GBP
COLLABORATIVE
Your Partner in Organizational Transformation
Here at GBPCollaborative, we help leadership teams achieve purpose-driven results by listening to those closest to the problem, fostering collaboration, and advancing communities of practice through strategic frameworks, professional development, and meaningful gatherings.
Led by Garett Brownlee Plantz, with decades of experience across sectors, our Collaborative works because we harness unique strengths and stitch together strategy with joy.
BELONGING
IMPROVEMENT
STRATEGY
CAPACITY BUILDING
PHILANTHROPY
GBP COLLABORATIVE
SERVICES
Our approach begins by listening.
We believe the best way to find actionable solutions is to focus on the individuals closest to the problem. We take a collaborative approach to developing strategies that address both the “what” and the “how.” We operationalize ideas and plans around strengths, allowing for our desired outcomes to become a reality.
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Provide excitement for Continuous Improvement as an equity-centered process, developing key mindsets and toolsets essential to get movement on an authentic problem of practice. Sequences include building the rhythm and routines of improvement - workshops, coaching during action periods, and learning consolidations.
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We guide organizational leaders and teams through an inclusive, participatory process to identify goals and priorities, resolve competing views, and craft principles and plans for decision-making and resource allocation. Our sequence includes change readiness, program audits, user-needs, and points of friction to roll into what's possible (and benchmarks to measure) in one, three and five years.
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We reimagine events, meetings, and learning experiences to transform and connect people to their purpose. This involves assembling a design team, determining objectives, leveraging strengths, and managing all the details to ensure seamless connections and progress—all while having a GREAT time.
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We believe in learning by doing. From workshops to intensive training sessions and facilitated dialogues or hosting support, we offer a range of formats to suit your gathering needs. Topics are extensive, ranging from DEI and cultural competency to strategic planning and improvement science.
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We guide organizations in adopting socially-conscious strategies through a collaborative process that identifies goals, resolves competing priorities, and crafts principles and plans for impactful philanthropy. Our approach includes a thorough assessment of current efforts, capacity building, and stakeholder engagement to support strategic development and implementation. By facilitating connections and fostering collaboration, we enhance program effectiveness and ensure sustainable impact. This method aligns efforts with organizational values and benchmarks progress over one, three, and five years, ensuring meaningful community engagement that puts actions to values.
"I have the privilege of co-designing and co-facilitating DEI & Liberation workshops with Garett, and she is intentional, inclusive, and understands the significance of impact, repair, and healing. She facilitates professional development with love, grace and humor and is a natural born connector who has the ability to nurture belonging with every being she encounters. Regardless of race, class, gender, or region, she can make anyone feel like they matter and are worthy of their dreams."
- Dr. Michelle Sadrena Pledger, Director of Liberation, High Tech High Graduate School of Education
PROFESSIONAL
EXPERIENCE
Garett Brownlee Plantz brings a wealth of experience as a licensed social worker, coach, community organizer, grantmaker, and executive leader. Her direct work with youth, parents, and leaders at various levels—grassroots, local, national, and international—has profoundly influenced her approach to equity and leadership. Remaining curious about ongoing learning and unlearning, Garett is driven by her belief that everyone deserves care, connection, and choice.
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Leadership & Improvement Coach, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Facilitator
-Oversee the "Improvement for Equity by Design" (15M) project with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, improving Continuous Improvement capacity in 35 National Network Improvement Communities, while coaching leaders to develop impactful programs and evaluations that have an impact beyond individual equity initiatives.
-Provide individual coaching, live cases, & professional development to 32 schools striving for college access equity.
-Offer coaching and tailored professional development to executives from various institutions including Baltimore Public School District, Arizona Meta Network, University of Mississippi, Stanford's Challenge Success, and others.
-Lead monthly DEI professional development sessions for High Tech High Graduate School Staff.
-Deliver professional adult learning sessions covering topics such as Continuous Improvement 101, Data for Equity, Positive Deviation, Root Cause Analysis, Managing Change, Backwards Design, Repair Making, Freedom Dreaming.
-Establish strategic partnerships resulting in the acquisition of eight consulting contracts, totaling over $250K.
-Chair the Graduate School’s Financial Sustainability Committee, ensuring alignment with goals and outcomes
-Lead designer and convener for Community of Practice, bringing together 300 grantees to improve school equity
-Serve as a faculty member for Graduate School’s students, High Tech High K-12, and Center for Love and Justice.
-Launched a Bill & Melinda Gates funded learning community in collaboration with the Carnegie Foundation to guide five organizations in implementing a breakthrough collaborative model tailored to their unique contexts.
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ADJUNCT PROFESSOR
August 2022 – present- Community & Macro Social Work Theory & Practice, in-person & virtually
- Evidence in Practice
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VICE PRESIDENT OF PROGRAMS & OPERATIONS
and Interim Executive Director
Dec 2015 – Dec 2020- Led the re-imagination of all programmatic, fiscal, and operational oversight in response to COVID-19
- Established financial forecasting system, driving a 30% reduction and 20% increase in revenue
- Scaled programming by 160%, directly supporting 36 staff over 4 departments in K-16 across two counties
- Led collective impact initiative, including program coordination, measurement strategy & partnership
- Oversaw all programmatic and operational functions reaching over 1,200 youth & families, including learning and evaluation strategies utilizing Youth Program Quality tools
-Conduit to the Health Equity Initiative a program collaborative garnering over $400K in annual tax funds
-Spearheaded an effort to translate and transcreate all written materials in both Spanish & English
-Expanded post-secondary access to 65% postsecondary completion for youth experiencing economic poverty
-Pioneered Director of College and Career Programs position, 2008-2011
-AmeriCorps Direct Service Member, 2008-2009
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MANAGER OF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS & GRANT PROGRAMS
Whole Cities Foundation & Whole Kids Foundation
Aug 2013 – Aug 2015- Founded first grant program framework & distribution (now Community First Grant Program)
- Established for the Foundation an evaluation and decision-making process for funding recommendations
- Co-designed success metrics with FootPrint Farms, Englewood Village Farms, and Liberty’s Kitchen
- Built corporate giving and give-back program for giving of over $1M for Food Access & School Grants
- Served, supported, and selected 500 School Garden Grant recipients
- Piloted nationwide program for 80,000 Whole Foods employees to volunteer with local garden grantees
- Provided training, direction, and service to team members and grantees on database grant portal system
- Represented the Foundations to national initiates combating childhood obesity and food insecurity
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PARTNERSHIP MANAGER AND SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER
Office of Innovation
Aug 2011 – Aug 2013- Conduit to multi-million-dollar partnership with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation for community-led programming
- Alternative Learning Center School Social Worker
“Garett is that person who can engage any person she meets on any topic, getting them to let down their guard and open up within a few minutes. It is an absolutely brilliant quality which serves her well in any type of role where relationship building and management is important.”
- Chris Jensen, Chief Revenue Officer, Ibotta
PUBLICATIONS
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Improvement from Scratch: How a Food & Nutrition Team Reduced Waste by Over 50%
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Sustaining a College-Going Culture with Dr. Gladys Velazquez
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Data + Relationships = 100% FAFSA Completion
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Getting to Great - Closing College Enrollment Gaps
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I Have A Dream Foundation of Boulder County Plants Seeds of Inspiration
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"The Beet" Periodical of Whole Cities Foundation
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Persuasion by Way of Example