Alia & Mark

Bold leaders and fundraisers can’t go it alone. You need support to change the world. We’re here.

How We Do It

We start by listening.
Every Sea Change service starts with deep listening to key stakeholders including you and your donors.

We synthesize what we hear.
We translate what we learn into clear, concise and actionable recommendations to reach your objectives.

We are part of your team.
You will work directly with principals Mark and Alia who commit ourselves fully to any project we agree to take on.

We are multidisciplinary.
We are well-tested fundraisers and leadership coaches, but also have additional skills including market research, policy and communications.

We are bespoke.
There is no one-size fits all client. We use creativity and listening to ensure we design our engagement and deliverables to make you and your team as effective as possible.

Sound helpful? Drop us a line to see if we’re a fit.

Alia and Mark, smiling and looking at a laptop

Meet our Team

Donors are like sharks; too often misunderstood.
Mark Rovner
Superpowers:
- Fundraising heretic
- Compassion champion
- Active listener
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Mark Rovner

Mark Rovner is a fundraising maverick who believes that healthy organizations and genuine relationships are the keys to philanthropic success. A consultant, researcher, and certified executive coach, Mark's unconventional approach has earned him the title of "fundraising heretic" from best-selling author Seth Godin.

With business partner Alia McKee, Mark has helped to revolutionize midlevel fundraising through their groundbreaking "Missing Middle" series and the establishment of a worldwide community of more than 800 midlevel fundraisers. As consultants, Mark and Alia have helped numerous organizations transform their approach to donor engagement and fundraising strategy.

Mark's coaching philosophy centers on the holistic development of non-profit leaders and their organizations. His clients, ranging from Executive Directors to Chief Development Officers, praise Mark for his empathetic listening, tailored guidance, and ability to spark transformational personal and professional growth.

Mark often calls himself "a fundraiser who doesn't care about the money." What he means is not that the money doesn't matter, but that the well-being of the fundraisers and the quality of donor relationships matter just as much. That philosophy runs through every aspect of his work.

A prolific author, Mark has penned influential studies on diverse topics including midlevel fundraising, generational giving, and building a culture of philanthropy. His work as a former communications VP for an international conservation organization informs his practical, real-world approach.

Mark holds a B.A. in history from Emory University and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center – though he proudly admits he's never practiced law. When not coaching or helping to reshape the fundraising landscape, you'll find Mark behind the camera, capturing wildlife both on land and under the sea.
How you are is more important than what you say.
Alia McKee
Superpowers:
- Joyful creator
- Best hype person ever
- Wild idea actualizer
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Alia McKee

To make social change, you have to fund social change. That's why Alia has dedicated her career to raising money for causes she believes in. Alia is a veteran strategic communications and fundraising strategist with hands-on experience developing research-backed integrated marketing and fundraising campaigns for high-profile non profits.

Alia is also a seasoned leadership coach who relishes helping non profit leaders navigate the complex professional and personal challenges they face as change makers. She is a graduate of the Comprehensive Training in Hakomi Mindful Somatic Psychotherapy and incorporates Hakomi into her coaching relationships.

Clients have included: Amnesty International USA, MoveOn.org, WaterAid, Best Friends Animal Society, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and Everytown for Gun Safety among others.

Alia is a noted speaker, author and blogger. Her thought leadership has been featured in Forbes, NPR and The Chronicle of Philanthropy. She earned her masters in Public Affairs from the LBJ School at the University of Texas at Austin and her masters in Social Work at UT Austin as well.

She is a rescue dog fanatic and a fitness enthusiast. In her off hours, you’ll probably find her in Fort Greene Park walking her furry best friend Chachi or doing push ups.
I’ve never met a challenge I didn’t like.
Sann Knipple
Superpowers:
- Logistics maestro
- Truth teller
- Conductor of "can-do"
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Sann Knipple

Sann has followed a winding road to Sea Change Strategies, where she heads our business and research operations. She is honored to support the work our clients do every day to make the world a better place for everyone.

A self-proclaimed nerd, she started her career as a chemical engineer in petroleum refining and worked in refineries in South Korea, Slovakia and Mexico before transitioning to selling customer relationship management (CRM) software with Siebel Systems. She then took a detour, raising two wonderful children and getting elected to her local school board.

Sann volunteers as a docent with the Chicago Architecture Center, leading boat tours on the Chicago River that highlight innovation in architecture and engineering. And you'll occasionally find her onstage at community theaters and storytelling events in Chicago's suburbs.
Oh, I did that already.
Jessica Hall
Superpowers:
- Stealth lynchpin
- Patience purveyor
- Caregiver
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Jessica Hall

Jessica keeps Sea Change Insight Panels running in tip top shape. Prior to supporting this cornerstone cultivation and research service, Jessica focused her efforts on enriching the lives of young people.

She taught substance abuse prevention education to school kids from preschool to 8th grade. (You would have seen her driving a large, colorfully painted bus to neighborhoods across Chicago suburbs). She also taught second grade.

Jessica splits her time between Sea Change and juggling the demands of raising three bold girls. She lifts heavy weights and probably can deadlift more than you.
Coming soon
Chiara Bistarelli
Superpowers:
- Kind and active listener
- Growth seeker
- Green thumb X a million
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Chiara Bistarelli

Chiara found her way to Sea Change after a few decades of work in the non-profit sector beginning with the Peace Corps in West Africa. After earning a degree in non-profit management, she determined her professional life would remain in service of supporting organizations whose focus is on changing the world and the betterment of lives, human and otherwise.

Chiara worked for an NGO in Zimbabwe working on HIV/AIDS programs, Population Council, Inc. as a Grants and Contracts Specialist in NYC, and for Girls on the Run NJN as the Fundraising Coordinator and 5K Race Director. In between these roles, she took some time away from her career to raise her four boys, who are all pretty cool.

When she isn't running in the woods or in the gym, you can find her on a paddle board on a quiet lake or working as a cat socializer at a local animal shelter.

How We Do It

Meet our Team

Mark Rovner

Alia McKee

Sann Knipple

Jessica Hall

Chiara Bistarelli