I am an educator, instructional designer, strategist, and advocate for the social sector.
The poem I keep above my desk is “To be of use” by Marge Piercy. It calls to my sense of mission to make the world a better place, to my curiosity to find solutions with others who similarly “submerge in the task,” and to the admiration I carry for my teachers “who do what has to be done, again and again.”
I stand in two worlds:
I am a nonprofit person who has worn every hat possible: executive director, founding program director, board chair, strategic planner, volunteer, and consultant.
I am an educator and instructional designer who led an ESL school, taught social studies at an international school, created and led three adult learning programs (one won the Golden Apple Award from KCTS!), and designed nonprofit learning tools used in communities across Washington State.
Over the course of my career, I founded three learning programs, including those at the Nonprofit Association of Washington and the World Affairs Council in Seattle. In 2020, I launched Nancy Bacon Consulting LLC to help those working for the greater good (nonprofits, associations, philanthropic organizations, government agencies, consultants, and others) design and deliver learning solutions that move people to action. Nancy Bacon Consulting is now an educational production company, partnering with other sector leaders, to deliver outcome-focused conferences, learning events, and curriculum.
I am strongly influenced by my experiences outside the United States.
- I worked in a plastics factory, leather factory, and eventually at Daimler Benz, living with a family near Stuttgart, Germany. I spent a semester studying at the University of Heidelberg.
- I taught at the International School Manila in the Philippines, giving me the opportunity to experience urban and rural communities across Southeast Asia.
- Based in Seattle, I worked for over ten years with a project in Salvador, Brazil that educated Afro-Brazilian girls and women.
I have degrees in German Literature and Economics from Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania. I have a Masters in Public Administration from the Evans School Public Policy & Governance at the University of Washington. I took coursework in education at the UW’s College of Education.
But enough about me. Let’s get to work!
Greek amphoras for wine or oil,
Hopi vases that held corn, are put in museums
but you know they were made to be used.
The pitcher cries for water to carry
and a person for work that is real.
See my LinkedIn profile for information about my work history.
I look forward to hearing from you!
