Chicago-based Nonprofit Consultancy Welcomes New Talent, More than Doubles Size of Team
CHICAGO – September 29, 2015 – Leading Healthy Futures (LHF), a collaborative consulting practice that helps leaders shape the futures of health, K-12 education, and human services organizations, announced today that it has welcomed three consultants to its full-time staff: Rachel Sacks, MPH, most recently of the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (ICAAP), Sarah Strothkamp, MPH, who joins LHF after numerous roles at Specialized Education Services, Inc. (SESI), and Emily Batun, JD, who returns to LHF after practicing family law at Life Span: Center for Legal Services and the Law Practice of Sullivan Taylor & Gumina P.C. Sacks, Strothkamp, and Batun join Lauren Knap, MS, who recently celebrated three years with the consultancy, along with president and founder Pamela Xichel Cairns, MHA.
“I am so pleased to welcome Rachel, Sarah, and Emily to our consultancy,” said Cairns. “They will provide our clients with expertise and perspectives that will be invaluable as clients make decisions for the future of their organizations. They also significantly expand LHF’s capacity to build on our successful track record in grants acquisition, assessments, strategic planning, program planning, and fostering collaborations.”
At LHF, Sacks helps clients conceptualize, define, and actualize new program opportunities and partnerships. At ICAAP, she spearheaded the effort to incorporate the national health promotion initiative Bright Futures into Illinois Medicaid policy, culminating in the release of the revised Healthy Kids Handbook. Sacks holds a Bachelor of Arts from Northwestern University and a Master of Public Health from University of Illinois at Chicago.
Strothkamp’s background has placed her at the intersection of health and education. At SESI, she led a team of special educators, social workers and support staff to support students with complex social, emotional, and behavioral needs. Strothkamp brings her project management and data analysis skills to strategic planning initiatives at LHF. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from University of Richmond and a Master of Public Health from Boston University.
Batun brings to LHF strong skills in critical reading, financial analysis, and strategic planning. Her training as a lawyer makes her an ideal grant writer, as she writes clearly, concisely, and persuasively. She also reviews agency procedures and policies to ensure they are in compliance with local, state, and federal guidelines. Batun received her Bachelor of Science from The Ohio State University and her Juris Doctor from DePaul University College of Law.
“At Leading Healthy Futures, we are dedicated to ensuring that our clients have the funding to run their programs, the strategy to make those programs effective, and an actionable vision for the future,” said Cairns. “Our expanded team positions us to fulfill that promise to more clients.”
