Meet the Team

Janet Hansel

Janet Hansel, M.P.A.

Managing Consultant

Janet has over 20 years of experience working in the philanthropic sector and over 30 years working with the mission-driven sector. She lived in Ithaca, NY for 25 years and served as the Chief Impact Officer of the Community Foundation of Tompkins County for 15 years, directing all grant cycles, grant services and community engagement initiatives. She brings a passion for building trust with grantees and across organizations, inspiring collaboration for greater impact. She has been a strong advocate for building social capital for those with limited access to it. Janet recognizes the important role funders play as culture creators and in inspiring social change. She is excited about working with nonprofits and funders, advancing the potential for how these entities work together.

Janet received her Master of Public Administration focusing on nonprofit administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. Prior to that she received her B.S. in Social Work from the Rochester Institute of Technology.

Janet lives in Tucson, Arizona with her partner, Greg, with a beautiful view of the Catalina Mountains. They have four adult children living from coast to coast.

Amanda Barret Wittman

Amanda Barrett Wittman, Ph.D.

Consultant

As the kid of academics, I grew up in an environment where reading was the best way to get time alone and data could get me out of trouble. From that, my entire career has been about data-driven storytelling. Today, I am a learning design and evaluation expert who creates innovative curricula, designs program assessments, analyzes data and communicates findings to affect social change.

As a 20-year veteran of higher education and nonprofits, I have come to believe that wide and inclusive research design demands that we utilize non-colonial methodologies and facilitative leadership styles. I am especially excited about the possibilities of Ripple Effect Mapping for helping us answer questions like: How does my organization make meaning out of data? How might we leverage evaluation and strategic thinking to tell new and previously invisible stories? How do we remain asset-based and future-focused? These questions excite me and the organizations I work with. 

 My scholarly work examines the (im)possibilities of radical change agendas in organizations. Learnings about how change happens deepens my own facilitation and partnership work, and this perspective colors my consulting. We will learn together about the interactions of systems and individuals, action and inertia. 

Dr. Wittman received her Ph.D. from the University of Edinburgh in political science and international relations.

Anna Sims Bartel Ph.D.

Consultant

Dr. Anna Sims Bartel brings 20 years of experience in higher education leadership and six in nonprofit consulting, all with a focus on democratically-engaged assessment; partnership development; network-weaving; institution-building; and engaged learning systems.  Her work centers on weaving together learning, culture and action to make higher education, humanities, and public work more useful in the world. She is focused on building capacity in the public sector, institutionalizing civic values, and growing stronger generations of leaders; she has built centers and programs within and across sectors; designed and lead strategic planning and implementation processes; and undertaken comprehensive and collaborative initiatives for program, coalition, and institutional development. Her facilitation is anti-supremacist and centers human relationship, drawing from a range of approaches including Liberating Structures, Art of Hosting, Circles of Trust, and Story Circles.

 Once described as “part administrator, part academic, and part activist,” Dr. Bartel earned her Ph.D. from Cornell University and her B.A. from Princeton, both in Comparative Literature. 

Dr. Bartel is also a published poet, organic gardener, and ecosystem steward; she belongs to a 72-acre forest of the Northern Allegheny Plateau.

As a rising junior at Cornell University, I am pursuing a degree in Information Science, triple concentrating in Data Science, Interactive Technologies, and Behavioral Science, with a minor in Business. Hailing from Plano, Texas, I have always been driven by a curiosity to understand and solve complex problems through technology. At Cornell, I am involved in an AI-based research lab, engineering project teams, and the Milstein Program for Technology and Humanity. As a patent holder and aspiring data scientist, my passions revolve around leveraging data to drive innovation and enhance client experiences.

This summer, I am thrilled to join Grant Street Consulting as a Consulting Associate, where I aim to expand my skill set to include Ripple Effects Mapping. At GSC, I am eager to bring my unique blend of analytical and creative talents to support their mission of empowering community organizations and nonprofits.

Sidhya Peddinti

Consulting Associate

Carter Koranda

Consulting Associate

Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, I brought my passion for business to the University of Arizona, where I am pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Business Economics. As I head into my senior year, I am excited to grow my professional experience as a Consulting Intern at Grant Street Consulting. I excel in client relationship management and enjoy working with people. I am eager to contribute these interpersonal skills to Grant Street Consulting’s mission and societal impact. Through this internship, I aim to develop my skills in qualitative data analytics and master the use of Ripple Effects Mapping. I am enthusiastic about the opportunities ahead and look forward to making a meaningful contribution to the GSC team! 

Mia Desravines

Consulting Associate

I am a rising junior at Cornell University who embodies a blend of intellect, empathy, and leadership. As a Milstein Program of Technology and Humanity Scholar, I am deeply interested in the intersection of science, technology, consulting, and business. My drive for positive change is evident in my advocacy for diversity, equity, and inclusion. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I founded the WriteOn Pen Pal initiative, supporting residents of an assisted living facility in New York City.

At Cornell, I am actively involved in the community, driven to empower others and provide representation. With career aspirations in consulting, I am eager to intern at Grant Street Consulting, leveraging my academic excellence and diverse experiences. I am not just a student but a trailblazer, committed to making a lasting impact on the world.

Why “Grant Street?”

Why Grant Street Speech

I grew up on Grant Street in Utica, NY during the 70’s and early 80’s. Utica’s economy was suffering and the city was shrinking like many rustbelt cities of that era. My neighborhood was predominantly lower to middle income, and my neighbors and friends at school came from across the socio-economic spectrum. My mother worked with Southeast Asian refugees and my father was in the clergy, serving an economically diverse faith community. Creating environments where new and unexpected relationships could flourish was one of my parents’ many superpowers.

Inspired by my childhood experiences and my parents’ legacy, I have had the honor of developing and growing grant opportunities for many communities over the last two decades. At Grant Street Consulting, we’re excited to hear your stories, and to support the important work of building philanthropy and making an impact in your community.

“Janet Hansel is able to draw out the strengths and expertise of the people she works with, allowing them to arrive at strong, locally workable solutions. As an evaluation consultant, she engages her expertise with the REM process and her organizational experience to help clients use evaluation as a learning tool and a means to foster reflection among staff.”

Ann W. Martin

Former Associate Dean of the Cornell School of Industrial and Labor Relations