Hey there — I’m Kristin

A nonprofit marketing consultant and organizational development partner based in Minnesota

I help small to mid-sized nonprofits and mission-driven small businesses build clear plans, aligned teams, and messaging that connects — with hands-on support to help you actually follow through. If your work matters deeply and your capacity is stretched thin, I’m here to bring calm structure, practical strategy, and real momentum.

Let's Talk
kristin beltaos sitting on a bench

let’s become friends

green palm leaf

Most organizations don’t need more ideas — they need a clear direction, a simple plan, and messaging that feels like them. I’m here for the leaders who are holding a lot, doing meaningful work, and trying to make decisions with too little time, staff, or breathing room.

Together, we’ll turn the swirl into strategy — so your plans aren’t just thoughtful… they’re usable.

I believe clarity is a form of care.

Nearly Three Decades of Mission-Driven Work

I’ve spent nearly 30 years helping nonprofits and mission-driven organizations build clarity, strengthen leadership, and connect with the people they serve. Along the way, I’ve worked in communications, fundraising, strategic planning, and partnership development — both inside organizations and alongside leadership teams as a consultant.

That means I understand both the big-picture goals and the day-to-day realities that make follow-through hard — and I help you build strategies that actually get used.

Nearly 30 years of supporting mission-driven work

  • Nearly 30 years supporting mission-driven work

  • Nonprofit marketing, messaging, donor engagement, and strategic planning

  • Experience working with executive directors, boards, and small teams

  • Practical plans + hands-on follow-through (not just recommendations)

A chapter that shaped how I show up

Another formative chapter of my life doesn’t show up neatly on a résumé — but it deeply shaped how I work.

For more than a decade, I advocated for children with life-threatening food allergies, navigating school systems, medical realities, and policy gaps while working to keep kids safe and included. That experience sharpened my understanding of systems, power dynamics, and what it means to speak up clearly — especially when the stakes are high and the path forward isn’t obvious.

Some of the photos you’ll see here are from that chapter. The work I do today looks different, but the throughline remains the same: helping people and organizations bring clarity to complex situations, align around what matters most, and move forward with care and intention.

yellow and green sunflower with stem icon

Images Clockwise
— 2015 Keynote Speaker at the Washington FEAST Conference at Seattle Children’s Hospital
— 2018 May/June Published in the ChildCare Exchange Magazine, Making the Case for a Food Policy for Food Allergic Children
— A Gift of Miles Food Allergy Consulting Logo

What it’s like to work together

You’ll get a calm, honest partner who asks good questions, brings structure to the messy parts, and helps you make decisions you feel good about. I’m warm, direct, and highly practical — which means we’ll talk about the real stuff, build a plan that fits your capacity, and make progress you can actually see.

And yes — I stay close enough to help you implement it because follow-through is where the magic is.

red and yellow sunflower icon
desk with mac computer, mouse, glasses, and pens

The Sunflower Project is my quarterly pro bono initiative for small nonprofits. Each quarter, I donate 60 hours of support for branding, messaging, marketing, and organizational development to one organization that already has a strategic or business plan in place.

Giving back is part of the work.

Bella takes her role very seriously: supervising client calls, reminding me to take breaks, and ensuring no snack goes unappreciated. She’s also a big fan of sunny walks and strategic thinking (as long as it happens near a window).

If you ever hear a tiny bark in the background, that’s just Bella making sure we’re staying on track.

Meet Bella — my favorite coworker
(Barker-in-Chief)

client praise text in red
five yellow stars

  • "Kristin is a God send! She worked with my nonprofit Stillborn And Infant Loss Support, and it was an absolute pleasure. Her diligence, patience, and expertise are invaluable. Kristin took a deep dive into our brand, marketing materials, and strategic plan, providing concise deliverables and guidance to set up the business for the next level we envisioned for our team, clients, partners, and supporters. If you are looking for someone who will get it done, with a good heart and knowledge to streamline your marketing efforts and messaging, trust me, Kristin is the woman for the job!"

    Sadija Smiley MBA, Founder & Executive Director, Stillborn and Infant Loss Support, Laurel, VA

  • "Kristin’s coaching and consulting is highly expert, knowledgeable, realistic, honest, and filled with genuine cheer and an AMAZING sense of humor. I would highly recommend her as a resource for all things consulting, writing and marketing-related, both from a personal and business standpoint. Whether you’re celebrating a happy or sad family event, contact Kristin to ensure your moment is captured. Additionally, those thinking of opening a business, entrepreneurs, nonprofits and more, reach out to learn about her guidance and care. Working with Kristin has been both fact-based and heart opening simultaneously. She provides a custom tailored set of “tools” to cope with stress while addressing your everyday household and business needs"!

    Khrysti N., Boca Raton, FL

  • "Kristin is a sharp, reliable and hard-working professional who is tenacious in serving her clients. Her superior communications and interpersonal skills are top notch and a strong contributor to her success. I have had the pleasure of watching Kristin’s career evolve over many years as she has combined her extensive professional skills with her passion for helping people enhance their personal and professional lives via greater knowledge, insight and compassion. If you get the chance to work with Kristin, I suggest you take it – she is a joy to work with and it will likely be a growing experience for you both."

    Judy German, Burnsville, MN

  • "I have worked with Kristin for many years and have been extremely satisfied with what she has done for me and my fine jewelry business. With her organizational skills and professional approach, she helped to grow my small business, all while keeping my eye on what needs to be done today and in the future. Starting a small business can be very stressful. With Kristin's ability to ask the right questions, she was able to pull me back and look at the big picture, avoiding the pitfalls of trying to do too many things at once or getting caught up in the tiny details. I've been impressed with her compassion for working with others and her passion for what she does. It is apparent she truly enjoys it, and it is what will keep me as a client."

    Scott V., Minneapolis, MN

  • "Kristin has been a great help to me as I am working on building up my violin studio. She has come up with some very creative solutions. I know that I am taken care of and she is fun to be around. I hiighly recommend Kristin and her services."

    Kristin Cassada, Minneapolis, MN

  • "I first met Kristin when I was hired as a general contractor to work on a couple of projects in her home. After learning about her business background, I hired her to help develop my messaging and website. Kristin was to write my website copy; but I soon realized that I needed an education on the process leading to a quality website. Her knowledge guided me through the creation of this business tool. Kristin is a talented, enthusiastic and a creative individual who helped me to develop my thoughts into an interesting and informative read. I enjoyed the experience of working with Kristin and believe she would be an asset to anyone looking for a partner in the development of a website or any other marketing tool."

    John Schroeder, Minneapolis, MN

  • "Kristin was a great asset in helping us start up our first business. The bank had asked us for so much information that it soon became very overwhelming. She helped keep us grounded and on track to meet our personal goal of owning our own business. Kristin created an impressive business plan based on the information we provided to her. The bank did not request any additional information from us once they were presented with the business plan. We received a “yes” for the business within two weeks and were ready to close within one month. This was our dream come true, and we owe so much to Kristin for her great work. The bank even complimented us on this being one of the quickest closings they ever experienced for a business purchase. Thank you so much."

    Mark and Becky, Uniontown, OH

  • "I had the pleasure of working with Kristin on a local campaign where I served as the Campaign Manager. Kristin’s professionalism and writing skills were integral to the success of our campaign. She was very flexible and met and sometimes exceeded project requirements. She was reliable and always provided feedback that refocused the product back to the project’s goals. Kristin’s work on the project included all final editing of marketing materials, creating marketing materials, website review and streamlining the communication group’s editing process. Overall, Kristin is a rare find. A person that was more than qualified for the role she served but had the generosity and commitment to manage the project to completion, all while serving in a volunteer capacity."

    Katie, Campaign Manager, Maple Grove, MN

Let’s get started

If you’re ready for clarity, structure, and follow-through — let’s talk.

If you’re ready for clarity, structure, and follow-through — let’s talk.

Click on one of my services to learn more!

Prefer email? Reach me through the Contact page.

Organizational Development

Marketing Planning

Marketing Communication

Board & Leadership Development

teal and red sunflower icon