Vale Jokisch
I've been the staff member in the weeds, figuring out how to deliver programs with too little time and too few resources. I've been the Deputy Director juggling funders, program development, and daily operations all at once. And I've been the COO and CFO of a mid-sized nonprofit navigating rapid growth — rebuilding strategy and systems on the fly while trying to keep the team from burning out.
Over more than two decades working in and alongside nonprofits, I've lived the challenges I now help others solve.
I know what it feels like to be energized by a mission and exhausted by the operational reality of making it work. I know how hard it is to keep the big picture in focus when the day-to-day keeps pulling you back in. And I know that the gap between a good strategy and a functioning organization isn't a leadership problem — it's a systems and support problem.
That's the gap I work in. I help leaders translate vision into clear plans, build the systems and team rhythms that make execution possible, and create the kind of organizational clarity that lets everyone — including the Executive Director — do their best work.
My background spans program development, operations, finance, and organizational strategy. I've helped leaders sharpen their vision into actionable plans with real KPIs; helped growing teams replace manual, time-consuming processes with systems that actually scale; built staffing and performance frameworks that make it easier to lead people well; and worked with organizations to understand exactly where their time and money are going — and whether it's going to the right places.
I grew up between El Salvador and the United States, and from an early age I saw firsthand what nonprofits and mission-driven organizations could do — and what they were up against. My family's history of building businesses and commitment to service shaped how I think about impact: that good intentions aren't enough, and that the organizations best positioned to change the world are the ones that are well-run enough to actually do it.
That belief is what drives this work.
What’s “fractional?”
Senior-level expertise + hands-on implementation
There are lots of types of consultants out there: project-based specialists, skills-based freelancers, strategic advisors and coaches — and now "fractionals." So what makes a fractional different, and how do you know if it's what you need?
Think of a fractional as a senior leader who's embedded in your organization on a part-time basis. You get C-suite level experience — someone who's worked across strategy, finance, operations, and people — without the cost of a full-time hire. And unlike a traditional consultant who hands you a roadmap and disappears, a fractional rolls up their sleeves and does the work alongside you.
Fractionals work to deliverables, not hours. That means our engagement is built around a plan we develop together — with clear goals and outcomes — rather than a running clock. Engagements are typically retainer-based and run 12 months or more, which is what allows for the kind of deep, sustained change that actually sticks.
A Fractional Chief of Staff is the right fit when you need someone who can hold both the big picture and the details — bridging strategy and execution so you don't have to do both alone.
Still not sure if this is what you need? Book a consultation and let's figure it out together.!