that have been instrumental in assisting us in tracking our various programs within the division. One of the areas where they have truly shined is in assisting with contracts. Their meticulous attention to detail and understanding of the complex landscape has assisted in streamlining our processes and enhanced our efficiency. This has allowed us to focus more on our mission. And the impact of their work on team bonding cannot be understated. They've helped our team grow stronger, fostering an environment of collaboration and shared purpose. This cohesion has been instrumental in our ability to serve our families and Transition Age Youth better.
Perhaps one of the most significant achievements in our partnership has been the creation of a strategic framework and a strategic plan. These documents lay the foundation for the future of SHD. They provide a roadmap that will guide us as we continue our mission to provide support, stability, and hope to Child welfare families and Transition Age Youth.
I am particularly impressed by the personal touch they bring to their work. It's evident that they genuinely care about the success of our division, one of the first in the nation, and their dedication goes beyond mere consulting. It's a true partnership!”
Gail Winston, Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services
“I know I speak not just for our Foundation, but also for the community of nonprofits and stakeholders engaged in this work when I say this: Watson Consulting Group has been indispensable to some of the most inspiring, hopeful, yet challenging collaborations we have ever been proximate to. Unfortunately, I have had countless experiences in my vocation dealing with intractable challenges and injustices that seem to stay intractable and stay unjust despite well-intentioned efforts. With Watson Consulting in the facilitation and execution of a collaborative strategy, we can be exponentially more hopeful that the unacceptable status quo will be treated as unacceptable in the conversation and that the real victims of circumstance and the current realities will be placed front and center in the conversation until real change comes. Put simply, Watson Consulting is a change facilitator with a rare combination: unimpeachable character, unparalleled expertise in the subject matter of their contract, a capacity to keep the conversation where it needs to be to keep moving forward toward the elusive outcomes we all lose sleep over.”
Joe Womac, Specialty Family Foundation
“Since 2015, Lisa Watson has provided experienced counsel to the CEO’s and staff teams of LA-based nonprofit awardees of the Durfee Foundation Sabbatical program. Nonprofit leaders trust Lisa because of her own track record as an innovative and highly successful CEO. They prize her skilled guidance on strategic planning and organizational management, as well as emotional intelligence in building confidence, clarity of purpose and collaboration. Lisa is as comfortable in the board room as she is in the back office, and is trusted equally by senior leadership and less experienced staff. She makes organizations stronger by anticipating challenges, and supporting teams through effective delegation of responsibilities. I can’t recommend Lisa more highly. She’s a guru of organizational resilience.”
Claire Peeps, Durfee Foundation
“Watson Consulting Group has been a game changer in our systems work bringing a Housing First mindset to the Department of Children and Family Services. They have brought not just high level strategic thinking to the work, they have rolled up their sleeves and gotten into the weeds of this bureaucracy to actually make the change happen. They see around corners of the political process, knowing who to talk to when, they understand the various systems at play and what it is going to take to move them. And, most importantly, they understand the people they are working with, building trust, gaining confidence, and changing minds. Because of their work, DCFS is setting up what we believe to be a first in the nation housing division within a child welfare department. This is what I mean by game changer; it would not have happened without them. Literally thousands of kids and families will be together and in stable housing because of the work of Watson Consulting.”
Kate Anderson, Center for Strategic Partnerships
“The Nonprofit Sustainability Initiative (NSI) engaged Watson Consulting Group (WCG) in early 2020 to aid in the planning phase of a pilot grantmaking program to support executive transition activities. The scope of work included engaging nonprofit leaders through individual interviews and facilitating focus groups to identify key challenges and best practices in executive transition. After analysis of these learnings and a scan of sector transition resources, WCG presented pilot design recommendations to the NSI funders which enabled the Initiative to secure final funding and launch in early 2021. Watson was well suited to advise NSI at this pivotal moment for the Initiative given her credibility among both the funders and nonprofit leaders, experience as a skilled facilitator and executive coach, and having navigated an executive transition of her own. The WCG team was a pleasure to work with and a valued partner for the NSI!”
Carrie Harlow, Nonprofit Sustainability Initiative
“Watson Consulting Group was the perfect partner to help us through a leadership transition and Board Strategic Planning processes. With great expertise and empathy, the work we did together was very hands-on and custom to our unique organization—the perfect combination to help us continue the work that Lisa and her team helped us start.”
Elizabeth Cline, The Industry
“HOLA has benefitted from several engagements with Watson Consulting Group which have focused on professional development, strategic planning, capital fundraising, and equity statement and approach development. We return to this firm again and again because of their focus on high-utility tools and meaningful team experiences that never fail to raise the level of performance. Their support for the development of our equity statement and approach to integrating the practice of equity was particularly meaningful because they had to get our internal team "unstuck" after some very difficult conversations. Within a relatively small scope of work, they managed to facilitate healing, training, and forward motion, while also planting the seeds for positive cultural shifts. Lisa's intuition as a coach and her knowledge of organizational dynamics is unparalleled, and she's built a firm that brings a powerfully diverse set of experiences and top-notch technical skills. We're looking forward to our next experience with this group.”
Brooke Lykins, Heart of Los Angeles
“Lisa and her team are expert and accomplished individuals that excel in non-profit organizational operations and ensure success for all collaborations. Since 2020, the team has guided DWC through executive leadership development and transitions, creating a three-year Strategic Plan (that was inclusive of staff, board members, women with lived experience, and community stakeholders), as well as provided crucial insight and counsel for our upcoming low-income housing development projects. Watson Consulting Group’s overall guidance and support has been a critical part to our success in ensuring more women in Los Angeles have a place to call home.”
