About us
We are social entrepreneurs because we are passionate about doing good in our community using a solid business model. We founded this organization because our community, and now other communities across the nation, asked us for more information on how to effectively do this.
How NI4SI works
Our CoFounders started with several requests for a meeting over coffee to discuss Social Impact, which turned into a company. Each of our four pillars were also developed in response to a community need. We will meet you where you are to ensure that you can be as successful as possible. We believe in the change Social Impact businesses create, and we believe you can make that happen!
Our purpose as a nonprofit educational institution is to provide information at little or no cost combined with professional training, Social Return on Investment evaluation, and 30+ years of experience to provide consultation is a rare combination we have found.
4 ways to become a Social Impact business
Jonathan Liebert
CoFounder and CEO
Jonathan founded the National Institute for Social Impact to educate, enhance and organize the emerging 4th Sector of the economy. He believes that Social Impact can evolve capitalism and that Social Impact businesses can inspire other businesses to strive for a higher purpose and bring elegant solutions to social problems.
As a social entrepreneur, Jonathan has spent the last 19 years utilizing business to solve prevalent social issues and serve disadvantaged populations. Jonathan is one of the co-creators of the Peer Navigator Model, an innovative peer support model for the military that was presented to the White House Joining Forces Team and has been featured in the New York Times and Time Magazine. Jonathan has a Masters in Counseling Psychology.
Stacey Burns
CoFounder and Chief Impact Officer
Stacey has been a strong advocate for Social Impact Businesses, veterans’ transition programs, as well as healing through the arts. Stacey was one of the creators of the Military Creative Expressions program in conjunction with the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center.
Stacey is currently working to increase the understanding and measurement of Social Return on Investment (SROI) through NI4SI, a process she has been developing since 2009. Prior to that, she spent over 13 years helping people realize opportunity through Social Enterprise and other programs. Stacey has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and English and a Masters degree in Counseling Psychology and Counselor Education.
Adah Rodriguez
Vice President of Development and Operations
Adah has always been particularly passionate and driven in her work to improve social issues at a local level. For the past 15 years she has been a part of innovative and entrepreneurial organizations aimed at improving their local communities.
Past roles have included developing and leading programs for at-risk youth that focus on job placement and education, running an alternative high school for youth experiencing homelessness, developing a community garden for therapeutic and educational opportunities, and most recently operating a community health clinic focused on decreasing barriers to healthcare.
Adah holds a bachelors degree in psychology from Colorado College and a masters degree in Nonprofit Management from Regis University.
Paul Myers-Bennett
Vice President of Marketing and Events
A Colorado entrepreneur himself, Paul has a 15-year record of developing and directing strategic operations and growth focused marketing initiatives and enjoys participating in our everchanging business economy. Paul brings an educational background in Organizational Communications, Marketing and Visual Communications.
In past roles, he successfully established strategic partnerships in the financial, B2B, retail and regulatory spaces and possess direct experience growing startups from infancy to established organizations.
Paul applies his experience to building and growing the National Institute for Social Impact (an education-based social enterprise created to enhance and organize the emerging 4th Sector of the economy).
Whenever possible, Paul enjoys exploring Colorado’s vast open spaces, participating in outdoor recreational activities and spending quality time with friends and family.
Andrea Nelson Trice, Ph.D.
Senior Associate, National Institute for Social Impact
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