Relationship begins in the comfort of commonality and it deepens through the courage to embrace difference.
Kelli E. Palmer, Ph.D.
Founder & Principal | Kelli@TheIDEAMinds.com
Kelli is a multidimensional leader who focuses on historically underrepresented populations and has done so throughout her career. She leverages education and analytics to provide insights that galvanize change.
Kelli is a strategist and business leader with expertise in IDEA (inclusion, diversity, equity, accountability), sustainability, philanthropy, people and systems management, and the performing arts. Her talent for developing strategy and translating it into action has allowed her to serve organizations ranging from institutions of higher education to leading membership organizations and non-profit start-ups. In these spaces, she improves business processes and operations; builds policies and procedures; creates and oversees high-talent and diverse teams; and aligns business goals with corporate citizenship opportunities.
Kelli earned her Ph.D. from the University of Virginia in Higher Education Administration with a focus on Social Foundations of Education. A scholar of diversity, she published Faculty Service in Black and White, a quantitative study of the impact of faculty service on tenure attainment. This was the first quantitative analysis of “cultural taxation”, a term first used by Amado Padilla in 1994. She also coauthored Driving Change: Diversity & Inclusion in Investment Management, a research based practical guide for industry leaders. Her M.A.Ed. was earned at Wake Forest University in Counselling and her B.A. from Elon University in Elementary Education.
Learn more @ KelliPalmer.com
Mike Murphy
Principal | Mike@TheIDEAMinds.com
Mike Murphy dedicated 25 years as a local government leader in the City of Charlottesville. He exhibited leadership that consistently identified and addressed issues impacting marginalized communities. Mike received both his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Education degrees from the University of Virginia studying Communication and Community Based Counseling. He worked as a counselor, program manager, agency director, department head, and administrator for local government. Mike is currently focusing his professional energy on educating individuals and building their skills to create more inclusive environments.
He created many community-based programs and served as an evaluator and funder for over two decades. Mike has extensive experience in the areas of juvenile justice, child welfare, residential and community-based programs, emergency management, workplace readiness, housing and homelessness, assisting vulnerable populations, and promoting self-sufficiency with low-income residents. He has a proven track record of facilitating inclusive community conversations on a variety of topics and navigating to successful outcomes. He helped create a local Human Rights Ordinance Office and Commission. Mike worked to facilitate the approval of same sex couples as foster parents and to ensure appropriate services for LGBTQ youth. He supported law enforcement and criminal justice policy reform for the fair treatment of undocumented immigrants. As the Interim City Manager he launched an initiative to improve organizational equity and create a new Department in City government.
Mike enjoys working with individuals and groups of all sizes on inclusion and diversity programs, nonprofit evaluation, group facilitation, leadership, coaching, employee learning, managing crisis and change management.
Our Principals have a unified understanding of the power and potential of advanced IDEA practice, and we bring complimentary skills and experiences to the work. We have a partnership that is grounded in respect and elevated through continued learning. Core to the process of sustained change is the commitment to cultivating connections and relationships. To that end, we regularly source and engage other experts to augment our services in support of our clients.