Lerii has dedicated her 40-year career to helping nonprofit leaders advance community causes. She served the Texas Cooperative Extension Service, the American Heart Association, and the Fort Worth Chamber before launching Project Partners in 1995. Now through more than three decades of consulting for North Texas nonprofits, Lerii and her team deliver insights and expertise seldom found elsewhere.

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When writing the business plan for Project Partners in 1994, Lerii’s vision was to provide a unique, hands-on consulting approach to increase nonprofit leaders’ capacity for success and community impact – a need she had witnessed many times across Fort Worth and Tarrant County during her years at the Chamber.

That vision came to life. Project Partners has since facilitated the work of more than 265 boards, committees, and task forces; helped raise awareness and tens of millions of dollars in donations, grants, and in-kind gifts; produced more than 1000 high profile events; engaged countless stakeholders around critical causes; and built scores of community programs, creating collective impact.

This has been accomplished while remaining dedicated to a work-life fit business model and the founding values of community, diligence, excellence, relationships, and results.

Lerii, a Certified Fundraising Executive*, gives full credit to the entire Project Partners team for providing consistent results over 30 years to more than 160 organizations to date via 500 separate assignments, representing 75,000+ hours of professional service to our community. And as true partners for good, she gives equal credit to the notable clients with whom the firm has had the privilege to work. The team remains grateful, and as Lerii is fond of saying, “It’s a good start!”

Lerii, a Distinguished Alumna of Texas Tech, and her husband of 39 years, Steve, have two grown children who were raised right alongside Project Partners and now pursue their own entrepreneurial endeavors. She volunteers for her church, the Fort Worth Chamber, and numerous other nonprofit and educational boards and committees.

*The CFRE, Certified Fundraising Executive, is a professional designation from the Association of Fundraising Professionals earned through experience, success, and tested knowledge. Lerii is one of only 7800 fundraisers world-wide to receive this designation.

Alyssa Studer specializes in project management, program design, evaluation, and cross-sector collaboration. With a diverse range of experience in the nonprofit, philanthropic, and education sectors, she has a strong track record of designing and scaling impactful programs, building strategic partnerships, and enhancing organizational capacity through data-driven strategies.

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Alyssa's experience in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors includes her role as a Central Texas data contractor with the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, where she supported program officers and grant partners with data analysis and impact measurement strategies to inform grant-making and investment decisions. She later went on to found, design, implement, and scale CONNECT, a University of Texas at Austin social impact consulting program that provides research, evaluation, and data analysis support to social sector clients while offering experiential learning opportunities for graduate students. Under her leadership, CONNECT grew from serving 50 to 150 community-based organizations and students annually, generating over $100,000 annually through a fee model she developed and securing $2M million in funding for the program. Her efforts also integrated the CONNECT program into UT-Austin’s broader initiatives, aligning the program with national conversations on experiential learning and community engagement.

Alyssa holds a Social Entrepreneurship Certificate for Social Sector Leaders from Southern Methodist University and has been recognized as an Emerging Leader in Philanthropy by the Communities Foundation of Texas. She actively contributes to her community as a board member of FIERCE United Soccer Club, fund development advisor for the Fort Worth STEAM Academy, special projects volunteer within the herbarium of the Botanic Research Institute of Texas, and volunteer youth soccer coach.

Born and raised in Wisconsin, Alyssa graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with degrees in Botany and Environmental Studies. She initially moved to Texas by way of Teach For America, where she taught high school chemistry and coached soccer in Fort Worth and Austin ISDs—an experience that sparked her passion for education and youth development through sport. In her free time, she enjoys playing, watching and coaching soccer, plant identification, reading, and spending time with her husband and two small dogs.

Haily Summerford, MBA comes to Project Partners with more than 25 years of nonprofit executive leadership at the local, state, and national level for organizations such as Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, City of Fort Worth, Fort Worth ISD, Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center, Audubon Texas, National Audubon Society, and most recently, Friends of the Fort Worth Nature Center.

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A former client of Project Partners four times over, she joins our team to put her vast experience and MBA focused on nonprofit management to work to help advance your cause. She knows first-hand that a nonprofit executive or board leader must wear many hats to exceed goals, and that professional help along the way can be priceless.

Haily’s fundraising experience has resulted in millions of dollars raised from annual, major, and capital campaign giving, corporate engagement, and grants from private and governmental sources. Marketing and communications have been at the heart of every role she’s played, and engaging boards and staff members towards strategic goals is a specialty. She has developed impactful community programming across our city, state, and nation, and executed hundreds of events to drive results.

Haily is the proud mom of a middle-school son, and is a decorated Fort Worth ISD PTA leader. A birder since childhood, she also enjoys time with her family, gardening, and caring for her native perennial plants.

Amber Zuckerman, a proud North Texan with over twenty years of experience in nonprofit leadership, public relations, event planning, project management, and fund development, is ready to be of service.

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Passionate about building community, connecting people to support mission-driven initiatives, and developing the workforce pipeline for North Texas, she has dedicated her career to leadership and volunteer roles in education, corporate engagement, local government, and cause-based organizations. At UTA, Amber stewarded donors and helped develop the College Town UTA program. At the Levitt and the North Texas Commission, she managed annual campaigns, memberships, sponsorships, major giving, and events. Her work at the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation lent a hand that raised $150M in just two short years through major donor asks, sponsorships, and creative event planning.

During every work assignment, she expertly manages all levels of communications, PR, and marketing, and excels at engaging boards and volunteers to plan strategically and achieve mutually beneficial goals. Amber is a natural encourager and will work hand-in hand with you to achieve your goals.

When not at work helping nonprofit executive and community leaders advance community causes, Amber loves spending time with her husband, being a boy mom, traveling, movies, music, cooking, baking, air shows, arts, crafts, and margaritas. As she explains, “My ridiculous claim to fame is that I have a margarita named after me at Mariano’s (owned by the original inventor of the frozen margarita machine) in Arlington – it is yummy!”

Leighanne Christon, M.A., is a nonprofit management pro delivering 25 years of experience as a CEO, COO, Executive Director, Managing Director, Director of Finance and Administration, Development Director, and consultant for a variety of nonprofits and community initiatives in North Texas and beyond.

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Passionate about serving as a change agent to assure sustainable community impact, Leighanne’s interest in advancing community causes began while volunteering in the Peace Corp in the Dominican Republic. She has since served the Non-Profit Finance Fund, Youth Speaks, Inc., Nature Preserve Foundation, Pathways Core Training, Center for Family Connections, Carroll Education Foundation, and Giving Grace, to name a few. In addition, her for-profit experience with Dun & Bradstreet, Price Waterhouse and a boutique consulting firm lends invaluable expertise to her work with the nonprofit executives and community leaders we are so privileged to serve.

A natural at developing and coaching staff and board leadership, crafting community programs, increasing earned revenue and philanthropic gifts, and managing operations, marketing, and events, Leighanne always puts people and relationships at the center of her mission-minded approach. Her fundraising success includes annual giving, major giving, grant writing, events, and campaigns for capital, endowment, and special projects. Recent career highlights include transforming an event-based education foundation into a relationship-based nonprofit raising more than $1,000,000 over a period of 18 months, merging two nonprofits for greater impact, and securing several multi-million-dollar grants.

Leighanne holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from Illinois State University, a Master of Arts degree in Economics from University of Illinois, Springfield, and a Certificate of International Business from the University of the West of England. She is married and is the mother of five children (including a set of twins) ranging in age from middle school, high school, college, and grad school. When not working, Leighanne enjoys Pilates, walking, reading, volunteering in her community, and spending time with her busy family.

Wendy A. Williamson delivers invaluable expertise to her role as Vice President of Operations. With more than 28 years of experience in marketing, community relations, event management, volunteer engagement, fund development, administration, and project management, she now oversees Project Partners’ organizational infrastructure, including finance, technology, personnel, and information management. Known for her strong work ethic, self-discipline, and professional drive, she is an essential leader within our team.

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Wendy’s collaborative approach fosters teamwork and inspires those around her to contribute their best efforts. Her ability to transform creative design ideas into practical, efficient solutions sets her apart. She combines exceptional organizational skills with a calm, composed demeanor—navigating high-pressure situations with grace and a great sense of humor.

A Fort Worth native, Wendy earned a Bachelor of Science in Design with minors in art and business from Texas Christian University. Since joining Project Partners in 2001, she has played a pivotal role in numerous projects, contributing her expertise to organizations such as the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, Arlington ISD Education Foundation, One Safe Place (formerly Safe City Commission), Sundance Square, Cook Children’s Medical Center, Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County, Fort Worth Academy, Fort Worth Sister Cities, Tarrant Independent School Consortium, Alliance for Children, Child Study Center Foundation, Better Business Bureau, Via, and Lone Star Film Society.

Before joining Project Partners, Wendy held advancing roles at Cook Children’s Medical Center, where she created the college volunteer program, redesigned the community group volunteer program, and helped develop an award-winning fundraising initiative. In addition to her corporate experience, she and her husband own and operate two small businesses, Ken’s Custom Frames and Nina’s Jewels.

Outside of work, Wendy enjoys spending time with her two children, Ethan and Nina, as well as cooking and traveling.