Fractional Leadership · Facilitation · Consulting

Strategic partnership for
organizations doing work that matters.

I help organizations, community initiatives, and purpose-driven companies build operational strength, navigate leadership transitions, and grow with intention.

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About

25+ years of social impact,
translated into practical partnership.

I'm Celeste Flores, a strategist, implementer, and facilitator with deep roots in the nonprofit and social impact sector. My career spans grassroots community campaigns, major gift fundraising, movement building at scale, and executive operations.

I understand how organizations grow because I've been inside them at every stage, from a scrappy Austin nonprofit growing its first community campaign to building the US and Canada network for a global movement raising billions for nonprofits.

I also bring a practical comfort with technology and systems. From an early foundation at Accenture through hands-on work across the nonprofit sector, I'm fluent in how giving platforms, CRMs, and donor systems fit together, and I'm comfortable bridging the conversation between your team and the technical side of your operations.

Today, I work with a select group of organizations as a consultant, facilitator, and fractional leader, bringing senior-level thinking and hands-on execution to the people doing hard and important work.

Celeste Flores
$45M+
Raised through Amplify Austin over six campaigns for 700 nonprofits
300+
Local GivingTuesday leaders mobilized across the US and Canada
75+
Multi-year corporate engagement partnerships built and managed

Services

Where I can help.

I offer flexible engagements, from a single retreat to ongoing fractional leadership, tailored to where your organization is and where you want to go.

01
We need leadership.

You need a senior leader inside your organization, without the cost or commitment of a full-time hire.

  • Fractional COO / Operations Lead: Embedded operational leadership for organizations in growth or transition.
  • Fractional Deputy Executive Director: A senior leadership partner inside your organization, handling internal operations while you focus outward or aiding in a team build.
  • Leadership Coaching & Development: Senior coaching for emerging leaders, first-time EDs, and early leadership teams.
02
We need a plan.

You know where you want to go. You need the roadmap, the structure, and the right tools to get there.

  • Operational & Strategic Planning: Scenario planning, research and solution mapping, and operational roadmaps built for your reality.
  • Communications & Awareness Planning: Messaging frameworks and awareness strategies to reach new audiences.
  • Systems, Tech & Process Design: Platform selection, process mapping, and workflow design for how nonprofits actually operate.
03
We need to grow.

You're ready to expand your reach, your revenue, and your community, and you need a partner who's done it before.

  • Community Campaign Strategy: Design and strategy for giving campaigns, community initiatives, and coalition efforts.
  • Partnership & Business Development: Corporate partnership strategy, pipeline development, and long-term stakeholder stewardship.
04
We need a conversation.

Sometimes the most important thing is getting the right people in a room and helping them move forward together.

  • Retreat & Conversation Facilitation: Board retreats, staff planning sessions, community conversations, and stakeholder engagement.

Background

Experience built across
every dimension of the work.

Leadership
  • Led organizations and teams through growth, change, and transition at every scale — as Co-Owner and COO of The Grounds, Executive Director of ILHIGH, and Senior Director at GivingTuesday.
  • Built internal operations from the ground up at The Grounds, including HR, IT, finance, vendor management, and full tech infrastructure.
  • Grew a lean ILHIGH team through rapid organizational expansion, establishing the organization's first cash reserve and long-term sustainability plan.
  • Served as spokesperson and national thought leader on online fundraising, giving days, and young donor engagement.
The Grounds of Livev  ·  GivingTuesday  ·  I Live Here I Give Here
Facilitation & Community
  • Built the community infrastructure for 300+ local GivingTuesday leaders across the US and Canada — designing shared learning systems, peer networks, co-created resources, and national convenings that fostered connection and sustained local campaigns.
  • Built grassroots and civic partnerships across Austin, engaging city leadership, civic organizations, and hyperlocal groups to ensure campaigns represented all voices of the community.
  • Facilitated cross-functional teams including physicians, chiefs-of-service, and campaign leadership on funding priorities, diversity strategy, and prospect development.
GivingTuesday  ·  I Live Here I Give Here  ·  Texas Children's Hospital  ·  Foundation for the Carolinas
Growth & Campaigns
  • Raised $45M for 700 nonprofits through six Amplify Austin Days, a model shared nationally.
  • Guided and strategized with leaders of community-wide campaigns across the country, contributing to $3B+ donated in a single GivingTuesday.
  • Built 75+ multi-year corporate partnerships with companies including Charles Schwab, Tito's Handmade Vodka, and Cirrus Logic.
  • Grew a $1.5M budget 40% over three years while expanding programs and community reach.
  • Managed and supported major gift portfolios at three premier institutions, cultivating 100+ donors each and contributing to campaigns raising $150M+ (UVA Darden) and $6M+ (United Way).
  • Designed prospect analysis processes and campaign strategy for major gifts programs at nationally recognized institutions.
I Live Here I Give Here  ·  GivingTuesday  ·  Foundation for the Carolinas  ·  United Way of Greater Houston  ·  Texas Children's Hospital  ·  University of Virginia, Darden
Planning & Strategy
  • Built strategic plans, budgets, and operational roadmaps across complex, multi-stakeholder organizations.
  • Managed and supported $14M grants program across 12 counties through the Duke Energy Steering Committee.
  • Led cross-functional teams in endowment services and regional county board development.
  • Facilitated cross-functional teams including physicians, chiefs-of-service, and campaign leadership on funding priorities, diversity strategy, and prospect development.
  • Led selection and setup of all online systems at The Grounds, including Zoho, Shopify, Stripe, and Wix — directing consultants to build a full tech and operations infrastructure from the ground up.
  • Started in tech and process consulting at Accenture, building a foundation of systems analysis, process design, and executive facilitation for Fortune 500 clients.
Foundation for the Carolinas  ·  Texas Children's Hospital  ·  The Grounds of Livev  ·  Accenture

Community Involvement

Rooted in community.

Board Chair & Branding Committee Chair
Spur Local, Washington DC
Patroness
National Charity League, Cherry Blossom Chapter
Past PTO President
Our Lady of Good Counsel, Virginia
Member
Junior League of Houston, Austin, Charlotte & DC

Who I Work With

Built for organizations
ready to do things differently.

Small & Mid-Size Nonprofits

Organizations with big missions and lean teams, especially those making their first leadership hires or navigating rapid change.

Grassroots & Community-Led Organizations

Groups that have built something real from the ground up and are ready to add structure and sustainability without losing their soul.

Founder-Led Teams in Transition

Founders and solo leaders stepping into their first ED role, or organizations hiring their first Deputy ED, navigating the shift from individual to institutional.

Purpose-Driven Ventures

Hybrid and for-purpose organizations sitting at the intersection of business and social impact who need an experienced operational partner.

Recent Consulting Clients

ACT for Alexandria
Spur Local
Share Good

How We Work Together

Flexible by design.

No two organizations are in the same place. I structure my engagements to match where you are and what you need.

Project-Based
A defined deliverable
A strategic plan, a communications framework, a campaign design, an organizational assessment. We define the scope, work together, and you leave with something concrete.
Facilitation
One moment, well held
A board retreat, a staff planning session, a community conversation. I design and facilitate the experience, creating space for honest dialogue and shared forward movement.
Fractional Leadership
Embedded, ongoing partnership
Part-time senior leadership within your organization over 3–12 months. The depth of a full-time hire, the flexibility of a consultant. Ideal for organizations in growth or transition.
Advisory
A trusted thought partner
Light-touch strategic counsel, a sounding board for leadership decisions, or ongoing coaching. For leaders who want a senior perspective without a formal engagement.

Let's talk about
what your organization needs.

Whether you have a clear project in mind or just a nagging sense that you need something, I'm a good first call.

Send me an email Connect on LinkedIn