Who We Are
McAlpine Consulting for Growth, LLC was started in September 2001 by Laura McAlpine to provide expertise and services to nonprofit organizations and individuals, with a primary focus on communities addressing complex social issues. Since that time, we have served over 35 nonprofit organizations in a variety of ways.
Please visit the About Our Services page for information on the work we do.
Laura McAlpine, LCSW, Principal
laura@lmcalpine.com
Laura McAlpine is the Principal of McAlpine Consulting for Growth, LLC and has more than 25 years of management and leadership expertise in non-profit health and social service organizations. Her skills, gained in positions as executive director, manager, and board member, include strategic planning, program development, staff supervision, grant writing, organizational development and public relations. She has worked in a variety of settings, including social service, academic, community, collective, and public/private partnerships. Laura is also a skilled policy advocate with a special focus on health access, maternal and child health, adolescent health, reproductive rights and anti-gay violence.
Laura is a licensed clinical social worker and has a Master’s degree in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago. She is Board President of the Illinois Safe Schools Alliance, as well as a community advisory board member of the Amundsen and Lakeview High School Health Centers. In August 2005, Laura was appointed as a Member of the Governor’s Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes.
Mac and Mairita at the HMPRG Awards, October, 2009
Mairita Smiltars, Consultant
mairita@lmcalpine.com
Mairita Smiltars joined McAlpine Consulting for Growth, LLC as a Project Associate in January 2007, and has since worked with Laura McAlpine on projects in the focus areas of policy advocacy, conference management & meeting coordination, and organizational development. Mairita joined McAlpine Consulting with a range of experience in the non-profit arena, acquired from her time doing project management for the New Teacher Center at the University of California – Santa Cruz and program management for Kidsave International in Los Angeles, California. In 2004, she received her Master’s degree from the University of Chicago – School of Social Service Administration.
Mac Grambauer, Project Assistant
mac@lmcalpine.com
Mac Grambauer provides project assistance with a focus on meeting & conference coordination and policy advocacy campaign support. She also leads McAlpine Consulting’s marketing department and web-based communication. Mac is the lead Project Assistant to Laura McAlpine and Mary F. Morten for Executive Retreats, assisting with marketing, curriculum development and logistics coordination. She joined McAlpine Consulting for Growth in January 2008.
Prior to beginning at MCFG, Mac worked at the Leaning Tower YMCA, an affiliate of the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago, as the School-Age Program Coordinator and Day Camp Director. She received her BA in Communications from Northern Illinois University in 2006.