Beth Archer, GPC, RSM
GPA Approved Trainer
Beth has been a grant professional for nine 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.
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. 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 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, GPC
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, GPC
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), Approved Trainer of the Grant Professionals Association, and a Registered Scrum Trainer.
Diane began her career as a Program Officer for a state-wide grantmaking organization and continues to serve as a reviewer for various grantmaking organizations. Since 2006, when she formed DH Leonard Consulting, Diane and her team have secured more than $133.88 million in competitive grant awards, and Diane has personally trained more than 93,507 nonprofit professionals.
When not working with her team, 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 14 years, beginning her career in government grants and gradually expanding into consulting and nonprofit work. She is experienced in all aspects of proposal writing and post-award management, with a strong passion for helping organizations secure funding to advance their missions and create meaningful community impact.
In 2017, Maggie launched her consulting career. She has had the privilege of working with clients nationwide and contributing to transformative changes in diverse communities. In 2019, she earned her Grant Professional Certified (GPC) credential, solidifying her expertise in the field. Maggie is also a GPA-approved trainer, with a particular enthusiasm for teaching SMART objectives and logic models.
A proud graduate of Marywood University, Maggie earned her Bachelor’s degree in History 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.