There’s this moment that happens again and again when someone asks, “So, what do you do?” And I pause because the answer is, “I’m in tech… but not in the way most people think.” I often find myself navigating the explanation behind that because while my work lives in the world of platforms, data systems, and digital infrastructure, it doesn’t always match the image people have in mind when they hear “tech.”

I don’t write code. I’m not the person building infrastructure from scratch or running servers. But I am helping build something else entirely: systems that hold complexity, platforms that connect people and purpose, and teams that move forward because someone is thinking five steps ahead.

And that is tech.

Over the years, I’ve come to realize that being a woman in tech doesn’t always mean fitting the mold. It can mean being the one who understands the process behind the product, who translates between stakeholders and software, and who builds not just for functionality, but for impact, equity, and longevity. Strategy isn’t a soft skill in this context. It’s a technical one.

And yet, so many women I admire hesitate to claim space in this world because their work doesn’t fit the stereotypical version of a “tech leader.” We downplay the value of systems thinking, of facilitation, of implementation planning because we’ve been taught to see those things as invisible labor, not innovation.

Here’s what I want to say instead:

Strategy is execution.
Translation is technology.
Leadership is technical.

When we give ourselves permission to be strategic, we unlock a different kind of power not just for ourselves, but for the teams and communities we serve. We make room for nuance, we hold space for conflict, and we design with intention. That work may be quiet, complex, and unglamorous but it’s the backbone of every successful tech-driven initiative I’ve seen.

And I want more women to feel like they belong here not in spite of their approach, but because of it.

So if you’re someone who’s built your role at the intersection of systems, people, and possibility: you’re not “just” anything. You’re in tech. You’re strategic. And your work deserves to be seen.

When I first stepped into the nonprofit sector right out of college, I witnessed both the beauty and the burden of mission-driven work. Organizations were doing incredible things, but often under intense pressure: scarce resources, boards with good intentions but little clarity, leaders stretched thin, and communities whose needs were greater than any single organization could meet.

I started my career at CASA, advocating for children and families, and quickly realized that passion alone wasn’t enough. Nonprofits needed structure. They needed strategy. They needed boards and leaders with tools, systems, and clear direction to match their commitment. That realization set me on a journey that has defined my career.

Building the Foundation

My early experiences inspired me to pursue a Master’s in Nonprofit Management at Regis University, in Denver, Colorado. That program opened the world to me, through coursework, fieldwork with nonprofits and NGOs across the United States and a capstone project in South Africa where I saw firsthand how vision and systems could transform entire communities.

After graduate school, I applied my learning with a national consulting firm, OP3. I had the privilege of working on large-scale campaigns, national fundraising strategies, corporate partnerships, and volunteer engagement initiatives that became models of excellence. I loved the energy, the creativity, and the scale,but when I moved back to Lancaster to raise my family, I knew I wanted to bring that same impact closer to home.

The Birth of coLAB

In 2014, I launched coLAB 1.0 with a simple conviction: our community deserves strong, sustainable nonprofits that have the clarity and confidence to lead lasting change. Since then, along with an incredible team, I’ve worked alongside organizations of every size, helping them pause, think differently, and design strategies that not only fulfill their mission but also build resilience and long-term impact.

Along the way, I’ve been inspired by mentors and thought leaders like Hildy Gottlieb, whose visioning frameworks I still use today, and colleagues across the country and beyond who model collaboration, courage, and innovation.

Why Strategic Planning?

At its heart, strategic planning is about slowing down so you can move forward with purpose.

Too often, nonprofits are caught in the whirlwind of daily demands,program delivery, fundraising events, staffing needs. The urgent overtakes the important. But when an organization takes the time to step back, reimagine its future, and design the systems to get there, something powerful happens:

• Leaders are empowered. Boards and staff gain clarity on where they’re going and how to get there.
• Resources align. Fundraising and staffing strategies flow from clear goals, making organizations more attractive to donors, employees, and partners.
• Impact deepens. With systems to measure outcomes and demonstrate success, organizations can build credibility, accelerate results, and tell a more powerful story.
• Communities benefit. When nonprofits thrive, the ripple effects strengthen the very communities they serve.

Nonprofits exist to solve problems bigger than any one of us. Strategic planning gives them the tools to do that well,not just for today, but for the long haul.

A recent example is our work with the Lancaster Conservancy, where strategic planning brought together staff, board members, and community stakeholders to look five years (and beyond!) at the role of the Conservancy’s preserves and education programs, among many other critical components of their work in both York and Lancaster County. By aligning priorities, clarifying staffing structures, and building a roadmap for organizational sustainability, the Conservancy not only strengthened its capacity but also positioned itself to expand its impact on conservation and education across the region. This is the power of strategy in action, when vision meets structure, organizations unlock new potential to serve their communities.

Why I Love It

For me, this isn’t just work, it’s a calling. Strategic planning allows me to blend everything I care about: empowering people, building systems that last, and creating space for bold visions that feel possible. Every planning process is a chance to listen deeply, to lift up voices that aren’t always heard, and to help organizations see that they can achieve more than they imagined.

And I don’t do it alone. The incredible coLAB team brings together expertise in strategy, data, implementation, and community engagement,and their brilliance, heart, and commitment inspire me daily. Strategic planning is not a solo endeavor; it requires a multidisciplinary team to create the greatest impact. My business partners and colleagues at coLAB are the reason this work is possible.

That same spirit of collaboration is what led us to develop VERVE, our software platform designed to make sustainability and strategic planning more accessible and equitable for nonprofits everywhere. We know that many organizations struggle with cost and capacity when it comes to planning, and VERVE is our way of putting affordable, practical tools directly into their hands,so every nonprofit, no matter its size or resources, can thrive.

I believe that when leaders take time to imagine the future, align around it, and chart a clear path forward, our communities are stronger, more equitable, and more resilient. That’s why I do this work, and why, after more than a decade of coLAB, I still love it.

With purpose + possibility, 

Kate

We’re not just building a platform. We’re building a mission-driven company that brings together sustainability, strategic consulting, purpose-built software, and values-centered facilitation. Our work is rooted in partnership, designed to help mission-driven organizations lead with clarity, confidence, and connection. 

Through this three-part series, we’re excited to introduce the founding team behind coLAB 2.0—not just to reflect on where we’ve been, but to share what we’re building together.

These aren’t just bios or product updates. These are stories about trust, resilience, and the long game we’re playing together. Because at coLAB, this isn’t just what we do, it’s how we do it. With intention. With each other. And with the future in mind.

Meet the Team: Kate Gallagher, Chief Strategy Officer

Strategy That Starts with People

At coLAB, strategy is not just a process. It is a practice of listening, reflection, and intentionality. For Chief Strategy Officer Kate Gallagher, that practice is both personal and professional. She brings nearly two decades of experience working with nonprofits and mission-driven organizations, and she leads from a place that blends rigor with deep empathy.

“coLAB originally started as a consulting practice back in 2014,” Kate says. “It was built around helping people find their way through complexity, really listening to what matters and creating space for grounded, strategic decisions.”

coLAB relaunched its brand and approach in 2025, becoming something even more powerful: a company that delivers both consulting and technology, led by a team committed to values-first growth. The decision came after a major shift—several members of the 2025 coLAB team had worked together at a once-successful tech company that was suddenly sold out from under them. It was a move that prioritized profit over people, and while it could have fractured the team, it only brought them closer.

That upheaval challenged their leadership and tested their unity, but ultimately clarified who they were and how they wanted to work.

“We had built something that really mattered,” Kate recalls. “I didn’t want to walk away from it. I believed in the team and our shared vision, so we chose to keep going—and to build something even stronger.”

That decision led to the relaunch of coLAB as a new kind of company—one that integrates strategic consulting and technology, bringing together the best of both worlds. For Kate, it was a natural next step: a chance to combine her facilitation expertise with purpose-built tools that help organizations scale their impact. It also created the opportunity to reunite some of the most talented people from her career—forming a dynamic, values-driven team at the intersection of service and software.

From Facilitation to Functionality

That evolution led to the launch of VERVE, coLAB’s strategy software platform. As Chief Strategy Officer, Kate helped shape its structure, language, and logic, translating years of in-person facilitation and real-world planning into a tool that organizations can use to facilitate easy and data drive strategic planning. 

“VERVE makes strategic planning more accessible and more actionable,” she says. “It’s not just about technology or consulting anymore – it’s about turning thoughtful conversations into sustainable momentum.”

Kate continues to lead coLAB’s consulting work while guiding its overall strategic vision. Whether she is supporting a city-wide stakeholder engagement or designing features inside the platform, her focus remains steady: help people feel less overwhelmed, more aligned, and better equipped to move forward strategically.

Strategy Rooted in Purpose

Kate’s leadership is grounded in the belief that how we work matters just as much as what we deliver. Internally and externally, she insists on clarity, care, and alignment with values.

“I want coLAB to be known not just for what we do, but for how we show up,” she says. “That includes how we treat our team, how we price our services, and how we respond when things get hard. Our integrity is our impact.”

Her commitment is also shaped by the communities she serves, and the family she’s raising.

“I want my teenagers to grow up in a world where leaders are supported, where systems are more just, and where organizations lead with heart. I want them to know that doing good is not a side project. It is a responsibility.”

Looking Ahead

Kate’s story is just one part of what makes coLAB unique, and it reflects the core of who we are: a team of people who believe that strategy can be both practical and personal, and that doing good work starts with how we treat each other.

As we continue to grow, coLAB isn’t chasing scale for its own sake, we’re building depth, trust, and tools that help organizations lead with intention. We’re proving that technology can be human-centered, that consulting can be collaborative, and that values and results aren’t in conflict, they’re inseparable.

This is more than a company relaunch. It’s a recommitment to each other, to the communities we serve, and to the kind of future we want to build.

And we’re just getting started.

This work is about helping mission-driven organizations lead with clarity, confidence, and connection. Through this three-part series, we introduce the founding team behind coLAB, not only to share where we have been, but to reflect on what we are creating together.

Our conversations go beyond job titles or product roadmaps. They highlight the deep relationships, lived experience, and long-range commitment that shape every engagement we take on. Because coLAB is not just a name. It is the way we work, with our partners, with each other, and with the future in mind..

Meet the Team: Steve Herr, Chief Executive Officer

Building with Vision, Service, and Strategic Resolve

As Chief Executive Officer of coLAB, Steve Herr brings both big-picture thinking and operational depth. His leadership spans decades of experience across behavioral health, nonprofit strategy, public systems, and health technology. At the core of his work is a belief that service and scale are not mutually exclusive, and that businesses rooted in purpose can grow with integrity.

“We are not just creating a product,” Steve says. “We are building a company that supports nonprofits and mission-driven organizations with the clarity and infrastructure they need to grow and adapt.”

Steve first joined forces with the coLAB founding team through a shared history of leading complex, cross-functional projects. When it became clear that their work, and their values, deserved a stronger, more stable platform, he helped shape what would become the next phase of coLAB.

“It was clear that something meaningful had been started. I believed in the team, and I knew we had the potential to do something even more impactful if we brought our efforts together intentionally.”

Designing for Impact, Investing in Growth

As CEO, Steve focuses on aligning coLAB’s business model with its mission. He leads the company’s strategic planning, growth initiatives, and partnership development while also helping shape the culture from the inside out.

“Our short-term goal is to deliver a smart, intuitive online platform that helps organizations assess their sustainability, clarify their priorities, and act with purpose,” he explains. “This platform will not be another one of those tech stacks that require heavy implementation effort and staff buy-in. I have the good fortune of surrounding myself with amazing teammates who have worked in this industry, and understand the pain points that traditionally cause new initiatives to fall flat in both nonprofit and for profit organizations”. “We are building a brand and a team that people trust—not just for software, but for insight, facilitation, and long-term support.”

Steve is clear about what growth looks like. For coLAB, it means building the infrastructure to serve clients at scale without sacrificing personal connection.

“We are planning for significant expansion,” he says. “That includes a national campaign to elevate our presence and reach, and continued investment in product development, staff capacity, and partnership building.”

Leading With Balance

For Steve, business strategy and human-centered design go hand in hand. His leadership reflects both sharp financial acumen and a steady commitment to service.

“I have always worked in organizations where the mission mattered,” he says. “What drew me to coLAB was the opportunity to help build something that honors people, values relationships, and delivers results.”

He is also intentional about building a company that supports its internal team with the same care and structure it offers clients.

“Our internal culture is just as important as our external impact,” he says. “We want coLAB to be a place where people collaborate, feel supported, and bring their best ideas forward. That is part of what makes us different and that is not negotiable.”

Looking to the Future

Steve envisions coLAB as a leader in the social impact space, known not just for its software, but for the way it works with organizations of all sizes to navigate complexity and move forward with clarity.

“We already have a strong foundation and a proven value proposition,” he says. “Now we are building the systems, team, and tools that will carry us into the future.”

His goals are ambitious and grounded.

“I want coLAB to be a company that changes the way mission-driven organizations think about strategic planning and data,” he says. “I want our platform to be trusted, our consulting to be indispensable, and our team to be known for showing up with care and excellence.”

Steve is leading coLAB there, with vision, with clarity, and with a deep belief that meaningful change requires both bold ideas and the strategic infrastructure to make them real.

We’re not just building a platform. We’re building a mission-driven company that brings together sustainability, strategic consulting, purpose-built software, and values-centered facilitation. Our work is rooted in partnership, designed to help mission-driven organizations lead with clarity, confidence, and connection.

Through this three-part series, we’re excited to introduce the founding team behind coLAB 2.0, not just to reflect on where we’ve been, but to share what we’re building together.

These aren’t just bios or product updates. These are stories about trust, resilience, and the long game we’re playing together. Because at coLAB, this isn’t just what we do, it’s how we do it. With intention. With each other. And with the future in mind.

Meet the Team: Jakub Pilecki, Chief Technology Officer

Building Technology That Serves Real People

When people hear the title “Chief Technology Officer,” they often picture someone deeply immersed in code, system architecture, or artificial intelligence. Jakub Pilecki does all of that, but what sets him apart is his unwavering belief that technology should serve people, not the other way around.

Jakub brings more than 25 years of experience designing complex systems and leading software teams around the globe. At coLAB, he is not only building the infrastructure behind the VERVE platform. He is shaping the technology to reflect the organization’s values: clarity, usefulness, and trust.

“I came to coLAB because I trusted the people,” Jakub says. “We had worked together before on high-impact projects. When the opportunity came to build something better, something more aligned, it made sense to keep going.”

That sense of commitment carried over from their previous organization, where the coLAB founders first collaborated. Jakub stayed through uncertainty and transition, not because it was easy, but because he had made a promise.

“I said I would stay through the hard parts, and I meant it. That matters to me.”

From Vision to Code

At coLAB, Jakub is responsible for designing the architecture of the VERVE platform and ensuring it meets the needs of the people using it. This means striking a balance between long-term innovation and immediate functionality.

“My goal is to build software that actually helps people,” he explains. “Sometimes that means taking the elegant technical route, but often it means choosing what will work best for the customer right now.”

Jakub is not motivated by buzzwords or flashy features. His focus is on stability, scalability, and real-world utility. Whether he is leading the team through a complex release cycle or prototyping a new feature that simplifies strategic planning, he is always asking the same question: Will this make someone’s job easier?

“Technology should never get in the way,” he says. “It should support the work, not complicate it.”

Leadership Through Engineering

As a technical founder, Jakub sees his role not only as a builder, but as a connector between vision and implementation. He helps translate organizational goals into product priorities and ensures the platform evolves with intention, not noise.

“I care about making things better—for our users and for our team,” he says. “I also want to keep growing as a developer and as a leader. I want to explore new tools, modern AI, and keep learning how to run a company.”

His perspective is shaped by decades of work across sectors and continents, where he led teams, built startups, and designed systems that are still in use today. What excites him most about coLAB is not just the technology, but the opportunity to build something useful, and to do it with people he respects.

Looking Ahead

Jakub’s vision for the future of coLAB is clear and grounded.

“I want to build a platform that people actually enjoy using,” he says. “Something that feels intuitive, stable, and genuinely helpful. Not just another empty tech product that overpromises and underdelivers.”

His goal is to lead with integrity and to build something that lasts.

“Of course, I want to succeed. I want to help coLAB grow and build something global. But I also want to be proud of what we’ve created, and know that it made a difference.”

Jakub is doing exactly that, quietly, precisely, and with the kind of purpose that shows up in every line of code.