about Mulberry Partners
Since 2003, we’ve been assisting a wide range of clients—from community organizations, schools and universities to local governments, non-profits and healthcare providers.
The foundations of our ongoing philosophy help groups like yours establish cultures of trust, communication, collaboration, ideas & action. And today, our lean, ‘hands-on’ approach, paired with tailor-made solutions, makes us the smartest way to cut through the many obstacles of this current economic environment.
At Mulberry Partners we …
- do what we say we’re going to do
- respect different perspectives
- maintain confidentiality
- challenge assumptions
- say it like we see it
- communicate honestly and clearly
Betsy Polk Joseph
One of the things Betsy’s mother taught her was to like herself. “If you don’t like yourself, who can you like?” was her mother’s mantra. Her mother was right. By liking herself, Betsy learned to be honest with herself—and with others. She learned to learn from mistakes, not to ignore them.
In addition, Betsy also has impeccable business instincts and well-honed mental reflexes. She attributes years in improvisational theater to her ability to think on her feet when helping organizations improve communication and resolve conflict.
Betsy has assisted private and public organizations in Washington, DC, Maryland, and North Carolina. She’s certified both as a mediator as well as a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) administrator.
She serves on the board of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Public School Foundation. She’s also an admissions reviewer for Duke University and a leadership assessor for MBA students at the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School. Betsy holds an M.S. in Organization Development from the American University/NTL Graduate Program and a B.A. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She lives in Chapel Hill with one husband and two lively kids.
Photo Credit: Melanie Busbee Photo
Maggie Ellis Chotas
Empathy—the ability to see the world through someone else’s eyes—is one of those social skills that’s difficult to teach. You either have it. Or you don’t. And Maggie has it in spades. It’s what makes her such a good listener—and such an astute facilitator.
Maggie has always been able to read words, gestures and expressions, and then instantly translate them into one complete picture. It’s what led to her success as consultant, director and teacher in both public and independent schools. And it’s what gives her such a solid foundation in the field of facilitation and strategic planning.
Maggie holds an M.A. from St. John’s College in Annapolis, MD, and earned a B.A. from Swarthmore College. A graduate of the 2010 class of Leadership Durham, she serves on several local boards and volunteers her time for organizations such as the Club Boulevard Humanities Magnet School and Durham’s Partnership for Children.
She is also a leadership assessor for MBA candidates at the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School. She’s worked in Philadelphia, New York City and Charlotte—and currently lives in Durham with her husband, two children, one elusive cat and a very friendly dog.
Photo Credit: Melanie Busbee Photo
associates
Peg Carlson, PhD
Senior Consultant
Peg has over 20 years of experience in leading clients through organizational change and development efforts with clarity and compassion. She earned her PhD in organizational psychology from the University of Michigan.
Sue Egnoto
Marketing
Sue manages marketing programs from the research and creative stages through to production. Her experience ranges from start-ups to fortune 500s, and spans multiple industries. She holds an MBA from MIT and a BS/MS in Imaging Science from the Rochester Institute of Technology.
Carlene Cearley
Administration
Carlene applies her organizational and communication skills—as well as her incredible attention to detail—to her role as office and project manager. Carlene earned a BS in Computer Science from Old Dominion University.
Cynthia D. Liston
Policy and Research
Cynthia has employed innovative strategies and collaborative approaches to research, policy development, and capacity building for over 20 years. She holds an MS in Public Policy from Georgetown and a BA in Political Science and French from UNC at Chapel Hill.
They worked seamlessly together—synthesized information on their feet and then provided us with comprehensive and useful notes.
Anne Claire Broughton, co-founder
SJF Institute
Having them as facilitators supported me in leadership, and allowed me to participate.
Frances Henderson, Executive Director
Dispute Settlement Center of Orange Counter