About Us
Sutherland Strategies was established in 2002 by Christina Sutherland Mockler, Founder. Chris has more than thirty years of leadership experience in philanthropy, organizational development and nonprofit management. She has a deep knowledge of - and commitment to - community philanthropy, with first-hand experience working at the executive level of two community foundations. The rest of our team leads our organizational and structural assessments practice, provides project management on all projects, and conducts project research and analysis. We work with clients nationwide and internationally.
"Sutherland Strategies has an uncommon gift for taking things that are complicated and making them easier to understand."
Terence MulliganPresident, Napa Valley Community Foundation
Our Team
Carrie Pickett-Erway, Managing Partner
Carrie Pickett-Erway is the immediate past president of Kalamazoo Community Foundation (KZCF), one of the largest community foundations in the country. Over the 23 years at KZCF, Carrie served as a Program Officer, Vice President of Community Investment, and the last ten years as the President/CEO. As Vice President, Carrie managed two departments for grantmaking and community initiatives, a staff of 11, and a grantmaking budget of more than $11 million. As President/CEO, Carrie personally led the Foundation’s efforts for multiple million-dollar campaigns and oversaw an increase in assets from $450MM to $750MM. Carrie led or supported the implementation of more than 20 community initiatives, led the KZCF leadership team and board through a culture transformation, expanding and significantly diversifying the staff and board. Managing this cultural transformation was in response to, and an opportunity to leverage, the changing demographics of our community, which developed significant expertise in diversity and inclusion. In her consulting engagements, Carrie has led community foundations through strategic planning, organizational structure assessments, board training for fundraising and ambassadorship, and crisis management.
EDUCATIONWestern Michigan University, Bachelor of Applied Sciences, Social Work
Western Michigan University, Master’s of Arts, Social Work
Christina Sutherland Mockler, Founder
Christina Sutherland Mockler has an extensive background in organizational development, nonprofit management and fund development gleaned from more than thirty years in nonprofit leadership and grantmaking. Before founding Sutherland Strategies in 2002, Chris served as Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of Programs and Donor Services for the East Bay Community Foundation, a $130 million foundation, where she managed a staff of twenty-seven, six departments and an annual operating budget of more than $3 million. She also served as Director of Programs for the Peninsula Community Foundation (now part of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation) and as an Executive Director of multiple nonprofits. Chris brings expertise in donor services, grantmaking, community leadership, strategy and organizational development. A leader in the community foundation field for more than twenty years, Chris also serves as an advisor to CFLeads, the thought leader among community foundations on the discipline and practice of community leadership.
EDUCATIONUniversity of California, Los Angeles, Bachelor of Arts in Social History of Poverty
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