Beth Archer, GPC, RSM
GPA Approved Trainer
Beth has been a grant professional for six years and has enjoyed supporting the fundraising initiatives of a wide array of nonprofit organizations. She has experience with government, foundation, and corporate grants and, through her experiences, has successfully obtained funding for everything from repointing bricks on the façade of a hundred-year-old building, to covering medical expenses for rescue cats in Philadelphia. Beth also has extensive experience in nonprofit management and leadership and is passionate about helping mission-driven organizations make a difference in their communities. Beth received her BS in Exercise Science from the University of Scranton and her MA in Dance/Movement Therapy from Drexel University. Beth loves the outdoors and is an avid hiker, camper, runner, and cyclist; often accompanied by her husband and two children.
Christa Carroll, M.A.
Grant Professional
Christa Carroll loves shaping language collaboratively and making the written word fully capable of achieving success for our clients. The vast majority of her career has served nonprofits, including in higher education and healthcare, in roles such as writing, copy editing, teaching, web management, and fundraising. Christa is proprietor of Carroll Communication Consulting, providing copy editing and writing services, for all types of rhetorical situations. A proud product of public education, she earned her M.A. in Professional Communication from Clemson University and her B.A. in English from Indiana University. Christa is originally from Indiana and now resides in upstate New York. She is a fan of college football and college basketball, always rooting for the Clemson Tigers and the Indiana Hoosiers. She is an active member of the United Methodist Church. She is a supportive partner and ally for people experiencing mental health issues and for folks who are LGBTQIA2s+.
Laura A. Macaluso
Laura is a cultural heritage researcher and grant writer and is the author of ten books, book chapters, and essays published across peer-reviewed and popular publications. She has worked in and alongside government and not-for-profit institutions, including the National Park Service, municipalities, and historic house museums. Laura has a PhD in the Humanities from Salve Regina University in Newport, RI, and recently earned an MFA in Creative Writing from Fairleigh Dickinson University. She is a board officer at the Amelia S. Givin Free Library, and also serves on the board of the Cumberland County Regional Library System. Around her grant writing work, Laura can be found trying to keep up with an unruly garden, volunteering at the Appalachian Trail Museum, or kayaking with her husband on the Yellow Breeches Creek water trail.
Julie Brown
Julie is a Grant Professional with over a decade of experience in the nonprofit sector, driven by a profound commitment to empowering underserved communities. She has had extensive success in securing grants from government, foundation, and corporate sources. Julie earned a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs in 2013 and has since used her skills in fundraising, program development, and evaluation to drive positive change in her community. Her passion lies in helping organizations fund their programs and fulfill their missions. Beyond her professional pursuits, Julie finds joy in cooking, exploring new crafting ventures, and spending quality time with her husband, two daughters, and close-knit extended family who live nearby.
Diane Leonard, GPC, RST
GPA Approved Trainer
Diane H. Leonard, GPC, RST is a Grant Professional Certified (GPC) and Approved Trainer of the Grant Professionals Association. Diane has recently become a Certified Virtual Presenter through espeakers. She is also a Registered Scrum Trainer, Scrum Master, Scrum Product, and Scrum@Scale Practitioner credentialed by the Agile Education Program powered by Scrum Inc.™ Since 2006, Diane and her team have secured more than $128.1 million dollars in competitive grant awards for the clients of DH Leonard Consulting & Grant Writing Services. She is an active member of the Grant Professionals Association. When not working with her team on grant applications for clients, Diane can be found in the 1000 Islands, out for a run, or drinking a strong cup of coffee.
Maggie Perry, GPC, RPO
Product Owner
GPA Approved Trainer
Maggie has been a grant professional for over 9 years, her primary experience is in government grants. Maggie is experienced in all aspects of proposal writing and post-award management. She is very passionate about the grant world and loves helping organizations fund their programs and support their mission. Maggie started working as a consultant in 2017 and received her GPC in 2019, this has helped her enter into the nonprofit world where she has had the privilege of working with clients all over the country and seeing impact in so many different communities. Maggie received a Bachelor's degree in History from Marywood University in 2007.
Julie Johnson, GPC
A compilation of skills from Julie’s employment, education, and life experiences have funneled together into this perfect profession for her. She has been writing and winning grants across multiple disciplines for 25 years. She holds a BA in English Writing. Since 2019, she has held Grant Professional Certification (GPC) credentials from the Grant Professionals Certification Institute. She’s been a proud member of the Grants Professionals Association since 2014. For Julie, there is no better work than the good results of grant awards.
Jasmine Markanday
GPA Approved Trainer
Certified Grants Management Specialist
Jasmine Markanday, MBA, RPO is an experienced grant professional with over two decades of experience in non-profit organizations. She specializes in Federal grant readiness, research, writing, and management, providing clients with comprehensive assistance in all aspects of the grant process. She has a deep understanding of grant compliance based on 2 CFR 200 and Federal Administrative Regulations, helping organizations navigate complex regulations with ease. She has successfully negotiated indirect cost rates for many organizations. Jasmine’s educational background includes a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with Information Systems from Emporia State University and an MBA in Healthcare Administration from MidAmerica Nazarene University. When she’s not working, she enjoys reading, organizing, spending time with her family, and simply relaxing.
Julie Paynotta, GPC, RSM
GPA Approved Trainer
Independent Grant Consultant
Julie Paynotta is a Virginia native, born in Roanoke and educated at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. Spending time on her great Aunt and Uncle’s farm in Craig County was a favorite pastime of childhood with many hours spent trying to befriend wild Appaloosas and watching her aunt prepare food from what they grew and raised on site.
Many summers spent walking dirt roads, swimming, and fishing in SW Virginia creeks and rivers, and hiking in the Blue Ridge were foundational experiences that led to earning a degree in Environmental Science (UVA, 1988). Julie is a published author in the field of environmental science research, working on atmospheric transport of pollutants and precipitation chemistry.
Julie has channeled her background in quantifying and describing changes in the natural environment and her love for writing and data into a career as a grant professional. Her path to helping nonprofits secure grant funding to fuel their missions began with volunteering in various nonprofit roles over the years, and then meandered through positions as co-founder and executive director at a women’s health organization, food programs manager at a community center, and sustainability fund manager with the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Office of Sustainability, and eventually brought her to the grants profession as a full time consultant in 2016, with the launching of Piñon Grant Solutions, LLC, a full service grants consulting practice offering services throughout all stages of the grant cycle as well as program design and evaluation services.
Julie earned a Professional Certificate in Grant Writing and Program Evaluation (2017) from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs School of Public Affairs and earned the Grant Professional Certification (GPC) from the Grant Professionals Certification Institute in 2022. She is also a Registered Scrum Master (2021 – current) and employs Agile practices in her work as a grant consultant.
Julie lives in Colorado with her husband and two cats, quickly losing teenagers to adulthood. She enjoys live music, hiking the Rockies, and spending time on dirt roads.
Laura Leite
Laura Leite holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communications from Kansas State University and a master’s degree in Instructional Technology from Fort Hays State University. Laura has over ten years of experience working in higher education and over thirteen years of experience in writing and managing grants. She currently serves as Associate Director for Adult and Career Technical Education at the Kansas Board of Regents and has her own consulting firm for grant writing and management. She lives on a farm with her husband and farm pets. Her daughter is currently attending college in Colorado. When not being a grant management nerd, Laura enjoys working in the garden, reading, camping and hiking with her husband and daughter.
Jane Nelson
Jane Nelson is an experienced Information Technology professional and Project Manager. Her life-long passion for wanting to make a difference inspired her to leverage her project management and technical proficiencies to start a career in the grants industry. As the sole proprietor of JCN Grant Services, she provides consulting services to non-profit organizations on programs in the areas of Education, Healthcare, and Human Services. Jane earned a BS in Mathematics from Cheyney University and a MS in Computer Science from Clark Atlanta University. She received her Project Management certificate from George Washington University. Jane attained her Certified Grant Writer® credential from the American Grant Writers’ Association. She is a member of American Grant Writers’ Association and Grant Professionals Association.
Bethany Planton, GPC, RSM
GPA Approved Trainer
Bethany M. Planton, GPC, is a consultant, trainer, and coach for nonprofits and consultants. She brings over 16 years of nonprofit experience and a $10 million track record in awarded grants from foundations, corporations, and local, state, and federal government in the areas of education, human services, veterans, historic preservation, and arts and culture. Bethany is passionate about the field of grants and has served in a leadership capacity since 2016. She was part of a team of grant professionals that launched the #HealthyGrantPro initiative in 2019 to help grant professionals create healthy work environments that help them thrive. As a member of the #HealthyGrantPro team, Bethany co-authored two related publications – Burnout in the Grants Profession: An Initial Analysis and BIGGER than Burnout: Strategies for Winning the Silent Battle, published in the Journal of the Grant Professionals Association. Aside from her professional endeavors, Bethany loves reading, traveling (anywhere and everywhere), eating ice cream, and cheering on Racing Louisville and The Ohio State Buckeyes.
We are always looking for new team members who are passionate about helping nonprofits create change in their communities, working in a team environment, and using their writing skills to create community impact. Learn more and apply here.
