Leading a Complex System Transition Through Trauma-Informed Change Management
State Nonprofit Council
The Challenge
A statewide council had invested in a customer relationship management system but had been unable to successfully implement it with either internal staff or its network of nonprofit member agencies. Previous implementation efforts had stalled, creating duplicated work, inefficient processes, and uncertainty about how to move forward.
Successful implementation required more than a technical solution. The council needed to understand what had prevented progress, build trust and accountability across teams, and create a structured approach for navigating organization-wide change.
Clear
Direction
Barriers preventing previous implementation identified and addressed
Stronger Collaboration
Cross-functional staff aligned around shared goals and responsibilities
Statewide Adoption
Learning management system successfully implemented across member agencies
Greater
Efficiency
Duplicated processes and an unnecessary system eliminated
My Approach
I partnered with council leadership and staff to move a previously stalled technology initiative forward using a structured, trauma-informed approach to change management. The work combined project coordination, team development, training, communication, technical assistance, and evaluation to support successful adoption across the organization and its statewide network.
Assess
Reviewed previous implementation plans and efforts to identify systemic barriers, unresolved challenges, and the factors that had prevented successful adoption.
Align
Identified and led a cross-functional team of key staff, establishing shared responsibilities, accountability mechanisms, and a collaborative approach to implementation.
Implement
Developed and managed a detailed project roadmap and GANTT chart, supported system updates and content migration, and coordinated implementation across internal teams and member agencies.
Equip & Evaluate
Developed training for staff responsible for supporting member agencies, co-designed communications and technical assistance resources, and evaluated implementation to identify successes, remaining barriers, and opportunities for continued improvement.
Areas of Expertise
Project Coordination & Management
Project Coordination
Cross-Functional Team Coordination
Change Management
Process Development & Documentation
Training & Instructional Design
Professional Development Workshops
Train-the-Trainer Programs
Trauma-Informed Training Design
Adult Learning & Facilitation
Organizational Wellness & Culture Change
Team Development & Collaboration
Leadership & Culture Support
Trauma-Informed Practices
Strategic & Action Planning
Organizational Assessments
Action Planning & Implementation Roadmaps
Stakeholder Engagement
Lasting Impact
Sustainable
statewide implementation across 30+ community nonprofit member agencies
Efficient
systems and processes that reduced duplicated work, saving staff time and organizational resources
Collaborative
cross-functional team equipped to work together with greater trust, transparency, and accountability
Transferable
understanding of systemic barriers and trauma-informed change strategies that could be applied to future organizational initiatives
Michelle McCormick, Nonprofit Leader
Jennie strategically led the implementation project for our new learning management system by providing hands-on guidance and support, as well as generating innovative ideas supporting the accomplishment of our long-term goals. Jennie's background in applying trauma-informed principles, combined with her skillful management of complex details, operational structures, and systems, was the perfect fit and created a successful collaboration.
Project
Director
Jennie is exceptional at bringing people together around a shared purpose. Even in groups that begin far apart in perspective or priorities, she has a remarkable ability to foster alignment and move everyone toward a common goal—often more quickly than seems possible.
