As Chief Changemaker and Principal, Tamela Spicer continually works to recognize her privilege as a white, cis-gender woman, actively calling out and helping to dismantle white supremacy culture and its power in the philanthropic sector and in her own personal life. She brings that sense of justice and equity to everything we do at The Intentional Catalyst.

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Leaving behind her early career in the business sector, Tamela put her passions to work, serving in leadership roles at The Salvation Army, the Arthritis Foundation, and Flat River Outreach Ministries. During her 30+ years in the philanthropic sector, she has developed cultural intelligence to work across faith communities and engage with multi-cultural teams.

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Throughout her career, Tamela has helped nonprofit organizations build stronger boards, work more strategically, and develop culturally intelligent leadership. Admittedly, Tamela feels that she’s also helped perpetuate some of the bad habits we have in the sector, habits shaped by the imbalance of power, scarcity mindsets, and the continued struggle for equity.

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At The Intentional Catalyst, we believe that lasting change in nonprofit organizations (and let’s not forget that foundations are also nonprofits!), and the broader philanthropic ecosystem, require a willingness to disrupt the status quo. Tamela leads a network of consultants to customize catalyzing engagements to nurture intentional change for nonprofits and foundations that desire equitable, compassionate, transparent community impact.