Core Team
Common Great’s core team brings 90+ years of fundraising and marketing experience to help you evolve your practices and grow your impact.
Ariel Glassman
Founder & CEO
Organizational strategy & planning, individual giving, campaigns, Hiring, tech
Seattle, WA
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Ariel serves nonprofits and the people who power them - designing systematic, intentional, and equitable donor engagement practices that galvanize real relationships with supporters and get real results. In her 22+ years on the front lines of fundraising, she has helped hundreds of nonprofits on 4 continents raise over $75 million. As our Founder & CEO, she leads the Common Great charge – refining our methodology, calibrating our projects to meet your goals, and testing innovative ideas to generate new possibilities.
Ariel’s razor-sharp view of the big picture helps her see around corners, find upstream solutions to entrenched challenges, and create the readiness and conditions for fundraising success organization-wide. But she still loves to dig into the weeds (and the data!) to connect the dots between strategy, tactics, and operations. Ariel excels at turning confusion into clarity, converting chaos into systems, and transforming reactivity into proactivity. If the inertia of “we’ve never tried that” or “that’s the way we’ve always done it” is holding you back, slide into her inbox (or LinkedIn DMs) ASAP.
Ariel synthesizes solutions for client challenges from her experience advising and supporting hundreds of nonprofits of all sizes, models, and mission spaces. Her recent clients include Concussion Alliance, The Center for Energy Workforce Development, HistoryLink, The Holocaust Center for Humanity, King County Sexual Assault Resource Center, Legal Foundation of Washington, Mary’s Place, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, Rainier Scholars, Seattle Rep, The Who We Are Project, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, and more.
Ariel never stops learning, and learns the most through teaching. She has taught workshops, lectures and presentations for field service organizations like AFP Advancement Northwest, 501 Commons, The Seattle Foundation, Philanthropy Massachusetts, Artist Trust, and Shunpike; nonprofit-focused higher education programs at University of Washington and Seattle University; funders like The Russell Family Foundation, ArtsFund, and Seattle’s Office of Arts & Culture; and nonprofit technology platforms like Givebutter and Civic Champs. Ariel attended Stanford University, where she was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa and got a head start on her leadership skills through collegiate a cappella. She one day hopes to write and star in Nonprofits: The Musical!
Book a power session with Ariel here.
Renate Raymond
SENIOR CONSULTANT
Capital Campaigns, Major & INDIVIDUAL Giving, hiring, interim leadership, board development
SEATTLE, WA
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Renate is an accomplished nonprofit and arts leader who uses the transformational power of philanthropy to make our world a better place to live, work, and play. With 25+ years of experience as a development and executive leader, she brings a holistic perspective to solving fundraising, leadership, and organizational challenges.
As a fundraiser, Renate specializes in interim and fractional leadership, capital and capacity-building campaigns, major and planned giving, board engagement, and hiring and nurturing emerging development leaders. She’s savvy about working with high-net worth donors and what it takes to secure transformative funding. Renate loves helping clients find the confidence, clarity, and creativity they need to take a big leap - and land on their feet!
Renate has been a trusted coach and advisor for nonprofit leaders at every stage of their careers, from mentoring emerging talent in their first development role to helping executive directors navigate the complexities of advancing to the next level of organizational sophistication. Her wisdom has steered our clients through leadership transitions, board challenges, and other key inflection points.
Renate found her first nonprofit home in the arts and cultural community. Prior to becoming a consultant, she worked with organizations like Gage Academy of Art, the Frye Art Museum, and Seattle Architecture Foundation. She led the fast-tracked capital campaign to build the new Bainbridge Island Museum of Art. Since joining Common Great, she has worked with arts organizations like Partners in Print and The Museum of Northwest Art, while expanding her portfolio of non-arts clients, including Mary’s Place, Summer Search, Girls Inc of the Pacific Northwest, Queer Power Alliance, The Who We Are Project, Seattle REconomy, Seattle Neighborhood Farmers Markets, Terrewode Women’s Fund, and more. Renate received a Fine Arts and Art History degree from the University of Washington. She holds a certificate in Art as a Global Business Dynamic from Sotheby’s Institute of Art, and teaches an annual guest lecture at the University of Washington’s Museum Studies Certificate program.
Book a power session with Renate here.
Caroline Rensel
COnsultant
INDIVIDUAL GIVING, CAMPAIGNS, TECH, fractional leadership
wenatchee & Seattle, wa
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Caroline is a versatile development professional who transforms the fundraising aspirations of small-to-midsize nonprofits into well-organized operational realities. She excels at fractional partnership with small-to-midsize nonprofits – helping them identify and stay focused on immediate priorities, while anticipating and preparing for the next stage of the journey. She builds organized, executable fundraising strategies and plans that generate authentic community connections, genuinely engage donors, and bring the mission to life.
Caroline specializes in creative donor stewardship and digital fundraising campaigns, including monthly giving programs, peer-to-peer initiatives, giving days, and year-end appeals. Drawing from her background in theatre, she brings a natural gift for storytelling to donor communications, creating compelling narratives that resonate with supporters and inspire action. As a chameleon copywriter fluent in many mission languages, Caroline adapts her voice to authentically reflect each organization's unique impact and the needs of the communities they serve. She combines this creative approach with meticulous attention to data, systems implementation, and administrative best practices. Whether streamlining database management, writing compelling donor communications, or enhancing the donor experience, Caroline brings clarity, structure, and positivity to her clients’ fundraising practices.
With a decade of experience in development staff roles and consulting work across diverse mission spaces, Caroline’s work has generated meaningful support for organizations such as the the University of Washington, TeenTix, Girl Scouts of Western Washington, Summer Search, Coro Northern California, Auto Repair Transformation, Lake City Collective, Gamers Engaged, End Well, Real Good Rescue, California ChangeLawyers, National Film Festival For Talented Youth (NFFTY), Seattle Rep, Seattle REconomy, and more. Caroline graduated Summa Cum Laude from Whitman College, where she was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa and the Order of the Waiilatpu Honor Society, and held leadership roles in drama and music activities and organizations. Now a resident of Wenatchee after building her career in Seattle, Caroline enjoys getting outside and experiencing the spectacular all-season beauty of central Washington, volunteering, and participating in community theater in her spare time.
Kirsten Rogers
SEnIOR Consultant & MARKETING DIRECTOR
communications, digital marketing, individual giving & campaigns
Seattle, WA
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A seasoned strategist and communications polymath, Kirsten has mastered the art and science of building visibility, growing audiences, and inspiring action. From planning to implementation, our clients apply her many talents to their greatest communications challenges, including digital marketing, copywriting and content strategy, public and media relations, graphic and website design, and analytics and evaluation. Kirsten knows that the right technology tools can make a huge difference, and loves helping our clients work smarter - not just harder - through automation, integration, and building strong systems. She’s so organized that Marie Kondo calls her for tips.
Kirsten has supported and partnered with a broad range of local, national, and international organizations for over two decades. There’s a special place in her heart for organizations focused on civic engagement, civil rights and social justice, education, international development, social and human services, and animal welfare (#DogMom). Since joining Common Great in 2022, she has helped dozens of organizations define and reach their communications goals, including Auto Repair Transformation, California ChangeLawyers, Gamers Engaged, FamilyWorks Seattle, HistoryLink, the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, Legal Foundation of Washington, Mary’s Place, Real Good Rescue, Queer Power Alliance, Sankofa Impact, Seattle REconomy, Summer Search, and more.
Kirsten earned her Masters in Public Administration from the University of Washington Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs, specializing in nonprofit management and philanthropy. She served with the Peace Corps’ Small Business Development program in Morocco and on the Board of Directors for OneWorld Now. In her spare time, Kirsten appreciates travel, getting lost in bookstores, playing with her dogs (Arya and Lumi), and hiking. Fair warning: she might show up to an in-person meeting with home-baked treats.
Book a power session with Kirsten here.
Talia Silveri Wright
SEnIOR Consultant
individual giving & campaigns, EVENTS & DONOR EXPERIENCES, fractional LEADERSHIP
Seattle, WA
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Talia Silveri Wright has nearly twenty years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, with a focus on donor engagement and individual giving. She is passionate about designing strategic, effective development and engagement plans that foster impactful relationships and sustainable growth. With a background in donor engagement, fundraising campaigns, event production, digital media, and communications, Talia has many tools in her toolbox for helping organizations identify and achieve the next level of sophistication and innovation in their fundraising.
Talia has successfully led efforts to strengthen donor relationships, transform large-scale fundraising events, implement sustainable giving programs, and enhance overall donor retention efforts. As a consultant, she has worked with over fifty nonprofit organizations across King County and beyond, including Solid Ground, Rainier Valley Food Bank, Stand for Children-Washington, Pottery Northwest, ECOSS, the University of Washington’s School of Social Work, and Forefront Suicide Prevention. She is a skilled network weaver, connecting organizations with partners, supporters, and resources to amplify their impact and foster collaborative opportunities.
In addition to her work in fundraising, Talia is also a visual artist and creative professional. She draws inspiration from her artistic practice, which fuels her passion for advancing organizations that do good in the world. Her hands-on experience combined with her creative perspective enables her to craft tailored solutions that align with organizational missions and goals—delivering measurable results and meaningful connections.
Elizabeth Anderson
PROJECT & OPERATIONS ASSOCIATE
Operations, data, technology & digital marketing
Seattle, WA
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Elizabeth is a talented emerging leader in nonprofit operations and communications. She has 6 years of experience helping nonprofits and social impact businesses achieve their next level of operational sophistication and community connection. Prior to that, she participated in the AmeriCorps program, where she was named the national Corps Member of the Year. A systems enthusiast and project management wizard, Elizabeth excels at keeping our team and our clients on track, poised for their best, and set up to succeed. She excels at finding, implementing, integrating, and customizing new technology tools and platforms that lead to greater efficiency and effectiveness. If you’ve got a problem, Elizabeth will automate the solution.
Flexible Talent
The nonprofit sector has been turned upside down by the pandemic, emerging generational economic shifts, and a workforce with changing expectations.
Common Great is a flexible talent model built for a modern workforce and uncertain economic times. That can give you exactly what you need, when you need it - minus the unpredictable hiring process and overhead costs of benefits and training.
We constantly test emerging best practices in real time across all our clients, and apply those lessons to your organization too.