White woman with white hair, smiling, seated.

Hi, I’m Mary Alice! (she/her)

For over twenty years, I’ve been engaged in building powerful, organized, resilient communities.

It is an honor to serve as a supporter, cheerleader, partner, and guide to organizers on the front lines of changemaking in their communities, including climate, media and technology, community art, racial justice, and more.

Professional Experience
Training and Teachers
What Shapes Me
How to Connect

Professional Experience

I’ve had a significant leadership role in accomplishing the following, together with incredible teams:

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Organizational Strategy & Planning

I spearheaded the combination of distributed, place-based, digital and chapter organizing strategies into one organizing model while serving as Distributed Organizing Director at the Sierra Club.

As Board President at Northampton Open Media, I facilitated leadership retreats and meetings that moved us toward renaming the organization, developing new revenue streams and guiding programming.

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Network & Coalition Development

I co-created and led a network of nearly half a million volunteers in support of protecting Net Neutrality regulations.

Similarly, I co-led a winning national coalition of 30 advocacy groups to stop Comcast’s takeover of Time Warner Cable. Both coalition efforts were part of my national Field Director responsibilities at Free Press.

A group of nine people, some wearing masks, standing and laughing together indoors in front of a wall with environmental campaign posters.

Coach, Manage, & Develop Leaders

I co-led and co-supervised a diverse national department of 100 organizers and managers, set strategy, developed programs and ran equitable hiring processes.

In particular, I oversaw a robust field program with colleagues that played a crucial role in advancing the Inflation Reduction Act and invited hundreds of volunteers into a political home within the Sierra Club.

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Operationalizing Equity

I planned logistics and more for virtual and in-person training focused on equity in my role as Practice Manager at Embodying Racial Justice. The flagship course is a year-long white racial justice leadership course, Opening to Freedom, where I built teams to support participants throughout the year.

At the Sierra Club, I co-led a white manager steering committee to engage teammates with shared dominant identities toward deeper equity analysis and practice.

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Collaborative, Cross-Departmental Team Development

I coached and led the leadership team that planned educational sessions, plenary and keynote talks, a film festival, a comedy show, art exhibits and theater performances for two National Conferences for Media Reform. We hosted 3,000 attendees and 350 presenters.

In addition, I led organizing teams focused on corporate, issue and electoral strategies at Free Press and the Sierra Club.

A group of people participating in a protest outdoors, holding signs advocating for internet freedom and protesting internet censorship. A woman is standing with her hands raised in front of the crowd.

Winning Campaigns

I advised and mentored the campaign team that passed legislation in the New Jersey statehouse to establish The Civic Information Consortium. The Consortium created a model nonprofit that channels $4 million annually to projects focused on diversifying journalism, improving government transparency, providing community-health news, and better serving communities of color and immigrant communities.

“What struck me most about working with Mary Alice is her dedication to raising up volunteers, organizers, and teams. She always meets people where they are in their
professional journey and helps them find answers to the challenges they are facing. With teams, she works hard to get clarity around values, purpose, goals, and the roles each individual plays in the success of the team.”

–Bob Bingaman, Former Sierra Club National Organizing Director

Training and Teachers

One of my core values is learning. I’ve completed dozens of trainings in racial justice, somatics, embodiment, leadership development, management, and campaign organizing.

I’m grateful to the teachers, trainers, coaches and organizers who invest in me, which makes it more possible for me to show up for you.

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Presentations, Interviews & Writing

Occasionally, I present at conferences, join podcasts and webinars or write about changemaking.

Selected List

What Shapes Me

I am a systems wizard who likes to keep the big picture in mind, and I have a gift for tracking all the details with precision.

I live in the Connecticut River Valley watershed on Nipmuc land where I tend a small garden, a dog and a flock of chickens with my partner.

I currently sing for joy in a chorus, where I can blend my beginner, untrained voice with the seasoned experts.

I was a swim coach and instructor for 10 years, and I’ve spent another 10 years organizing and playing on adult softball and volleyball teams. Two elements from my sports coaching philosophy show up in my coaching for changemakers: focus on skill development and encourage joy and fun so folks want to come back tomorrow.

I help changemakers in the following ways:

1:1 Coaching

One-on-one support will help you build new skills, tools and practices you can rely on to support your social movement work, now and long into the future.

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Small Group Coaching

Build trusted peers in movement work, develop skills to help you adapt to today’s changing conditions, and receive support to feel more confident in your role.

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Team Coaching

Navigate uncertainty, move toward your purpose, develop effective systems and resolve the conflicts that inevitably arise.

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Consulting

Consulting will bolster your capacity when you can’t take on one more thing and add outside expertise to your projects.

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