Team

The Idealist Consulting team operates in all North American time zones and has representation in Europe, the Middle East and South America. Each member is engaged in volunteer efforts and has devoted much of their career to the betterment of socially responsible organizations.

Idealist Consulting Team

Our professional team assists nonprofit organizations with consultation and customized training in database development, website design, scheduled technology support, technology assessment and planning, among other vital technology services. Each consultant brings a wealth of experience from both public and private sectors, allowing Idealist Consulting to support a multitude of organizations. Our consultants also hold the equivalent of one or more of the following Salesforce certifications:

  • Salesforce.com Certified: Consultant
  • Salesforce.com Certified: Administrator
  • Force.com Certified: Developer

If you are interested in joining our team please write us directly at hr@idealistconsulting.com with the word "Resume Submission" in the subject heading. Please include a brief coverletter in the text of the email with your resume attached in PDF format. Have a look below to see the kind of folks you would be working with...

Rob Jordan
Principal and Solutions Analyst

What was your first job?

I started a business painting bicycles...I had one client.

People would be surprised to hear I worked as...

A line cook, freelance writer, and a climbing guide.

I have lived/worked in the following cities:

Avon, CT; Bellingham, WA; Denver, CO; Lviv, Ukraine; Quepos, Costa Rica; Zion Crossroads, VA; Pheonix, AZ; Portland, OR

I have the following pet(s):

I have a little Collie Shepherd mix, that I rescued while living in Costa Rica, her name is Smoka.

My personal mantra, favorite saying, quote, or expression is...

You don't know how happy you are.

My volunteer efforts include:

I volunteered with the Peace Corps and with the Red Cross as a Disaster Action Team Captain.

Cat Monaghan
Solutions Analyst

People would be surprised to hear I worked as...

A retoucher for a professional photographer.

I speak the following language(s):

English, with a variety of fake accents.

What town did you grow up in:

Rochester Hills, Michigan

Three things that many people don't know about me:

I hate bananas, I am really good at darts, and I have nearly illegible handwriting.

What could you teach someone that most people don't know how to do?

How to make a souffle.

My volunteer efforts include:

I've volunteered as an English teacher in a rural village in Ghana, as well as an English tutor for an organization that helps refugee families resettle in the Pacific NW.

Sarah Lyman
Communications and Outreach Coordinator

What was your first job?

A barista at a local coffee shop.

I have lived/worked in the following cities:

Honolulu, HI and Portland, OR

I would consider relocating to one of the following places:

Someplace with a lot of sun, beautiful architecture, and a warm ocean nearby.

My personal mantra, favorite saying, quote, or expression is...

View each life experience as a chance to learn and grow, remembering that each situation shapes who you are.

Do you have any musical talents?

I pretend that I can sing, while in the car... alone.

My volunteer efforts include:

I volunteered for five consecutive summers at an orphanage in Carmen Serdan, Mexico. I have also volunteered with a variety homeless food and shelter programs in Portland, OR.

Tanner Wells
Senior Consultant and Developer

People would be surprised I worked as...

I worked as a radio on-air personality for a morning show!

I have lived/worked in the following cities:

Minot, MD; Fargo, ND; Minneapolis, MN; Linkoping, Sweden; Lija, Malta; San Jose, Costa Rica; Buenos Aires, Argentina

I have the following pet(s):

A Chia Pet head named Fredo.

My personal mantra, favorite saying, quote, or expression is...

You cannot discover new oceans without losing sight of the shore.

Three things that many people don't know about me:

I'm a Virgo, I am left handed but play golf, guitar and hockey right handed, and I grew up playing curling.

My volunteer efforts include:

I'm am a founder and Vice President of Project Patagonia since 2006. I've also volunteered as an English tutor at an adult learning center in Minot, ID for Spanish speakers.

Calista Carter
Consultant

What was your first job?

I was a waitress at a colonial restaurant -- and yes, in costume.

I would consider relocating to the following places:

Big Island, HI; Chamonix, France; Nepal

My personal mantra, favorite saying, quote of expression is...

Leap and the net will appear.

I plan to learn professionally this year:

How to dress for air travel, without alerting the fashion police.

What could you teach someone that most people don't know how to do?

How to prepare dinner and dessert for 12, over a campfire.

My volunteer efforts include:

I served on the board of my local YMCA for six years while we were designing, fundraising for and building a brand new 22M facility. Now I am taking a little breather from board service, but I volunteer weekly for "writer's workshop" in a bi-lingual kindergarten class.

 

David Cheng
Senior Consultant and Developer

What was your first job?

I worked at a computer store that sold Apple and Vector CP/M computers.

People would be surprised to hear I worked as...

A student journalist.

I speak the following language(s):

English, Spanish and French.

My hobbies and passions are...

Hiking, cycling and music.

My personal mantra, favorite saying, quote or expression is...

When in danger or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout!

My volunteer efforts include:

coming soon...

Michael Smith
Senior Consultant and Developer

I speak the following language(s):

English and Pirate

What nicknames do you have/ had?

Smitty, Mikey, Breadsticks

Three things that many people don't know about me: 

I play percussion in a 3-piece all-original band, I am a first degree black belt, and I was at game six of the 1986 World Series.

What could you teach someone that most people don't know how to do?

Break wood with your hand.

Do you have any musical talents?

I play drums and percussion, but do not ask me to sing - ever.

My volunteer efforts include:

I donate Platelets monthly or so, for nearly 25 years.

John Licata
Senior Consultant

People would be surprised to hear I worked as...

A Missile Systems Analyst Specialist, maintaining nuclear armed ICBM (Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles) in the Air Force for 8 years. I've also worked as a drug rehabilitation counselor.

I have lived/worked in the following cities:

Buffalo, NY; Cheyenne, WY; Wichita, KS; Albany, OR; Hutchinson, KS; Kansas City, MO; Nashville, TN; Overland Park, KS; Saint Joseph, MO

I have the following pet(s):

None now, I had a raccoon when I lived in Wyoming.

If you could have two front row tickets to see any performance, what would you choose?

Any Italian opera at the MET.

My personal mantra, favorite saying, quote or expression is...

When I was young, I admired clever people, now that I'm older, I admire kind people.

My volunteer efforts include:

Locally, The Open Door Food Kitchen, United Cerebral Palsy and I'm beginning a large pro-bono Salesforce.com project for several riding therapy centers.

Jim Westfall
Senior Consultant

What industries would you say you know well?

Finance and nonprofits.

People would be surprised to hear I worked as...

A technician for Lear Jet.

I would consider relocating to one of the following places:

Pula, Croatia; Campeche, Mexico; Borego Springs, CA; Puget Sound, WA

What nicknames do you have/had?

Raid on the Haid and Bozo.

If you could have two front row tickets to see any performance, what would you choose?

Cavalo

My volunteer efforts include:

Coming Soon...

Larry Bednar
Consultant

People would be surprised to hear I worked as...

A manager of a commercial insect rearing facility.

If you could have two front row tickets to see any performance, what would it be?

I hate to sound so out of date, but Jimi Hendrix or Janis Joplin at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival.

My hobbies and passions are...

Long wilderness back packing trips, cooking, and reading history books that are applicable to our current world.

My personal mantra, favorite saying, quote or expression is...

Never believe when someone says they will only be using a database for a short/limited time.

Three things people don't know about me:

I own five guitars, when I was a young guy I considered music my main focus, I was a very skilled softball player, and I do yoga on a daily basis.

My volunteer efforts include:

coming soon...

Franklin Joyce
Consultant

I have lived/worked in the following cities:

Seattle, WA; Gifu, Japan; Accra, Ghana; Bangkok, Thailand; Java, Indonesia; Bali, Indonesia; Aspen, CO

I speak the following language(s):

English and Indonesian.

I would consider relocation to one of the following places:

Any developing country with good surf!

If you were advising an early career consultant (or recent college graduate) on all aspects of their lives, what advice would you give?

Try everything, just make sure you can creatively tie it all into the storyline of your development as a unique and diverse consultant.

I plan to learn professionally this year:

I want to lock myself away to build some beautiful flash displays powered by the Salesforce platform.

My volunteer efforts include:

Icons of Optimism, Geek Corps (Ghana), IDEP (Indonesia), The Service Board, and Washington Bus. 

Hudi Falik
Consultant

People would be surprised to hear that I worked as...

A high school teacher.

I have lived/worked in the following cities:

I was born and bred in the Pitts (Pittsburgh, PA). I moved to Israel for 11 years, now I'm stuck in Brooklyn.

I speak the following language(s):

English, Hebrew, and a sprinkling of Yiddish.

What nicknames do you have/had? 

Hudini (as in the magician)

Three things that many people don't know about me:

I can't swim, I love when things are neat and orderly and I drive like a New Yorker.

My volunteer efforts include:

Once a week for a year I volunteered with elderly and sick patients in nursing homes and hospitals, along with a program that helped needy families cope. I've volunteered for Meals on Wheels, and I am also an avid PTA mom.

Freeman White
Consultant

People would be surprised to hear I worked as...

A manager at a student run dairy barn.

What town did you grow up in?

I moved every year until I was 19. I was born in Vermont and grew up in Northern California before coming back to Vermont.

My hobbies and passions are...

Social entrepreneurship, running, chess, reading, and recycling.

As an adult, I have won or been honored with the following awards:

First 500 Certified Salesforce Professionals.

What could you teach someone that most people don't know how to do?

Be themselves on stage.

My volunteer efforts include:

I have volunteered in middle schools as a mentor to students, I have also volunteered in NYC with schools and community gardens on their composting initiatives.

Beth Colehower
Consultant

I would consider relocation to one of the following places:

Austin, TX

My hobbies and passions are...

Spending time with my kids, baking and cooking, going to the beach, and working out.

Three things many people don't know about me:

Shortly after my husband and I started dating, we spent a year traveling around the Pacific, I have completed three marathons: Big Sur, San Francisco and New York, and I would love to be a correspondent for the NFL.

If you were advising and early career Consultant (or recent college graduate) on all aspects of their lives, what advice would you give?

Live and work abroad to experience a different culture, give back to your community, do what you love and what interests you so that your job is something you enjoy, and always look for opportunities to learn more.

I plan to learn personally this year:

How to knit, how to lay flooring in my house and I want to get better at stand-up paddle boarding in the ocean.

My volunteer efforts include:

Surfrider Foundation, Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre, Stevenson House, Santa Cruz Montessori School, and Angel Tree.

April Harris
Consultant

What was your first job?

Shoveling horse manure, the perfect job for a horse crazy 10 year old!

I would consider relocating to the following places:

Western MA; Maui, HA; Bend, OR; Nicaragua; Australia

My hobbies and passions are...

Being in or around water, traveling, renovation and historic preservation.

My personal mantra, favorite saying, quote or expression is...

Just for today, I am perfectly okay, I have everything I need.

Three things that many people don't know about me:

I am the youngest of 8 kids, I love classical movies, and I've had a lifelong desire to learn how to fly a plane.

My volunteer efforts include:

I've volunteered for disaster relief in Nicaragua, Haiti, and the Pacific NW and as a homeless advocate in Portland. I'm a mentor for teenagers and women from addicted families. Also, I volunteer clerical support with a local Portland charity dedicated to serving infants abroad.

Rick Thomas
Web Developer

People would be surprised to hear I worked as...

A power skating teacher (ice hockey).

I speak the following language(s):

English, HTML and CSS.

Three things that many people don't know about me:

The band I played in while in college had a CD on iTunes, I played American football in Moscow, Russia when I was 12 years old, and my hockey team in high school won the PA State Championships in 2003.

If you were advising an early career Consultant (or recent college graduate) on all aspects of their lives, what advice would you give?

Find something you love to do and you will never work a day in your life.

What could you teach someone that most people don't know how to do?

I could teach them how to moonwalk and juggle.

My volunteer efforts include:

coming soon...

Casey Remsing
Graphic Designer

What was your first job?

I stuffed plastic silverware, butter and napkins into baggies at my house for a local pita resaurant when I was 14. On Saturdays my dad drove me to drop them off and the manager would give me cash and a free pita.

I have lived/worked in the following cities:

Livonia and Rochester Hills, MI. I also spent the summer of 2001 living abroad in Aberdeen, Scotland.

I would consider relocating to on of the following places:

Charleston, SC; Old Mission Peninsula, MI; Key West, FL. If it's on water, I'd consider it.

My hobbies and passions are...

Design of all kinds- especially interior, custom stationery, and wedding invitation, typography, cooking, traveling, being a wife and mom, ice cream, and Tiger baseball.

If you were advising an early career Consultant (or recent college graduate) on all aspects of their lives, what advice would you give?

Remember to build a life- not just a career. Be passionate about everything you do. And start saving for retirement now. Put that money away and forget it's even part of your check.

My volunteer efforts include:

Mission work in Catacamas, Honduras with the Predisan Group. Mentoring at City Mission in downtown Detroit, an organization with the goal to end the cycle of generational poverty. Work with South Oakland Shelter, a moving homeless shelter.

Art Hiatt
Accountant

People would be surprised to hear I worked as...

I was an executive for 36 years at a Fortune 500 company.

My hobbies and passions are...

Riding my Honda 1250cc motorcycle.

Something many people would find surprising to hear about you?

I only have one connection on my Linkedin account.

Three things many people don't know about me:

My handicap while playing golf.

I attended this college:

University of Portland, I graduated with a Masters of Business Administration and a Masters in Financial Planning.

My volunteer efforts include:

Comin Soon...