Jane Arsenault, Principal

Jane Arsenault co-founded Fio Partners, LLC with Anne Yurasek. She is now semi-retired. Her role with the firm is to oversee the knowledge management system and support consultants with training and assistance as needed. Jane worked in the nonprofit sector from the early 80’s until 2019, serving as an Executive Director, Board member, and staff member. Her consulting practice included strategic planning, evaluation, and crafting collaborative models, including partnerships, management service organizations, networks, and mergers. She authored Forging Nonprofit Alliances in 1990, the first book ever published on consolidation of the sector. She has consistently focused on supporting decision makers with high quality information and created the decision support tools and materials that Fio Partners is known for. Her practice spanned the US and Canada, and Jane worked with a wide range of arts, health, human services, and civic engagement organizations. Jane has a BA from Hunter College in English and Philosophy, and an MBA from the University of RI. She now lives with her husband in Boothbay, Maine.

Anne Yurasek, Principal

Anne Yurasek is the Managing Principal of Fio Partners. Starting her career at Deloitte Consulting, she has been an organizational development consultant and trainer for over twenty years in the nonprofit and private sector. In 2007, she co-founded Fio Partners, a consulting firm which serves nonprofits, foundations, and government organizations. Her strength lies in her ability to listen to her clients’ needs and develop customized solutions. From working with large nonprofits, such as community colleges, libraries, and philanthropic organizations to working with cross-sector collaboratives, she supports leaders in making critical strategic decisions. Her ability to guide organizations through their inflection points – whether due to consolidation or growth – is unsurpassed. Anne has an MBA in Management from Columbia University and a Bachelors Degree in Psychology from Wellesley College.

Theresa Chowa, Research Analyst

Theresa is passionate about nonprofit management and driven by her commitments to transform systems, address pressing social justice concerns, and champion equitable policies. Her professional journey includes work with World Relief where she contributed to refugee resettlement policies, Spokane Low-income Housing Consortium where she served as the DEI program coordinator, Faith-Acts for Education where she helped advance education equity in CT as a community organizer, and WWF Global where she conducted extensive research to advance effective conservation policies and practices. Theresa earned her BA in International Studies from Whitworth University and master’s in Public Affairs from Brown University. She was born and raised in Harare, Zimbabwe and now resides in Providence, Rhode Island.

Lauren Currie, Operations & Training Associate

Lauren is a passionate nonprofit professional with over ten years of experience in program management, operations, learning and development, and grants management. Her work has primarily focused in the education, youthwork, and national service sectors. Prior to transitioning to consulting, Lauren served as the Director of the Massachusetts Promise Fellowship, a 40-member AmeriCorps program based at Northeastern University where she led the organization's strategy and operations in addition to managing federal grant and fiscal systems. Lauren received her BA in Psychology and International Leadership Studies from Marietta College and her MEd in Instructional Design and e-Learning from Northeastern University. She is also a graduate of the Institute for Nonprofit Practice Core Certificate program and currently serves as a College Now mentor.

Melissa Harris, Director of Network Services

Melissa strives to help nonprofit leaders build shared vision, direction, and voice. She brings years of experience developing nonprofit brands, engagement programs, and communications to her work at Fio Partners. As Director of Network Services, she oversees Fio's internal operations and product and service development. Previously, Melissa was Director of Strategy and Communications at CO:LAB, a brand development and design studio dedicated to nonprofits. Prior to that, she was Director of Communications for the Connecticut Association of Nonprofits. Melissa has been honored as a “40 Under Forty” by the Hartford Business Journal for her leadership and vision. She has a B.A. in English and Philosophy from Providence College and an M.S. in Nonprofit Management and Philanthropy from Bay Path University.

Brooke Havens, Associate

Brooke has been working in and around the nonprofit sector in Rhode Island for the last twenty-five years as an employee, volunteer, board member, and funder. She has experience engaging the corporate sector in the work of strengthening communities at companies like Blue Cross & Blue Shield of RI and Citizens Bank. Prior to joining Fio Partners, Brooke was the Chief Resource & Engagement Officer at the United Way of Rhode Island, overseeing development and communications and helping to design and launch the Live United 2025 strategic vision. Throughout her varied roles in both the nonprofit and corporate sector, she has built relationships across organizations and industries to achieve strategic outcomes and deepen impact. She has earned a solid reputation as a dedicated, engaged, and goal-oriented professional. Brooke grew up in NYC and received her BA in Political Science from William Smith College and her masters in nonprofit management from Northeastern University. She lives in Warwick, RI with her husband Spencer, a high-school math teacher.

Asa Pereli Silberstein, Research Analyst

Asa joins Fio Partners after spending two years at C Space, a market research company where they worked with clients in the healthcare industry. They developed a passion for the work of nonprofits when they interned at the Organization for Autism Research. At both Wellesley and C Space, Asa promoted inclusion and accessibility, working to create community and improve the experiences of people with disabilities. Asa is excited about qualitative and quantitative research and translating research results into meaning for clients. Asa graduated from Wellesley College with a BA in Cognitive and Linguistic Sciences and currently lives in Somerville, MA.

Jim Berson, Consultant

Jim has 25 years of nonprofit leadership experience supporting strategic planning and partnerships, business development to generate sustainable growth, and cross-sector collaborative leadership. Prior to joining Fio in 2016, Jim was the CEO of the YMCA of Providence for four years, where he led the development of a successful strategic plan that improved operational and financial performance and impact. Prior this position, he served in senior management roles at Meeting Street School (special education) and The Providence Center (behavioral health) including as COO in both organizations. In terms of community services, Jim previously served for six years on the Board of the Quonset Development Corporation, the largest public-private partnership focused on employment and economic development in RI. Jim is actively involved with the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce and sits on the Board of the RI Business Group on Health and the RI Quality Institute. He has also served as an interim executive director at non-profit organizations in Providence. Most of Jim’s work is in the area of strategic planning and needs assessments. Jim received his BA from Brown University and his MPH from Boston University. He lives in North Kingstown, Rhode Island with his wife and two children (ages 21 and 15).

Devon Dabbs, Consultant

A nonprofit leader for more than 10 years, Devon Dabbs’ strength and expertise is rooted in building effective, sustainable community collaborations for change. She is skilled in the intricacies of nonprofit management, with an emphasis on state and national advocacy, capacity building, branding and communication, and program evaluation and standardization. Devon is also recognized as gifted public speaker and facilitator with a talent for establishing consensus among diverse stakeholders. As co-founder of Children’s Hospice and Palliative Care Coalition (CHPCC), a nationally-recognized nonprofit and the impetus behind several California pediatric healthcare policy initiatives, including the Nick Snow Children’s Hospice and Palliative Care Act, she is a well-respected trailblazer in pediatric healthcare reform. Prior to joining the nonprofit sector, Devon was an award-winning documentary filmmaker and television marketing executive. Devon is a graduate of Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business and a recipient of numerous awards including a Peabody and the California Association of Non- profits “Achievement in Innovation.”

Laura Post, Consultant

Over the course of her career and nonprofit service, Laura has built extensive expertise in strategic planning, research and analysis, marketing, organization development, and leadership. As a consultant at Fio, Laura helps nonprofit executives uncover new opportunities, solve pressing problems, and transform their organizations. Laura comes to Fio from the LEGO Group, the global toymaker, where she most recently served as Vice President of Global Insights. Over her 29-year tenure at LEGO, she created long-term strategic direction, delivered customer feedback to drive marketing innovation, and led business units that delivered revenue and profit growth. Laura is currently board Vice President for the Children’s Law Center of CT and board member of the Connecticut Women’s Council. She has served as a board member and staff consultant for the LEGO Community Fund U.S., LEGO’s U.S. foundation, and was a gubernatorial appointee to the State of Connecticut’s Early Childhood Cabinet. Laura has an MBA from the University of Connecticut and a BA in Russian and Soviet Studies from Cornell University. She and her husband live in West Hartford, CT and are the parents of two adult daughters.

Tammy Camillo, Consultant

Tammy is an experienced nonprofit executive and consultant. Her areas of work include management consulting, leadership development, strategy development and implementation, and project management. Tammy previously served as Executive Director of the Rhode Island Association for the Education of Young Children. She also worked as a Project Director at the Rhode Island Department of Health, where she managed several maternal and child health programs. Tammy received her Master’s Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Health Care Administration from Providence College.

Michelle Clark, Project Analyst

Michelle Clark provides integral support to our consulting projects and clients and to our internal firm operations. Michelle interfaces directly with our clients and offers support to the strategic planning process, including information gathering, focus group support and project analysis. Michelle also has over 25 years of experience as a fine art consultant working directly with clients to develop comprehensive site-specific plans for artwork and framing from inception, execution and installation.

Stacy Couto, Consultant

Stacy is an accomplished senior-level nonprofit professional with 25 years of experience in fund development, leadership, marketing and communications, and grant management. She has held leadership positions at education and environmental organizations throughout her career. Most recently, Stacy served as Chief of Philanthropy for Children’s Friend, a child-serving social service organization in Providence, Rhode Island, where she led the agency’s philanthropic, grants and innovation, and marketing and communications efforts. Stacy received a BA in English from the University of New Hampshire. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Mount Hope Learning Center and the Rhode Island Environmental Education Association and lives in Providence, Rhode Island.

Stephanie Lerner, Consultant

Stephanie has over ten years of experience in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors, having worked as a Senior Evaluation Consultant, Program Officer, and Senior Learning & Evaluation Officer. She brings expertise in mixed methods research and evaluation, organizational learning systems, capacity building, and grantmaking & management, with emphasis and a deep commitment to bringing culturally responsive and equitable practices into these fields. She is skilled in facilitating productive conversations among diverse stakeholders. Stephanie holds an MPA from the University of Pennsylvania, and a BA in History/Political Science from SUNY Fredonia. She also graduated from the Justice Funders’ Harmony Initiative in 2021.

Nzinga Misgana, Consultant

Nzinga has over 30 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, 20 of those as a consultant. In her consulting engagements Nzinga works to ensure that all voices in an organization are heard. She has been a community organizer, a public interest paralegal, and the manager of youth development programs. She co-founded and led New Roots Providence, a program dedicated to building the capacity of nonprofit organizations that prioritized small and emerging organizations led by people of color. While at New Roots Nzinga conducted inclusive, community-focused organizational assessments for groups of all sizes. Her consulting is focused on board and organizational development, building collaborations and partnerships, strategic planning, and facilitating uplifting and effective conversations. She has supported organizations of all sizes, from large foundations to grassroots community groups. To each consulting engagement Nzinga brings her passion for opposing racism and promoting equity and justice. Nzinga has a Bachelor’s degree in African and European History from Brown University and a Master of Science degree in International Economic Development from Southern New Hampshire University.

Cynthia Rojas, Consultant

Cynthia helps organizations solve complex problems so they can perform at their best. Her process is inclusive, optimizes buy-in, and helps organizations identify and achieve their objectives. Cynthia’s career spans over two decades and includes senior nonprofit leadership roles, most recently at Clifford Beers Clinic. She specializes in organizational development, process improvement, talent development, and evidence-based change management practices. She has designed, relaunched, and led the following departments: fundraising and development, research and evaluation, quality management, communications, advocacy, and human resources. She also led a coalition focused on youth and has worked with legislators to advance programs focused on youth development and employment. Cynthia skillfully balances practical experience and theoretical frameworks. She earned her M.S. in Research Methods from Hunter College and is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Organizational Development and Strategic Leadership from Southeastern University in Florida.