March 15 | 12:00-1:00 PM CT
About the presenter
Maryfrances Porter, PhD
After growing up in New Orleans, I received a BA from Emory University in 1996. During and after college, I worked in psychiatric and psychological research for seven years in labs in Atlanta and Denver (where my husband trained to become a master brewer!). I came to the University of Virginia in 1998 to get a PhD in Clinical and Community Psychology. In graduate school, I became deeply invested in supporting thriving people and communities, as well as with using data to advance social justice, equity, and returning power to those who have been disenfranchised.
In 2013, I launched Partnerships for Strategic Impact® with the mission of empowering small- and medium-sized nonprofits – and their funders – to track and tell powerful impact stories. I focus on building capacity in three areas: I help social sector leaders build customized structures, systems, and processes for data collection; I train staff in data analysis and storytelling; and I provide just the right amount of ongoing support to ensure long-term sustainability and success. Over the years, I have taught or worked one-on-one with hundreds of nonprofits and other social sector leaders in partnership. I am grateful for all these partnerships because everything I do today results from learning from these committed professionals and the people they serve.
