Alyse Braaten

Alyse Braaten is part of the Beacon team supporting your strategic planning process. She is the Manager of Client Relationships at Beacon Organizational Consulting and has spent her career supporting and participating in the philanthropic sector. She brings over a decade of Community Foundation experience and numerous years working with other funders and nonprofits. Her degree in Communications has informed her extensive public speaking in webinars, trainings, motivational spaces, and philanthropic conferences. Her passion for philanthropy began in the college access space, awarding over $6 million in scholarships to students over the course of her time as a scholarship administrator. After her introduction to the Community Foundation space, she thrived on connection with colleagues from other areas of the country, eventually working to create connections for other foundations as they all seek innovative solutions to the issues and challenges in their areas. Alyse’s approach to knowledge-sharing led to a 7-year role in the technology sector, working with funders across the US, Canada, and Australia and leading teams dedicated to making all philanthropic funders successful. Born and raised in Bakersfield, California, she values human relationships as the most effective form of community change. She lives by the concept that we work at the “speed of trust” and strives to be a trusted family member, friend, and colleague to all she meets.