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Apex Strategies
Ellen
Brilliant
President
415 Grape St
Denver, CO 80220
Denver, CO 80220
303.601.8308
ellen@apex-strategies.com
www.apex-strategies.com
www.apex-strategies.com
Spanish: No
American Sign Language: No
American Sign Language: No
Types of Technical Assistance (TA) Services Offered
10+ years of experience
10+ years of experience
10+ years of experience
10+ years of experience
10+ years of experience
Experience with Specific Organizations
10+ years of experience
10+ years of experience
10+ years of experience
10+ years of experience
10+ years of experience
Experience with Specific Populations
10+ years of experience
10+ years of experience
10+ years of experience
10+ years of experience
10+ years of experience
Overview
Clients, 2006-2012
FACILITATION AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
• AARP Colorado
• Arc of Colorado
• Arvada Child Advocacy Center
• Autism Commission
• C-3 Roundtable (Gill Foundation)
• CAC Alliance
• Colorado Children’s Immunization Coalition
• Colorado Medical Home Coalition - Dept of Public Health and Environment
• Colorado Nonprofit Association
• Colorado Help Me Grow Initiative
• Colorado Juvenile Defender Coalition
• Denver Public Schools, George Washington High School
• Developmental Disability Collaboration
• Equipoise Foundation
• JFK Partners
• Medical Home Leadership Initiative – Dept of Health Care Policy and Financing
• Partnership for a Healthy Colorado (P4HC)
• SungateKids
• Wellstone Action
• White House Project
COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA RELATIONS
• All Kids Covered
• Colorado Children’s Campaign
• Colorado Conservation Voters
• Colorado Nonprofit Association
• Episcopal Diocese of Colorado
• Goodworks Group
• Hope Online Learning Academy
• Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System at the University of Denver (KnowYourJudge.com)
• Medical Home Leadership Initiative – Dept of Health Care Policy and Financing
• Prairie Dog Coalition
• Progressive Majority
• Rocky Mountain Mutual Housing Association
• The Fuel Team
• Women’s Lobby of Colorado
POLITICAL STRATEGY AND LOBBYING
• Aponte and Busam
American Academy of Pediatrics, Autism Society, Colorado Children’s Immunization Coalition, Donor Awareness Council, March of Dimes
• Arc of Colorado (Yes on 50)
• COLOR
• Colorado Association of Psychotherapists
• Colorado Bar Association (Vote No 40)
• Colorado Ceasefire
• Exempla Saint Joseph Hospital
• Family Voices Colorado
• I Love U Guys Foundation
• Protect Families Protect Choice
• Rx Plus
FACILITATION AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
• AARP Colorado
• Arc of Colorado
• Arvada Child Advocacy Center
• Autism Commission
• C-3 Roundtable (Gill Foundation)
• CAC Alliance
• Colorado Children’s Immunization Coalition
• Colorado Medical Home Coalition - Dept of Public Health and Environment
• Colorado Nonprofit Association
• Colorado Help Me Grow Initiative
• Colorado Juvenile Defender Coalition
• Denver Public Schools, George Washington High School
• Developmental Disability Collaboration
• Equipoise Foundation
• JFK Partners
• Medical Home Leadership Initiative – Dept of Health Care Policy and Financing
• Partnership for a Healthy Colorado (P4HC)
• SungateKids
• Wellstone Action
• White House Project
COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA RELATIONS
• All Kids Covered
• Colorado Children’s Campaign
• Colorado Conservation Voters
• Colorado Nonprofit Association
• Episcopal Diocese of Colorado
• Goodworks Group
• Hope Online Learning Academy
• Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System at the University of Denver (KnowYourJudge.com)
• Medical Home Leadership Initiative – Dept of Health Care Policy and Financing
• Prairie Dog Coalition
• Progressive Majority
• Rocky Mountain Mutual Housing Association
• The Fuel Team
• Women’s Lobby of Colorado
POLITICAL STRATEGY AND LOBBYING
• Aponte and Busam
American Academy of Pediatrics, Autism Society, Colorado Children’s Immunization Coalition, Donor Awareness Council, March of Dimes
• Arc of Colorado (Yes on 50)
• COLOR
• Colorado Association of Psychotherapists
• Colorado Bar Association (Vote No 40)
• Colorado Ceasefire
• Exempla Saint Joseph Hospital
• Family Voices Colorado
• I Love U Guys Foundation
• Protect Families Protect Choice
• Rx Plus
Sample client briefs on political, communications, and facilitation projects.
Facilitation: C3 Roundtable
Two coalitions -- whose overall goals were the same -- had dramatically different approaches. Over the course of eight-weeks, strategically driven meetings were held. The process required complete and honest participation, as well as a flexibility to approach work from a collective point of view. The charge of this “transition team” was to bring back recommendations to the two larger groups, including a new coalition name, governance structure, vision, mission, goals. The group met weekly, with small working sessions in between. In the end, the transition team presented a unified front, demonstrating how the two groups could effectively merge – which they did.
Political Strategy: Vote No 40
From a campaign manager’s perspective, it was critical to bring together divergent approaches in order to make the defeat of Amendment 40 (term limits for judges) possible. The first challenge was to get a core group of lawyers to agree to “sing from the same songbook” through weekly meetings. From there, through outreach and media events, that group was able to lead advocates, farmers, business members, labor representatives and others in a unified effort. As a result of coming together, the statewide ballot measure which started with nearly 70% voter approval was defeated with nearly 60% of the vote.
Strategic Communications: SungateKids
Getting board members and staff on the same page is often difficult. Getting them to agree on the basic messages of the organization is an even a bigger challenge. Through a one-day facilitation, board members and staff of SungateKids worked together through discussion and various exercises to create an agreed-upon communications strategy, complete with key messages. From that point, all representatives from the organization -- whether talking to the media, potential donors, or friends at a cocktail party – became the best spokespeople for the organization, because they were able to consistently repeat agreed-upon key messages over and over and over and over.
Facilitation: C3 Roundtable
Two coalitions -- whose overall goals were the same -- had dramatically different approaches. Over the course of eight-weeks, strategically driven meetings were held. The process required complete and honest participation, as well as a flexibility to approach work from a collective point of view. The charge of this “transition team” was to bring back recommendations to the two larger groups, including a new coalition name, governance structure, vision, mission, goals. The group met weekly, with small working sessions in between. In the end, the transition team presented a unified front, demonstrating how the two groups could effectively merge – which they did.
Political Strategy: Vote No 40
From a campaign manager’s perspective, it was critical to bring together divergent approaches in order to make the defeat of Amendment 40 (term limits for judges) possible. The first challenge was to get a core group of lawyers to agree to “sing from the same songbook” through weekly meetings. From there, through outreach and media events, that group was able to lead advocates, farmers, business members, labor representatives and others in a unified effort. As a result of coming together, the statewide ballot measure which started with nearly 70% voter approval was defeated with nearly 60% of the vote.
Strategic Communications: SungateKids
Getting board members and staff on the same page is often difficult. Getting them to agree on the basic messages of the organization is an even a bigger challenge. Through a one-day facilitation, board members and staff of SungateKids worked together through discussion and various exercises to create an agreed-upon communications strategy, complete with key messages. From that point, all representatives from the organization -- whether talking to the media, potential donors, or friends at a cocktail party – became the best spokespeople for the organization, because they were able to consistently repeat agreed-upon key messages over and over and over and over.
About Apex Strategies
Using political, communications, and facilitation tactics, Apex Strategies gets clients to their point. Founded by Ellen Brilliant, Apex Strategies (formerly Ingvoldstad Consulting) has achieved success for dozens of clients since its creation in 2006. Our approach is simple – meet clients where they are and provide them the most effective strategies to reach their peak.
Using political, communications, and facilitation tactics, Apex Strategies gets clients to their point. Founded by Ellen Brilliant, Apex Strategies (formerly Ingvoldstad Consulting) has achieved success for dozens of clients since its creation in 2006. Our approach is simple – meet clients where they are and provide them the most effective strategies to reach their peak.
About Ellen Brilliant
Ellen’s roots run deep in Colorado’s nonprofit and advocacy communities. For nearly 20 years, she has executed and advised clients on political and communications strategies. Her teeth were cut at Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains where she spent ten years leading the governmental affairs and media relations in the organization’s six-state region. It was there that Ellen discovered her passion for bringing together seemingly disparate points of view to achieve a common good.
Ellen’s roots run deep in Colorado’s nonprofit and advocacy communities. For nearly 20 years, she has executed and advised clients on political and communications strategies. Her teeth were cut at Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains where she spent ten years leading the governmental affairs and media relations in the organization’s six-state region. It was there that Ellen discovered her passion for bringing together seemingly disparate points of view to achieve a common good.
$100/hour or more
Contingent upon project and client need.