The Ultra Team
in the News
A Sampling of Recent Press
Can Nonprofits Escape Corporate Capture? (Ultra Advising Panel Transcript)
Hudson Valley Word of Mouth: Caroline Crumpacker of Opus 40
A Conversation with Caroline Crumpacker, the ED of Opus 40
Opus 40 Sculpture Park to receive $350,000 grant from NYS Council on the Arts (Caroline Crumpacker)
Opus 40 starts year flush with $650K in grants, plans site repair, conservation (Caroline Crumpacker)
Khaldun-Diarra joins Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Interview: Zuhirah Khaldun-Diarra “Wonderama Joins Trick-or-Treat For UNICEF” For Biggest Halloween Parade In History
What Does Peace Mean To Zuhirah Khaldun-Diarra?
Driven to Give (Zuhirah Khaldun-Diarra)
Good Work Institute: Rebecca Wolff
New Common Council member voices ambitious agenda (Rebecca Wolff)
Rebecca Wolff on Putting Thoughts Into Action
Housing Trust Advisory Committee (Rebecca Wolff)
Testimonials!
Bon Mots Galore!
We love our clients! WHAT an incredible group. Here is what some of them, past & present, have to say:
Working with Caroline and Ultra has been one of the best decisions we made as an organization. She is personable, hard-working, great with funders, and dedicated beyond belief. It’s like having another member of the family, not just a team member. Not to mention, she paid for herself in the very first month by writing a hugely successful large grant on our behalf!
— Peter Askim, founder & Artistic Director, The Next Festival of Emerging Artists
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Rebecca Wolff is not only a dear mentor, she is an emblem of grit, care, integrity, clarity, and true innovation. Do you need someone to help you stand up against pressures to conform to the one-size-fits-all corporate nonprofit model served to us by wolves in sheep’s clothing, while figuring out how the systems we rely on to survive in these near-impossible times? Wolff is your person for this, and she’ll tell you exactly how she sees it all. You might get some unexpected ideas along the way too, which happens when you are receptive to what might be possible outside of—let’s face it— stale “best practices” that indicate an urgent need for smart, progressive reforms across the entire field.
— Emily Wallis Hughes, Editorial Director & Fence Books Editor, Fence
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Caroline Crumpacher is a grant writing ninja! I had the privilege of working with her/ Ultra Advising last fall on a set of very complicated funding applications. She scaled the sides of the proposals, assessed the terrain, asked my partner and I some incisive questions and sent us off to reduce our ideas to their essences. As we loaded our content we watched her trim our word counts in real time. It was a joy to be edited and supported with so much creativity, speed, skill and a sense of fun. Thank you Caroline!!!
— Jenny Romaine, Co-Director, Great Small Works Theater
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In her role as Executive Director of Opus 40, Caroline Crumpacker demonstrated creativity, ingenuity and thoroughness in a way which helped grow the non-profit in ways that previously could not have been imagined. She successfully created innovative programming and identified and secured support from the private and public sectors. Caroline is smart, thoughtful, and engaging, and is capable of assisting organizations to fully develop and realize their plans.
— Jonathan Becker, Executive Vice President of Bard College & former President, Opus 40 Board of Directors
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Rebecca Wolff is that rare and true wordsmith who is also obsessed with social change. She brings her drive for justice and equity to every context. She is uniquely present for her whole community, as alive to the needs of the local activist on the street as to the would-be patron in the manor house. She is a committed change-maker, a wonderful leader, and a great communicator.
— Alissa Quart, Executive Director of Economic Hardship Reporting Project, author & journalist
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I had the pleasure to work with Caroline Crumpacker as a consultant for Art Omi, at a key stage of the start of significant growth and professionalization of the organization. Caroline brought skill, rigor and commitment to her consulting practice, with a base of insight from years of experience enriched by her emotional intelligence. She helped us raise money at an important juncture, create strong language and collateral for development, and strengthen board and donor relationships. Caroline manages her relationships and network beautifully and with authenticity, and I'm proof of that - we've kept in touch over 2 decades, and I continue to value her advice and input - nothing like checking in with a colleague in the field who really gets your organization!
—Ruth Adams, Executive Director, Art Omi
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Zuhirah Khaldun-Diarra and I worked together for 8 years at the National Urban League as cross functional teammates — she was our senior marketing director and I was vice president, partnerships and advancement. What stands out to me about her leadership and marketing expertise is her use of multi-channel media to increase a brand’s value proposition and maximize opportunities that highlight an organization’s social impact. As a result, our work was amplified leading to new revenue.
—Renee Jenkins, Executive Vice President, Chief Advancement Officer, Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation
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Caroline came in at a critical moment to help Nightboat Books develop a strategic plan and maximize our upcoming twentieth anniversary. She was extremely knowledgeable and sensitive to our particular needs and current processes. I am incredibly grateful and hope to continue working with her as Nightboat changes and grows.
— Kazim Ali, Founder & Board President, Nightboat Books
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Following the resignation of our Executive Director, Caroline Crumpacker came into our organization as interim ED. The main focus was to steady the ship financially and prepare us to hire a new full time ED. What has been achieved by Caroline and the Ultra Advising team in 12 short months has been remarkable. Her ability to work with our board has been a standout factor in our turnaround. Caroline’s experience and knowledge of Non Profits has helped guide us in our future direction. And all done with respect, diplomacy, and humor. We welcome our new ED shortly. And thank Caroline and her team for the excellent work they have done getting us to this stage.
— Martin Beevers, Board President, The Stone Trust
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I have worked with Caroline Crumpacker in several capacities — as a board member, editor, executive coach, and confidante. A deeply thoughtful, seasoned professional in her field, she knows the not-for-profit world inside and out. From fundraising to marketing, to operations, and relationship management, she is a pro — and a pleasure to work with. I cannot recommend her work highly enough.
— Katy Lederer, Author, Journalist, former Board VP at Millay Arts
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In the three years I worked with Zuhirah, she helped steer innumerable successful marketing projects on a national and sometimes global level. She’s incredibly hard-working and passionate in pursuit of effective creativity. She’s enthusiastic and experienced in project management. Her music connections and promotional experience were often a hidden, bonus asset. She has a big heart and big laugh. I enjoyed working with her, and I happily recommend her as a co-worker.
— Tom Walker, Managing Director, Creative Services at UNICEF USA
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