About Us
About Adèle James
Adèle James brings a wide range of professional experiences and perspectives on organizational capacity and diversity.
Her work includes leadership as a former program officer for The Women’s Foundation of California, The San Francisco Foundation, and The California Endowment. Over her career, she has managed over $180 million in programs and funding for a diverse range of communities.
In Adèle’s consulting practice, she has worked with public and nonprofit organizations, associations, and foundations from small grassroots nonprofits, collaboratives, and coalitions, to statewide and national organizations. She founded Adele James Consulting Inc. in 2009 to bring her vision of organizational development and equity consulting to fruition.
Combined, this expertise has given Adèle the ability to support organizations in bridging the gap in moving from understanding to action and accountability on important decisions. Adèle holds a B.A. from Columbia University, Barnard College, an M.A. from Stanford University in International Development Education, and is a Certified Professional Coach (CPC).
Our Services
What Can We Do For You?
Core Organizational Development Expertise
(capacity building, strategic facilitation, program design)
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Adèle James is a master facilitator, organizational development consultant, and certified professional coach with over 25 years of experience guiding transformational change across multiple sectors. As founder of Adèle James Consulting Inc. since 2009, she designs and leads engagement processes for groups ranging from intimate teams of 2 to large-scale assemblies of 2,000 participants. Her client base spans government agencies, philanthropic foundations, academic institutions, national associations, and grassroots nonprofits throughout California andbeyond.
Sector-Specific Leadership Experience
(Government, Philanthropy, Nonprofit, Academia)
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Adèle’s practice addresses a wide spectrum of organizational needs, from local community initiatives to national programs. Her work includes collaborations with county behavioral health departments, public health programs, state associations, and various collaboratives tackling complex challenges in housing, healthcare, and economic development. Notable projects include the San Diego & Imperial Counties Mental Health Stigma Reduction Collaborative and initiatives with the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities to improve housing stability and health outcomes.
Capacity Building Methodologies
(Storytelling, arts-based techniques, interactive learning)
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Foundations of Practice
(Education, certifications, portfolio management experience)
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Client Impact & Scale
(200+ organizations, $180M+ managed, rural/urban reach)
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built the capacity of over 200 organizations across California’s dynamic organizational ecosystems. Her experience spans the state's rich tapestry of communities, from rural nonprofits to major metropolitan agencies. Adèle is adept at bridging community differences and understanding nuanced social dynamics across varied geographic contexts. Her highly effective communication skills in written, verbal, and virtual formats, coupled with strong her to foster collaboration across complex organizational landscapes.
Adèle’s facilitated trainings are creative, highly engaging and rated – both in person and virtually. Trainings often weave together multiple methodologies including small and large group discussion, video, music, storytelling, individual and group reflection.
Training topics include but are not limited to diversity, equity, inclusion; strategies for addressing bias; understanding, identifying, and countering white supremacy in organizational policies and practices; team building, effective communication; fostering strong organizational programs; and coaching skills for managers and leaders.
Our Services
What Can We Do For You?
Equity Capacity Building & Action Planning
(online & in-person)
Equity means closing the gaps so that the identities of minoritized communities are not predictive of success across key life outcomes, while also improving outcomes for all. Areas for life outcomes and the social determinants that influence them include but are not limited to housing, education, family income, social support, community setting, access to health services, childhood experiences. Adèle utilizes the Government Alliance on Racial & Equity (GARE) MODEL as a key framework for equity planning.
Meeting Facilitation
(online & in person)
Structured facilitation to enable inclusive, meaningful, and energized group collaboration that supports successful outcomes for retreats, focus and working groups.
Utilization of the Institute of Cultural Affairs’ Technology of Participation (TOP) methodology, and other participatory methods.
Training Development
(online & in-person)
Engagement with clients to identify staff, membership, contractor or community educational needs, and formulation of training outcomes, appropriate instructional methodologies, and delivery.
Trainings are designed around an Adult Learning Theory focus that encourages participant self-direction, allows for drawing from participant experience and orientation to problem solving.