KD Bauer
Senior StrategistKD Bauer (they/them) is a creative strategist for nonprofits and arts organizations, genuinely obsessed with helping teams do their best work. KD specializes in the place where big ideas meet real infrastructure: developing creative direction, building the systems to support it, and bringing your people front and center. Whether untangling siloed departments, building workflows from scratch, or launching campaigns that actually move audiences, KD brings the same electric energy to everything they do. The results speak for themselves: sold-out events, record-breaking fundraising, and teams that leave the work feeling more capable than when they started. KD holds a graduate certificate in Integrated Marketing Communications from St. Kate's and a BA in Professional Writing from Bemidji State.
Grace Mayo
ConsultantGrace Mayo (she/her) is an INFP and an Individualist (Enneagram Type 4), supporting NEXT in Nonprofits (NiN) clients for over four years as a grant writer and project manager. Grace has honed her expertise in logical and creative solutions for data organization, technological improvements, and grant writing, directly leading to $4.6 million + contributed revenue for clients in 2024-2025 alone. Grace is passionate about health and human services. She enjoys helping organizations like yours connect the dots between your data (your superpower!) and your on-the-ground impact. Grace holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Bethel University in St. Paul. As a a digital data specialist, Grace is working toward her official Salesforce certifications. Call her at 507-236-2849.
Steve Boland
DirectorSteve Boland (he/him) is a nonprofit veteran with over twenty-five years of experience helping charities grow with new ideas in fundraising and communications. He has served as executive director of three organizations before founding Next in Nonprofits in 2013. Steve has presented over 100 learning sessions on topics such as crowdfunding, engaging corporate philanthropy, and social media strategy for nonprofits. He disputes his Myers Briggs Type characterization of Commander (ENTJ) as any kind of apt descriptor, as authentic leadership never comes from issuing orders. A graduate of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Steve holds a Master of Nonprofit Management from Hamline University and is an alumnus of the Shannon Leadership Institute. Call him at 651-356-8896.
Beth McCray
ConsultantBeth brings a wealth of experience to the nonprofit, strategy, equity, fundraising, and finance arenas. As a well-regarded speaker, Beth frequently shares her expertise on topics such as planned giving, endowments, and charitable planning. Beth, as a nonprofit consultant, has helped organizations strengthen their philanthropic efforts and advance their missions. In her current role at Next in Nonprofits, her passion is still to support and uplift the nonprofit community.
Beth's career spans both nonprofit and financial sectors. She previously worked at the Saint Paul and Minnesota Foundation and the Blake School as the Director of Gift Planning. Her financial expertise was honed through roles at Thrivent Financial, Wells Fargo, and Morgan Stanley.
Beth holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Williams College. She has actively served on the boards of the Annex Teen Clinic, the Bridge for Youth, White Bear Center for the Arts, Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, and PrairieCare Fund.
Originally from Woodbury, Beth enjoys reading, traveling, and spending quality time with her husband, Jon, their son, Douglas (all avid Lego enthusiasts), and their two cats, Kirk and Picard.
Keren Gudeman
ConsultantKeren Gudeman (she/her) has worked in nonprofits and the arts for the past decade as a founder, consultant, educator, and performer. She worked for The Theater for Public Policy and The Wildling after starting the nonprofit Improv Parenting, and she’s served as a grant evaluator for the Minnesota State Arts Board. Previously, Keren was an English teacher and athletics coach, with tenures at St. Paul Academy and Summit School and Carleton College. Keren holds a Master’s degree in Psychology from the University of Chicago and a BA in Cultural Anthropology from Harvard University. As a Protagonist (ENFJ), Keren loves helping organizations hone their communications and strategy as they work to make the their communities (and the world) a better place. Call her at 612-440-9008.
Chelley McLear
ConsultantChelley McLear (she/her) has been working in the nonprofit world for ‘more than a decade or two’. She has a passion for the arts and has led renowned organisations, programs and projects in theatre, literary arts, visual arts and media arts (on both sides of the Atlantic!), currently serving on two Boards – Story Arts Minnesota and Four Humors Theater. As an Architect she is well aware of the need for the structures and details to be accurate, fully researched, and finely honed; (a skill she finds useful in her other role as a genealogist with a passion for solving DNA puzzles). Her qualifications in Theatre Arts, and Education, from the University of Ulster (NI) and Queen University Belfast (NI) are nicely complemented with a brief foray into… Accounting. Chelley is ready to tackle the creative and the technical with a powerful toolkit for mission-driven work – and finding your second cousin three-times removed.
Boone
CEOBoone joined our team in 2021 from a companion animal rescue in Missouri. His work involves ensuring employee movement breaks, and generally being a joyful presence everywhere he goes. Boone has thus far been uninterested in completing a Myers Briggs inventory, but those who have known him feel that Consul (ESFJ) is his likely type.