Nonprofit Leadership Development and Social Innovation Solutions
Mannarino Consulting was created to help bring out the best in the nonprofit sector. After nearly 25 years working at the project management, development, and executive levels, Christa Mannarino (MBA, CFRE®), founder of the firm, wanted to give back to the people who work every day to make our communities better places to live, work, and play.
Her firm offers critical management and leadership strategies to nonprofit organizations across the region. Specializing in nonprofit leadership development and social innovation, services include: strategic planning, interim leadership posts, fundraising planning and training, and social innovation solutions designed to align with mission and introduce new revenue for increased sustainability.
Christa is a practitioner having worked in both the nonprofit and small business sectors with a special interest in community development and social enterprise. What makes her firm unique is that she collaborates with other top-notch professionals who work in their respective fields and continue to understand the reality of the day-to-day operations. Mannarino Consulting Partners are dynamic and community-focused individuals who stay abreast of current trends through maintaining their professional development work and cultivating their strong networks.
Christa Mannarino, a Chattanooga-native, has been successful in start-ups, nonprofits, and well-established companies. She started her career in 1989 when she worked for a global marketing research company, in London, England.
Upon her return to the U.S., Christa served in a marketing role for Chattanooga Venture, a civic action, nonprofit organization responsible for organizing citizens’ voices that shaped the renaissance of Chattanooga via neighborhood revitalization, environmental sustainability, arts and culture, and tourism. This experience ignited her passion for community service and the nonprofit sector.
Christa served as executive director for the Association for Visual Arts (2000-10), where she built a solid nonprofit organization yielding a 60% increase in memberships, an 80% increase in volunteers, and local and national awards for program quality and community service. Additional community initiatives in which she has been a part, included her work with the North Shore Chamber of Commerce Council to develop an effective merchant collective, and the Chattanooga Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, local foundations and city/county government to build an arts tourism initiative for Chattanooga.
She has secured $16 million from foundations, corporations, and individuals over the past 20 years through grant writing, corporate sponsorships, and individual giving campaigns. Using an entrepreneurial approach, Christa has created mission-focused initiatives which have yielded new revenue streams for nonprofits. Among these are the 4 Bridges Arts Festival™; the AVA New Media Initiative; Mad Bad and Dangerous©; and Venture Forward’s Bold Social Impact conference.
In 2015, Christa launched Mannarino Consulting, which serves nonprofits and foundations across the region. Specializing in nonprofit leadership development and social innovation, services include: strategic planning, interim leadership posts, fundraising planning and training, and social innovation solutions designed to align with mission and introduce new revenue for increased sustainability.
Christa earned her bachelor’s degree in fine art from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and her master’s degree in business administration from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She is a professional facilitator and holds the international Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) certification.
