Hi, We are Ivy and Itang
Mission-driven strategy and organizational development consultants who help organizations get clear, aligned, and ready to act.
Our Work
… turns abstract goals into executable priorities. It sits at the intersection of governance and leadership, organizational vision and values, community impact, and institutional narrative and positioning.
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I partner with organizations to develop clear, actionable strategic plans that align mission, priorities, and resources. This process brings structure to complex decisions and results in a practical roadmap that guides leadership, staff, and board action.
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My clients use my facilitated visioning sessions to help them clarify who they are, where they are going, and what matters most. These customized sessions establish shared language around vision and values, creating alignment and momentum across leadership and stakeholders.
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I design and facilitate board and staff retreats that strengthen governance, clarify roles, and focus boards on their most strategic responsibilities. Retreats are tailored to each organization’s needs—whether resetting direction, navigating change, or deepening board engagement.
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Institutional alignment work ensures that mission, strategy, operations, and communications are working together. This service helps organizations identify disconnects, strengthen internal coherence, and create clarity across teams and leadership.
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I facilitate leadership teams through complex conversations, decision-making, and periods of transition. This work supports productive dialogue, builds trust, and helps leaders move from discussion to aligned action.
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Long-range growth planning supports organizations in thinking beyond the immediate horizon. Together, we assess opportunities, risks, and capacity to create multi-year strategies that strengthen sustainability and expand impact.
Engagements are customized based on organizational size, stage, and goals. Services may be delivered as standalone engagements or combined into a comprehensive strategy process.
How We Work
Discovery & Stakeholder Input
We begin by listening—gathering insights from leadership, board members, staff, and key stakeholders to understand context, challenges, and opportunities.
Facilitation (Sessions & Retreats)
Through thoughtfully designed sessions and retreats, we guide productive conversations that surface alignment, resolve complexity, and move groups toward shared decisions.
Synthesis & Recommendations
We distill what we hear and observe into clear insights, highlighting patterns, priorities, and strategic opportunities that inform confident decision-making.
Roadmap & Next Steps
Each engagement concludes with a practical roadmap outlining immediate actions and longer-term goals across 90-day, 1-year, and 3-year horizons.
Select Clients
More about us…
Ivy Newman
Ivy Newman is a mission-driven strategy and organizational development consultant who partners with nonprofit, public-sector, and civic institutions to clarify vision, strengthen governance, and align leadership around long-term goals. She is widely trusted for facilitating strategic planning processes, board retreats, and visioning sessions that help organizations move from complexity to clarity—and from intention to action.
With more than 20 years of experience advising mission-based organizations across New York City, Ivy brings deep expertise in community engagement, institutional decision-making, and organizational alignment. Her work spans critical issue areas including education, public health, housing, childcare, economic mobility, small business development, volunteerism, voting access, and racial equity. Across these domains, she helps leaders ask the right questions, build shared understanding, and establish strategic priorities that are both values-driven and operationally sound.
Ivy is also the founder of Viney Group, a creative agency that executes branding, communications, and storytelling initiatives for mission-driven organizations. In her consulting practice, Ivy operates upstream from creative execution—serving as a trusted thought partner to executive teams and boards before implementation begins. Her background in research, marketing, and narrative strategy allows her to bridge vision, governance, and institutional identity with uncommon fluency.
Earlier in her career, Ivy spent a decade working in arts and educational marketing, where she developed a strong foundation in institutional branding and audience engagement. She holds a Master of Arts in Arts and Cultural Administration from Teachers College at Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts from Oberlin College. She is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Biblical Studies at North Central University.
Beyond her professional work, Ivy is deeply committed to community service and civic leadership. She served on the boards of West Side Campaign Against Hunger and The Fund for Public Housing (NYC). She is a frequent panelist and guest lecturer on leadership and career development and was recognized with the 2011 Nia Award for Emerging Leaders from Teachers College, Columbia University.
Itang Young
Itang is a global public servant and equity-driven leader whose work centers on gender advocacy, social justice, and inclusive economic development. Trained as an engineer, she brings a distinctive combination of technical expertise, strategic leadership, and change management experience to her work across social enterprises, nonprofit organizations, and international institutions.
Most notably, Itang served as Executive Director of The Abyssinian Fund, Inc., where she led initiatives focused on poverty reduction in Ethiopian coffee-farming communities and expanded educational opportunities for girls in Kenya. Her leadership translated mission-driven vision into measurable outcomes, strengthening community-led development and long-term sustainability.
Previously, Itang was a fellow with UN Women in the Strategic Partnerships Division, where she developed Salesforce CRM change management processes that improved operational efficiency and strengthened partnership engagement. She has also served in faith-based leadership as Associate Pastor at Abyssinian Baptist Church in New York City.
Itang’s academic training reflects a rare integration of technical, organizational, and theological disciplines. She earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Organizational Leadership, Administration, and Supervision from Fordham University. She holds a Master of Divinity in Pastoral Care and Theology from Union Theological Seminary and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering and Industrial Management from Texas A&M University.
Currently based in Nairobi, Kenya, Itang continues her work at the intersection of gender equity, leadership development, and global social impact, bringing a deeply rooted commitment to justice, innovation, and community empowerment.
Beyond her professional work, Itang is deeply committed to community service and civic leadership. She serves on the boards…
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