Who We Are
Steady State partners with social sector organizations to strengthen how they operate and connect, so their work delivers deeper, lasting impact.
Our Story
Our approach swiftly yields tangible progress, meeting key goals and delivering impactful outcomes for the communities they serve. Fueled by passion, pragmatism, and expertise, the Steady State Impact team dedicates itself to rolling up its sleeves and empowering organizations to enhance their capacity and better serve their constituents, embodying a steadfast commitment to meaningful change.
Steady State Impact, a leading social sector consulting firm, boasts a seasoned team with decades of diverse experience. Committed to excellence, this majority-woman-led firm collaborates closely with state and local entities, businesses, philanthropies, and nonprofits to implement strategic solutions with remarkable efficiency.
Our Mission
Steady State is dedicated to empowering social sector organizations to achieve maximum impact through enhanced organizational effectiveness and seamless sector coordination. We firmly advocate that by pinpointing critical leverage points and addressing systemic interdependencies, organizations can optimize their resources and drive meaningful change within their communities.
Our mission is to assist organizations in identifying these leverage points, crafting tailored strategies for organizational effectiveness, and ultimately delivering measurable and significant outcomes for their beneficiar.
Core Principles
Our team's unwavering passion drives our commitment to social impact, fueling every project with dedication and purpose.
Grounded in pragmatism, we implement feasible solutions that address real-world challenges, ensuring tangible and sustainable outcomes.
Understanding the unique nuances of each community's local context is fundamental to our approach, guiding tailored strategies that resonate with the specific needs and culture of the regions and people we serve.
Drawing from real-life experience, our consultants offer practical insights and firsthand knowledge, enriching our solutions with depth and authenticity.
At the heart of our work lies a community-centric ethos, prioritizing collaboration, inclusivity, and empowerment to foster meaningful change from within.
“I strongly recommend any organization working with Steady State - be open to being vulnerable and transparent.”
- Eric Gallien, Superintendent of Schools, Racine Unified School District
Team Members
Leslie Hodge
Leslie is a trusted partner known for streamlining operations and fostering cross-functional communication. With over a decade of experience supporting C-suite leaders in dynamic corporate environments, Sse excels at optimizing workflows, driving organizational efficiency, and ensuring alignment with strategic priorities.
Executive Assistant
Lesley McClellan
Lesley has spent over a decade strengthening educator pipelines and improving student outcomes through thoughtful system design across Texas. Drawing on her experience as a bilingual classroom teacher and district leader, she has led large-scale initiatives in early childhood systems, educator evaluation, and performance-based compensation. Her work builds sustainable talent and leadership systems that align staffing, incentives, and student needs for long-term impact.
Senior Director
Jorge Vela
Jorge has spent over a decade driving systemic equity and instructional excellence across Texas and Connecticut, drawing on his classroom experience and policy expertise to improve outcomes for underserved students. He has led large-scale strategic initiatives with district leaders, nonprofits, and state agencies, building sustainable systems that elevate instructional practice and align with equity-centered goals.
Manager (K-12)
Laura Worline
Laura currently leads rural and economic development initiatives nationwide, designing programs that strengthen education and workforce systems. Her background includes creating and executing equity-driven pilots focused on access to education, barrier removal for BIPOC and ALICE populations, reentry career pathways, and criminal record expungement.
Director
Emily Brown
Emily has experience in research and strategic consulting, working with nonprofit, corporate, and educational institutions. With a background in student advising and business consulting, she has led impactful projects focused on data analysis, strategic planning, process improvement, and program evaluation.
Project Leader
Talia Strong
Talia has spent nearly a decade working for or alongside mission-driven organizations. Her areas of expertise are nonprofit strategy, program design and implementation, and measurement and evaluation
Project Leader