Meet the Team

Meet the people that make things possible at LifeSpring Consulting. Learn about them and rest assured you’re in good hands.

  • Domonique Griffin leads LifeSpring Consulting, LLC, where she brings nearly a decade of expertise in research and evaluation. She is a seasoned research and analytics professional dedicated to advancing community development initiatives. From crafting monitoring and evaluation strategies for local nonprofits to developing automated reporting systems for Fortune 500 companies, Domonique has significantly contributed to projects that enhance community health, food security, affordable housing, and economic development. 

     

    Domonique leverages her expertise in research and systems thinking  to guide nonprofits, banks, and foundations in making strategic investments and assessing program impacts. Her work, both domestically and internationally, has shaped toolkits, reporting frameworks, and evaluation systems, impacting cities like Buffalo, New York; Chicago, Illinois; Geneva, Switzerland; and Accra, Ghana. Her research has earned recognition from esteemed publishers, including the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. 

  • Kate Hays is an urban planner and researcher whose focus is on the impacts of the built environment, particularly at the intersection of community health, racial equity, and climate justice. She holds master’s degrees in urban planning and public health from the University at Buffalo, SUNY where she specialized in community health and food systems planning. She also completed a bachelor’s degree in sociology at Boston University. Previously, she worked in refugee resettlement, providing medical case management and teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) classes to adult immigrants. 

  • Dr. Schuyler Lawson is an expert in survey design, qualitative and quantitative methodology, data visualization, literature reviews and managing small to moderate-sized research teams. Prior to joining the LifeSpring Consulting Network, he worked as an epidemiology fellow at the Erie County Department of Health, Office of Health Equity. Dr. Lawson specializes in tobacco-related health disparities and other public health related research topics. He holds a doctorate in Community Health and Health Behavior, as well as a Master in Psychology from the University at Buffalo.

  • Raven Johnson brings over seven years of experience in education, specializing in fostering equitable learning environments and advancing postsecondary success for students. Her expertise includes designing and implementing Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), developing initiatives to support educational outcomes, and collaborating with stakeholders to ensure inclusive practices that drive measurable results.

    A graduate of Bradley University, Raven holds a Bachelor’s degree in Learning Behavior Specialist and a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. Her background equips her with exceptional skills in project management, strategic communication, and teamwork, which she applies to support data-driven decision-making and program evaluation.

    Raven is deeply committed to promoting equity and access through her work. She volunteers with nonprofit organizations and mentors youth, contributing to initiatives that create lasting impact within communities.

  • Yakshi.Design is a Chicago-based Graphic Designer with a passion for branding, digital design, and community. She brings her creativity and integrity to every project, drawing on years of experience across events, prop design, and managing websites and social media for an international toy company. A firm believer in the power of teamwork, Yakshi has spent the past year collaborating with small businesses to create captivating brand designs and sleek websites. Her upbringing in a close-knit Hispanic community deeply influences her design process and work philosophy. She is always eager to connect with new people and bring fresh ideas to her professional collaborations. 
    Check out her work at www.yakshi.design

  • Kris Walton is a dedicated community development professional who specializes in affordable housing development and food security. His experience spans across the governmental and nonprofit sectors where his research has underpinned affordable housing plans and contributed to the revitalization of communities by bridging the gap between housing and economic stability. His dedication to food security advocacy has manifested in innovative projects and partnerships that ensure equitable access to fresh, affordable options. Kris is also a GIS expert, skilled in creating maps that highlight areas of opportunity and analyze community trends.

Meet the Collaborators

Our approach to each project is dynamic, allowing us to tap into a diverse pool of professionals who bring unique perspectives and expertise. We're proud to regularly collaborate with some of the brightest minds in the industry, including:

  • Dejia Marie James is the founder of Turntable Renaissance Consulting -- a public policy, public relations, and communications firm specializing in the use of media creation and public relations for community-centered advocacy. Utilizing years of experience in non-profit, philanthropic and public policy sectors, Dejia creates media projects, strategic initiatives, and community impact events to elicit social change through storytelling. Additionally, she is host of The Public Good, a weekly radio show and podcast, on WUFO 96.5, YouTube and podcast platforms, revealing the real faces and spaces of community work; connecting their stories to national social issues relevant to Western New Yorkers and the rest of the world. You can learn more about Dejia at www.turntablerenaissanceconsultancy.com/

  • Ellen Shepard is CEO of Community Allies, a Chicago-based firm that empowers communities in decision making, facilitates collective impact, and uplifts locally-owned and BIPOC-owned businesses. She specializes in strategic planning, coalition building, and program development for organizations addressing systemic inequities, including CDFIs, CDCs, government agencies, and others. Ellen was formerly the executive director of the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce in Chicago, where she was one of the pioneers of the Shop Local First movement. Ellen is on faculty at Roosevelt University's Masters of Arts in Community Development and Action and Masters in Public Administration programs. Learn more about Ellen and Community Allies here: www.communityallies.net

  • Katrina Goins Consulting (KGC) is a social impact consultancy dedicated to driving positive change across the US through innovation, unity, and advocacy. KGC focuses on bridging the wealth gap, creating inclusive opportunities, supporting community development finance initiatives, and aiding mission-driven organizations, related consulting firms, and low-to-moderate income individuals with housing loan solutions. Katrina is skillful in grant writing, RFP research, general research and data compilation, supporting mission-driven organizations (such as CDFIs, nonprofits, and purpose-driven for-profits) with funding outcomes, compliance needs, developing strategic plans and executing strategies (outcome based next steps), creating documents like Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) initiative perspective reports, manuals on how to effectively utilize AI within the workspace and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) strategies as well as offering affordable housing solutions for individuals with credit challenges or high debt-to-income ratios.

  • Crystal Coats is the Founder of Legacy Consulting Group. Crystal's  work focuses on creating sustainable social impact through strategy, training, and advising. Crystal creates programs that are data-informed, culturally inclusive, and carry strategic value to the organizations and the communities they serve. Her work has spanned the arts, higher education, government, and financial sectors. She has experience leading staff teams and engaging with philanthropy, along with supporting executive leaders in designing and implementing strategy. Crystal graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with her bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in Black Studies. She received her master’s degree from the University of Chicago's Master of Arts in Humanities program. In 2016 she was a Fellow in the University of Chicago's Civic Leadership Academy and holds a certificate in nonprofit board leadership.  

    Crystal also serves on the Board of Social Responsibility Chicago. You can learn more about Crystal and her work here: https://www.legacyconsultgrp.com/