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Senior Advisors
Dr. Pamela Palmer
Senior Advisor, Nonprofit Strategy
Pamela's professional experience includes consulting in program development, management development, organizational development, staff development, program evaluation, and community development. She currently leads the Guilford County Resource and Referral Center as one of the founders and the Executive Director. In addition, she was an Instructor and Assistant Professor of Nonprofit Leadership and Management for 23 years at High Point University. Pamela completed the Leadership Studies Doctoral Program at North Carolina A&T State University.
Pamela has served and continues to serve, on various nonprofit boards and committees in hopes that she will make contributions that foster quality services and integrity to the many individuals impacted by human services on a local, state, regional, national and international level. Some of her recent board and volunteer commitments are to her church, the United Way of Greater High Point, Guilford County Area Mental Health Association, Mayor of High Point’s Workforce Preparedness Task Force, and Executive and Program Committee member of the American Friends Service Committee. Other volunteer and board commitments over the years include YMCA of Jamestown, Davidson County Smart Start, Youth Unlimited, North Carolina Institute of Political Leadership, Head Start (Raleigh, NC), and the Volunteer Center of Greensboro.
Pamela views herself as a resource for individuals and organizations seeking to develop or enhance their ability to contribute to their community.
Contact: drpalmerpamela@gmail.com
Dr. Danielle Lake
Senior Advisor, Design Thinking
Dr. Danielle Lake is the Director of Design Thinking and Associate Professor at Elon University. Her current work is focused on supporting relational, place-based design projects for addressing wicked problems, building capacities, and transforming systems. To learn more about these efforts, request a consultation, and get involved check out elon.edu/u/elon-
Contact: dlake@elon.edu
Dr. Stephen Sills
Senior Advisor, Research Strategy
Dr. Stephen J. Sills is a distinguished sociologist and expert in applied research, community development, non-profit management, and education with over three decades of experience. He earned his Ph.D. in Sociology from Arizona State University in 2004, where his research focused on the experiences of marginalized Filipino labor migrants in Taiwan. His academic background is further strengthened by a Master of Arts in Sociology, also from Arizona State University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Dr. Sills has held prominent roles in academia and community-focused organizations. For twenty years he advanced through tenured academic ranks as assistant, associate, and finally full professor. While in these roles he founded and directed the UNCG Center for Housing and Community Studies. Currently, he serves as the Chief Impact Officer at United Way of Forsyth County, where he leads initiatives to address complex social issues through data-driven strategies and community engagement. He also works as a Research Scientist at the Office of Research and Engagement at UNC Greensboro.
Throughout his career, Dr. Sills has led over 150 applied research and evaluation projects, making significant contributions to the fields of housing policy, economic development, public health, and racial equity. His work has been published in numerous academic journals, white papers, and book chapters, and he is recognized as a thought leader in the use of mixed methods and community-based participatory research. His methodological expertise includes the integration of statistical and geospatial data with community engagement techniques such as Asset-Based Community Development, Participant Action Research, and PhotoVoice.
Dr. Sills is also a sought-after consultant, having worked with a wide array of organizations including the National League of Cities, Housing FIRST Alliance of East Baton Rouge, and The Prosperity Agenda. Dr. Sills has worked extensively in Asia, Latin America, and across the United States consulting on strategic planning, program evaluation, and conducting applied research projects. His research and consulting work have directly informed policy and practice in areas such as housing equity, environmental justice, and workforce development.
In recognition of his impactful work, Dr. Sills has been honored as a Policy Scholar by the E Pluribus Unum Fund and as a Fellow with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Interdisciplinary Research Leaders Program. His ongoing commitment to social justice and community development continues to drive his efforts to create sustainable and equitable communities.
Contact: sills.stephen@gmail.com