MISSION

Effective Leadership Advisors (ELA) Nonprofit Consulting is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 that leverages the brain power of Senior Consultants, including legal, business and social scientific experts, as well as Advanced Technologies such as Anthropic’s ultra-powerful Claude Enterprise version, to answer applied research and practice questions based on best evidence, for Charitable Purposes and the Public Good.

ORGANIZATIONAL STATUS

ELA is a 501 (c) 3 not-for-profit incorporated in Maine, USA. We were founded in 2005 as Environment Bolivia and have been doing business as (dba) ELA, since 2024.

ADVISING

Professional, Academic & Organizational Leadership; Conflict Management 

Do you have a research or practice question that your team has not been able to adequately answer or not willing to spend the money on or wish to develop your program or professional knowledge, skills and abilities?

ELA Nonprofit Consulting teaches nonprofit organizations, public servants, students as well as other individuals, optimal applied social science, medical and legal research strategies and tactics in the face of increasingly complex and challenging environments. Our Senior Consultants, who include a Georgetown Law-educated lawyer and a University of Chicago MBA with over 70 years of combined experience, provide our clients with extremely cost-effective research and practice answers, on a sliding scale, based on their income. In addition, we research and teach professional, academic and organizational leadership as well as conflict management. We advise nonprofit organizations, public servants, students and other individuals who are facing barriers to advancement in areas related to your question or your mission. We lead professional development education for aspiring and current public servants.

Advanced Applied Research

We are fixers. Leveraging Advanced Technologies, our Senior Conslutants fix your information-based puzzles and problems as fast and effectively as anyone can. In advising nonprofit organizations, public servants and students, ELA leverages the brain power of Senior Consultants, including legal, business and social scientific experts, and Advanced Technologies, such as the ultra-powerful Claude Enterprise version and Research Solutions’ Scite suite, with access to billions of database sources and a system that VERIFIES and RANKS advanced electronic research.

Advising Fees

ELA offers a sliding-scale fee schedule based on organizational or personal income. 

1. Nonprofit

2. Legal

3. Conflict Management

4. Higher Education

5. Professional Development

6. Medical

7. Technology

NONPROFIT

Nonprofit Governance

• Board bylaws auditing, revision, and compliance review

• Board member onboarding, orientation, and self-evaluation

• Committee design and restructuring (Finance, Audit, Governance, and others)

• Conflict-of-interest policy development for boards and senior staff

• Board recruitment and diversity strategy

• Executive director and CEO governance coaching

• Succession planning for board leadership and key staff

• CEO/Executive Director performance evaluation frameworks

• Executive compensation policy review and IRS intermediate sanctions compliance

• Form 990 review for board-level accountability

• State and federal charitable registration and reporting guidance

• Governance risk assessment and mitigation

• Whistleblower and document retention policy development

• Grant compliance oversight advising

• Mission and vision review facilitation

• Strategic planning retreats with governance-focused facilitation

• Organizational benchmarking and peer research

• Merger, affiliation, and dissolution advising

LEGAL

Nonprofit Legal Advising
(Legal services provided by licensed attorneys on the ELA team)

• Legal entity selection for new nonprofits

• IRS Form 1023 and 1023-EZ preparation for 501(c)(3) status

• State charitable registration and multi-jurisdiction annual reporting

• State attorney general oversight compliance

• Unrelated business income tax (UBIT) analysis and risk mitigation

• Lobbying and political activity compliance (IRC §501(h) elections and 501(c)(4) considerations)

• Fiscal sponsorship structure advising

• Vendor, consultant, and service contract review

• Worker classification advising (employee vs. independent contractor)

• Executive employment agreement review and drafting

• Gift acceptance policy and restricted fund compliance

• Grant agreement review and risk identification

• Intellectual property ownership and licensing advising

• Merger, affiliation, and dissolution legal guidance

• Restorative justice framework integration for organizational policy and programming

• Juvenile justice reform research and strategy

• Legal advocacy campaign and coalition-building strategy

• Youth-serving nonprofit program design within the juvenile justice system

Immigration Legal Advising — Detained and Detainable Persons
(Legal services provided by U.S.-licensed attorneys on the ELA team. Engagements are limited in scope and do not include merits representation in removal proceedings unless separately agreed in writing.)

• Limited-scope engagement design and informed-consent documentation under ABA Model Rule 1.2(c) and 1.5(b)

• Appearance-vehicle selection: Form G-28 (DHS), Form EOIR-28 (immigration court), Form EOIR-27 (BIA), and Form EOIR-61 (document assistance)

• Form G-28 filing with ICE/ERO to establish agency point-of-contact status for a client's custody matter

• Client-executed Form EOIR-33 change-of-address support to stabilize service of hearing notices across facility transfers

• Evaluation of a custody-and-bond-only EOIR-28 scoped appearance

• Privileged legal mail and fax conduit under ICE PBNDS 2011 § 5.1, including facility-specific legal-mail protocol confirmation

• Detainee location through the ICE Online Detainee Locator and ERO field office follow-up

• EOIR eRegistration, ECAS Case Portal, and ERO eFile onboarding for attorneys new to immigration practice

• Case-status monitoring and deadline relay through the EOIR automated system and online portal

• Merits counsel vetting: state bar standing verification, EOIR Recognition & Accreditation roster checks, and disciplined-practitioner list review

• Notario fraud and unauthorized-practice screening, with family education materials

• Matching counsel to case phase — bond, merits, appeal, and affirmative/USCIS work

• Screening for Franco-Gonzalez eligibility and referral to the National Qualified Representative Program

• Routing to publicly funded universal-representation programs where geographic and income eligibility apply

• Plain-language removal-process briefings for clients and families, in English and Spanish

• Orientation on the divergent consequences of a removal order, voluntary departure, and withdrawal of an application for admission

• In absentia order prevention, address-update compliance, and motion-to-reopen timeline orientation

• Malpractice coverage and cross-border practice review for out-of-state, limited-scope immigration work

• Program design and attorney training for organizations building limited-scope immigration volunteer capacity

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

Conflict Coaching, Mediation, and Negotiation Consulting & Confict Design
(Conflict coaching and negotiation consulting are advisory, not legal representation. Mediation services are facilitative and do not create an attorney-client relationship with any party, except as explicitly contracted. Arbitration and legal representation might be referred out.)

• One-on-one conflict coaching for executives, board chairs, and program leaders

• Pre-conversation preparation and rehearsal for high-stakes or long-deferred conversations

• Conflict diagnosis: separating interests, positions, and identity stakes in a stuck dispute

• Escalation mapping and de-escalation planning for disputes with a long history

• Communication strategy coaching for written conflict (email, text, board correspondence)

• Coaching for parties entering a mediation, arbitration, or settlement conference represented by other counsel

• Negotiation consulting: preparation, BATNA analysis, and concession sequencing

• Multi-party and coalition negotiation strategy

• Employment, separation, and severance negotiation coaching

• Vendor, contract, and grant-terms negotiation support for nonprofit staff

• Board and staff conflict facilitation, including chair-to-executive-director disputes

• Family mediation, including intergenerational, caregiving, and family-business disputes

• Elder-care and end-of-life decision-making mediation among adult siblings

• High-intensity custody conflict mediation, including high-conflict co-parenting dynamics

• Parenting-plan and communication-protocol development for separated or divorcing parents

• Coaching for parents navigating guardian ad litem, evaluator, or court-adjacent processes

• Screening for suitability: identifying cases where mediation is inappropriate (power imbalance, coercive control, safety concerns) and referring accordingly

• Referrals to credentialed mediators, arbitrators, and restorative justice practitioners

• Referrals to restorative justice processes: victim-offender dialogue, circles, and community conferencing

• Restorative practice integration for organizations seeking alternatives to punitive internal discipline

• Conflict prevention through design of collaboration optimizing family and organizational systems

HIGHER EDUCATION

Internship Program Creation & Management

• Organizational readiness assessment for hosting interns

• Internship program charter and goal-setting

• Intern role description and scope-of-work design

• Supervision frameworks and accountability structures

• Program policies covering conduct, confidentiality, remote work, and accessibility

• Paid, unpaid, and academic credit compliance guidance

• University and college partnership development for intern pipelines

• Equity-centered recruitment and selection processes

• Intern onboarding curricula

• Mentor-matching protocols

• Learning agreements and academic credit coordination

• End-of-term evaluation and program assessment

• Intern-to-employment conversion pathway advising

• Internship stipend grant-writing support

• Program benchmarking against sector best practices

• Intern alumni engagement strategy

College, Graduate School & Scholarship Placement Advising

• Academic profile assessment and college list development

• Course selection and AP/IB strategy

• Common Application, Coalition Application, and school-specific portal guidance

• Personal statement coaching and multi-draft editing

• Supplemental essay advising for individual schools

• Alumni interview and campus visit preparation

• Financial aid guidance, FAFSA support, and award letter comparison

• Gap year, deferral, and waitlist strategy

• Graduate and professional school placement (law, MBA, MSW, public policy, and others)

• Test preparation strategy for LSAT, GMAT, GRE, and MCAT

• Statement of purpose and diversity essay editing

• Recommender selection and briefing strategy

• Program fit and faculty alignment research

• Graduate school interview coaching (MMI, panel, and one-on-one formats)

• Nationally competitive fellowship advising: Rhodes, Marshall, Fulbright, Truman, Gates, Udall, and Goldwater

• Institutional nomination portfolio preparation

• Fellowship essay, research proposal, and project statement editing

• Fellowship interview preparation

• Graduate funding, assistantship, and loan forgiveness research

Social Science Master's and PhD Thesis Advising
(Advising and coaching services. ELA advisors do not serve as academic supervisors of record, do not write or co-write submitted work, and do not represent any institution. All work is conducted in conformity with the student's program integrity policies.)

• Program selection and fit assessment across PhD, MSW, MA and MS, sociology, psychology, conflict resolution, legal and related social science doctoral and master's programs

• Application strategy, personal statement development, and recommender selection

• Funding, assistantship, and fellowship strategy for master's-level applicants

• Orientation to program structures: thesis vs. capstone vs. comprehensive exam tracks

• Research question refinement — narrowing a topic to a defensible, answerable question

• Literature review strategy, search architecture, and source management

• Theoretical framework selection and alignment with research design

• Research design consultation: qualitative and mixed-methods approaches

• Sampling, recruitment, and access planning for hard-to-reach or protected populations

• IRB preparation: protocol drafting support, consent documentation, and vulnerable-population considerations

• Instrument development review — interview guides, surveys, and coding schemes

• Data analysis planning and interpretation coaching (not data analysis performed on the student's behalf)

• Thesis structure, chapter architecture, and argument development

• Writing-process coaching: milestone setting, drafting cadence, and revision discipline

• Feedback interpretation — translating committee comments into an actionable revision plan

• Advisor and committee relationship coaching, including managing disagreement among committee members

• Stalled-thesis recovery for students who have gone dormant or missed deadlines

• Defense preparation and mock defense

• Post-thesis pathways: publication, conference submission, doctoral applications, and practice application

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Professional Development Coaching and Job Placement
(Coaching and advisory services. ELA is not an employment agency, does not guarantee placement, and does not charge candidates contingency or placement fees.)

• Career direction assessment for early-career, mid-career, and sector-switching professionals

• Nonprofit and public-interest sector orientation for candidates coming from private-sector or academic backgrounds

• Résumé, CV, and academic-to-professional translation

• Cover letter, writing sample, and application portfolio development

• LinkedIn and professional presence review

• Job search strategy: target mapping, pipeline building, and application cadence

• Informational interview strategy and outreach scripting

• Networking coaching for candidates without an existing sector network

• Interview preparation and mock interviews, including panel and board-facing formats

• Behavioral and case interview practice

• Salary and offer negotiation coaching, including benefits, title, and scope

• Multiple-offer evaluation and decision frameworks

• Onboarding and first-90-days planning

• Executive presence, communication, and difficult-conversation coaching

• Managing up, and coaching for first-time supervisors

• Performance review preparation, both giving and receiving

• Promotion and internal advancement strategy

• Burnout, boundary-setting, and sustainable workload coaching for mission-driven professionals

• Exit strategy, resignation, and reference planning

• Employer-side services: job description development, hiring process design, and structured interview rubrics for nonprofit clients

• Internship and fellowship placement advising for students and recent graduates

MEDICAL

Medical Advocacy & Healthcare Navigation
(Informational and navigational only; not medical diagnosis or treatment advice)

• Diagnosis research synthesis using peer-reviewed and clinical literature

• Treatment option and clinical trial evaluation frameworks

• Medical appointment preparation and question development

• Physician and specialist communication coaching

• Centers of excellence and leading specialist identification

• Second opinion and referral navigation

• Medical error and adverse event reporting guidance

• Insurance coverage dispute and claim denial advising

• Prior authorization strategy and appeals support

• Patient rights under ADA, ACA, HIPAA, FMLA, and state law

• Access to Medicaid, Medicare, CHIP, SSDI, and state disability programs

• Healthcare proxy, advance directive, and medical power of attorney guidance

• Pharmaceutical assistance, compassionate use, and patient access program research

• Nonprofit patient advocacy program design and staff training

• Social determinants of health research for mission-driven organizations

• Health equity and community health navigation grant advising

• Healthcare policy tracking at the state and federal level

TECHNOLOGY

Tech Advising & Cybersecurity
(Advisory and assessment services. ELA does not provide managed IT services, incident response retainers, or legal advice regarding breach liability; legal questions are referred to attorneys on the ELA team or outside counsel.)

• Technology readiness assessment for small and mid-sized nonprofits

• IT budget planning and total-cost-of-ownership analysis for boards and executive directors

• Software selection advising: CRM, donor management, case management, and accounting platforms

• Cloud migration planning and vendor evaluation (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, and sector-specific tools)

• Data architecture and integration advising for organizations with siloed systems

• Website and digital presence strategy, including accessibility (WCAG) considerations

• Technology policy development: acceptable use, remote work, BYOD, and AI-use policies

• Responsible AI adoption advising for nonprofit workflows, including tool selection and staff guidelines

• Cybersecurity risk assessment scaled to nonprofit size and threat profile

• Security baseline implementation guidance: multi-factor authentication, password management, patching, and backups

• Phishing awareness and staff security training design

• Vendor security review and third-party risk screening

• Data privacy compliance orientation: state privacy laws, GDPR exposure, and donor data handling

• Safeguarding sensitive populations' data: clients, minors, immigration status, and health information

• Incident response planning and tabletop exercise facilitation

• Cyber insurance readiness review and application support

• Grant-funded technology project scoping and budget justification

• Board-level technology and cybersecurity governance briefings

• Digital security advising for organizations serving high-risk communities

• Fractional CTO/CISO-style advisory arrangements for organizations without technical leadership

Advising Fees

ELA offers a sliding-scale fee schedule based on organizational or personal income. 

Effective Leadership Advisors

Mary Centellas, Attorney-at-Law: Juvenile & Restorative Justice.

Abraham Sarmiento: Information Technology & Security.

Jon R. Zemans, MBA: Nonprofit Governance.

Adam R. Zemans, Attorney-at-Law (JD, MSW, MS): Nonprofit Governance, Conflict Resolution Design & Implementation, Conflict Coaching & Strategy, Negotiation, and College Application, Scholarship & Fellowship Advising, Advanced Electronic Research.

PUBLISHING

ELA publishes news and articles deemed relevant to your mission.