GUIDING VALUES
We hold ourselves accountable to
Kindness and Compassion
Recognizing your humanity and bringing ours - contributing to and supporting collective work that makes us more humane
Thoughtful Service
Listening and reflecting deeply to understand your goals and current context, anticipating what will best meet your needs, and being highly responsive and adaptive as we hold the big picture and attend to the details
Collaborative Flow
Finding and supporting “the collective groove” and organic momentum in the work
Applied Equity and Inclusion
Bringing an equity lens, awareness of harmful systems and structures and expanding toolkit for ways to dismantle them, attention to needed perspectives, embrace of learning, and humility to all we do
Curiosity and Creativity
Including these essential sparks for shared understanding and desired transformation in all aspects of our collaborative process
Holding Space for Each Other
Acknowledging the ways we each contribute to and are impacted by our collective humanity and brutality as well as the ways that impact intersects with the work. Finding ways to hold space for the sorrow, hold ourselves accountable, and together spark joy
CORE TEAM
Kristin Patton (she/they), Lead Facilitator, is a catalyst for values and purpose-aligned organizational transformation. Working primarily with arts and culture organizations, Kristin helps leaders and stakeholders realize their mission. We start by building a shared understanding around the essential elements of each organization’s core purpose and artistic process, then align planning and operations from that powerful center. The process deepens engagement, transforms systems, structures, and practices, and increases impact and accountability. Specialties include re-envisioning and re-aligning strategic planning, board development, and leadership transitions.
"What I love most about my practice is all in the name 'Ensemble' - the power and beauty of what we can create when we work together. As a child actor, I experienced the alchemy that happens when everyone’s creative contributions come together in a work much greater than the sum of its parts. As a teenager I recognized the difference an adept stage manager makes in creating and holding the conditions that support such alchemy and became a stage manager. Essentially that’s still what I do. I just broadened my definition of the stage. Ensemble’s work centers on creating and holding the conducive conditions for “greater than the sum of our parts” collective work to happen."
As a queer nonbinary arts and culture worker, Kristin centers equity and inclusion with intention, has made ongoing anti-racism training part of her practice, and is a DEI Facilitator for the Nova Collective. Kristin highly values collaboration and frequently partners with other consultants. Previously, they served as Arts Program Consultant and Board Secretary at Woods Fund Chicago and consultant for the Arts Work Fund for Organizational Development. They have presented and consulted with the Arts & Business Council of Chicago, the Axelson Center for Nonprofit Management, the Illinois Arts Alliance, and the School of the Art Institute. As Vice President and Corporate Secretary of the private investment firm, SMCO, Inc, Kristin provided leadership in corporate governance, communications, client relations, strategic planning, and operations management. Kristin holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a BA in Foreign Languages from Lewis & Clark College.
Logan Jones (he/they), Lead Facilitator, is a Chicago-based artist, administrator, and consultant. In addition to being a Lead Facilitator of Ensemble Consulting, Logan is Director of Accounting at Northlight Theatre. He has served as a Facilitator, Project Manager, and Technology Manager on Ensemble projects since 2015. He has collaborated with multiple theatre companies in varying capacities, utilizing his artistic and technical skills, organizational capabilities, and highly-collaborative working style. As an administrator, Logan previously served as the Managing Director for About Face Theatre and the Production Manager and Marketing Manager for American Theater Company. As a stage manager and production manager, he has helmed multiple productions for About Face Theatre, American Theater Company, The House Theatre of Chicago, Windy City Playhouse, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, 13Exp, and the American Music Theatre Project, among others. He is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association. Logan holds an Executive MBA in Strategic Leadership from Valar Institute, a BA in Theatre and BA in Modern Languages from Kansas State University, a certificate in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Workplace from University of South Florida, and is a graduate of the Axelson Center Bootcamp for Nonprofit CEOs at North Park University.