About
Doctor. Colombiana. Mother.
Our Story
Palante Nonprofits, LLC, started because of a crucial need within the consulting sector to meet organizations where they are. We are about leveraging an organization's existing human and financial capacity to achieve tangible results. The journey began with a commitment to optimizing resources, fostering growth, and enabling scalability. Palante Nonprofits embraces the philosophy that by harnessing current capabilities, organizations can achieve immediate success and lay the foundation for sustained scale and growth.​​
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“We are in the business of moving communities forward.”
Meet the Team
Founder/CEO | Principal Consultant
Dr. Andrea Ortega
Dr. Andrea Ortega is a seasoned nonprofit strategist, founder, and advocate dedicated to empowering mission-driven organizations to thrive. With over a decade of experience in nonprofit leadership, philanthropy, and organizational development, Andrea has supported dozens of grassroots and national organizations in building sustainable structures, strengthening fundraising capacity, and expanding their impact. Her expertise bridges strategy, operations, and growth planning, allowing nonprofits to move from vision to execution with confidence and clarity.
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Andrea holds a doctorate in Public Affairs with a focus on Nonprofit Management and is deeply committed to creating spaces where diverse voices can lead transformative change. Her approach is rooted in partnership—working alongside nonprofit teams to co-create solutions tailored to their unique challenges.
Consultant
Kate Sheahan McElroy
Kate has been a prospect researcher for over a decade. She has worked for a variety of organizations including nonprofits of all sizes, tech start-ups, and corporate foundations, focusing on prospect research and management for both donors and grants.
With a master’s degree in Philanthropic Leadership from the University of Denver and a strong track record of managing research systems, she leverages her sharp analytical skills to create actionable, straightforward fundraising insights and deliverables. She excels at building and maintaining prospect pipelines, evaluating donor capacity, and designing grant‑seeking strategies that align with organizational priorities.
In her role at Palante Nonprofits, she helps mission‑driven organizations identify and qualify potential donors, maps relationships, maintains data fidelity and integrity, and refines donor‑cultivation strategies.
Administrative Assistant
Celyn Olivera
Celyn brings a strong background in content creation, translation (Spanish/English), branding, and is fluent in tools like Canva, Google Workspace, Notion, and more. She's bilingual and comes with a great mix of creativity and organizational skills. Her passion for continuous learning and innovation makes her a valuable asset to our growing team.
Camila is a sophomore at the University of Chicago majoring in Business Economics and Psychology. This past summer, she interned with a public health consultant, conducting housing research and community surveys to better understand the challenges faced by residents of manufactured home communities. On campus, she is involved in TAMID, a student consulting organization that partners with early-stage startups, and BOLD, where she worked with the nonprofit LEDA to provide pro bono consulting services. She is drawn to work that blends analytical problem-solving with meaningful community impact. Outside of academics and consulting, she stays active through cheerleading and going to the gym, and she enjoys building genuine connections with people in every setting.
Intern
Camila Giraldo
Our Values
Forward Thinking
(Siempre Palante)
Truth
Collaboration
Caring is Cultura
We don’t just move forward—we move with purpose. Siempre Palante is how we honor where we come from while staying focused on where we’re going. We believe in building systems that don’t just respond to today’s needs, but open doors for tomorrow’s possibilities.
We speak truth, even when it’s uncomfortable. We say what we mean and follow through on what we promise. Honesty helps us build trust, sharpen ideas, and grow together. Integrity isn’t optional—it’s the foundation of everything we do.
We don’t believe in solo genius. We believe in shared wisdom, collective power, and working across silos. We ask for help, offer support, and value every voice. We know the best work happens when we build together.
We bring care into everything—how we lead, how we communicate, and how we show up for each other. We make room for rest, joy, and boundaries. We believe care is strategy, culture, and commitment.
How we give back:
At Palante Nonprofits, giving back is at the heart of our mission. Our Founder and CEO, Dr. Andrea Ortega, actively serves on the Leadership Council for SALT Outreach and the Board of Mujeres in Marketing, supporting initiatives that uplift communities. In addition to these commitments, we dedicate time each year to providing pro-bono consulting services to a nonprofit organization. This year, we had the privilege of working with the Junior League of Greater Orlando, equipping their Fundraising Council with the tools and strategies needed to strengthen their impact. Through these efforts, we remain committed to empowering organizations that serve others.
