Leslie Hoffman, Founder, Principal
Leslie Hoffman is the principal and founder of LEH Consulting Group. She began her career as a journalist, covering a wide range of topics as a newspaper and Associated Press reporter. A tour in the Peace Corps in El Salvador planted the seeds of a community development career. Leslie joined the U.S. microfinance sector, serving in various leadership roles overseeing lending, portfolio quality and asset recovery, client service, communications, and strategic partnership development. Her consulting work focuses on capacity building and business strategy for nonprofits, Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), community colleges, community-based networks, and small businesses. She is also a professional faculty member at the University of New Mexico’s Anderson School of Management where she has taught courses in entrepreneurship and nonprofit management.
Barbara Eckblad
Barbara Eckblad, founder of The Eckblad Group, is a Midwest-based consultant serving community development financial institutions nationwide. From a clerical role in a bank credit department after college, Barbara went on to become a commercial credit analyst and then entrepreneur, building a commercial and residential real estate firm from start-up to $17 million in annual sales. She transitioned the firm to employee ownership so she could dedicate the second half of her career to community service work. That led her to the U.S. microfinance industry where she led the lending program for a statewide microlending organization in Wisconsin before launching her consulting practice. Barbara’s core expertise is grounded is scaling loan programs, portfolio management and aligning staff, products, and systems. She focuses on earned income strategies and establishing loan operations systems. Special attention is devoted to technical assistance deployment, and building collaborations with local and state governments, banks, small business agencies and funding agencies and individuals.
Zach Grafe
Zach Grafe is an Albuquerque-based consultant specializing in private equity, financial management, business planning, and data analysis. Zach has consulted with for-profit and nonprofit enterprises across the education, healthcare, financial services, and consumer products industries and works alongside managers to develop and implement financial and operational plans. He excels at building complex financial models; developing data tracking, analysis, and reporting capabilities; analyzing strategic investment and acquisition opportunities; and providing analytical support for external communications including business plans, grant applications, and publications. Zach has served as a contract CFO for multiple corporations and, prior to starting his own consulting firm, spent several years as an analyst in the venture capital industry.
Stacy Zielinski
Stacy Zielinski is a Florida-based consultant with more than a decade of experience working with Community Development Financial Institutions. Her experience as a Senior Technical Assistance Provider and Loan Officer in microfinance has helped Stacy develop expertise in business plan development, underwriting, and post-loan business support services. In addition, she brings expertise in loan policy development and integration as well as utilization of the SBA Community Advantage Program. Stacy began her career as an educator before being drawn to economic development through her entrepreneurial passions. Since 2008, Stacy and her husband have owned and operated independent and franchise retail and restaurant entities. They currently own four franchises in the Tampa area.
Rebeca Alderete Baca
Rebeca Alderete Baca is an Albuquerque-based consultant specializing in process improvement, program management, and strategic planning for small businesses and artists’ organizations. With over 20 years of experience at Bueno Foods, her family’s multi-generational business, she brings a lived understanding of small business operations.
Rebeca holds a bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Chicago and an MFA in poetry from Columbia University. She has managed national and regional arts organizations, including the National Latinx Writers Gathering and CantoMundo, and served on the board of the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce.
A poet and translator, Rebeca’s work appears in Fence and NECK. She translated Natasha Tiniacos’ Against the Regime of the Fluent (Ugly Duckling Presse, 2024) and is the author of Not It (Risolana, 2025). Learn more at alderetebaca.com.
Ruth Juárez
Ruth Juárez is a data scientist at the University of New Mexico’s Cradle to Career Policy Institute (CCPI) and supports Mission: Graduate, an initiative of the United Way of Central New Mexico. She specializes in data analysis and visualization, translating complex information into actionable insights that inform education policy and track progress toward regional education goals. Ruth is skilled in Tableau and Alteryx, tools she mastered through a StriveTogether fellowship.
Ruth holds a master’s degree in chemistry from New Mexico State University and a physics degree from New Mexico Tech, where she studied chemical modeling and asteroid belt objects. A former Military Police Officer in the U.S. Army and environmental technician in Puerto Rico, she brings discipline, scientific rigor, and a bilingual perspective to her work advancing educational outcomes across New Mexico.
Anna Hamilton, MSW
Anna Hamilton is the founder of Grounded Strategy, a consulting firm specializing in supporting nonprofits and Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) with program assessments, strategic planning, policy development, and grant writing. She began her career at the Humanities Foundation, managing a homelessness prevention program and writing grants to support affordable housing initiatives. Anna went on to serve as Executive Director of Operation Home, focusing on critical home repairs, and later joined Lowcountry Food Bank as Vice President of Community Initiatives, overseeing feeding programs and a community kitchen.
In 2013, Anna joined the South Carolina Community Loan Fund (SCCLF), holding various leadership roles before becoming CEO. Her work there deepened her expertise in capitalization, fundraising, strategic planning, and program development.
Anna holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the College of Charleston and a master’s in social work from the University of South Carolina. She serves on the board of directors for One80 Place.
An avid runner and hiker, Anna enjoys yoga, reading, cooking, live music, and Clemson football. She is also a proud dog mom to two rescue pups, Avery and Duke.
Donna Fabiani
Donna Fabiani is the founder of Fabiani Advisors LLC, a consulting firm supporting CDFIs and CDFI industry stakeholders. With over 30 years in community development finance, she specializes in capacity building, strategic planning, CDFI certification, fundraising, and education. Donna previously led OFN’s capacity building and research efforts, overseeing programs, conferences, and data initiatives. At the U.S. Treasury’s CDFI Fund, she managed research, developed data collection systems, and underwrote CDFIs. Before her role with the CDFI Fund, she founded and managed FINCA USA, a microenterprise CDFI. Donna holds a B.A. from Colby College and an MPA from Princeton’s School of Public and International Affairs.
Shannon Mick
Shannon Mick is the president of SKM HR Consulting, vice president for Peopleink, and consultant for LEH Consulting Group, is a seasoned human resource executive with over 25 years of experience. She specializes in building fair and consistent pay programs and fostering workplace cultures rooted in values and performance. Her expertise spans several sectors, including healthcare, higher education, government, nonprofits, tribal enterprises, financial services, and hospitality.
Shannon provides strategic HR solutions and drives culture initiatives for leadership teams. Her client portfolio spans multiple industries and includes Presbyterian Health Care, Lovelace Medical Center, Children’s Hospital, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Central New Mexico Community College, University of New Mexico, Goodwill, YMCA, Ronald McDonald House, Kewa Pueblo Health Center, Native Resources Development, Hard Rock Casino Resort, and Desert Diamond Casino Resort.
She holds an M.B.A. in Executive Leadership from the University of Southern California and a B.B.A. in Human Resources and General Management from the University of New Mexico. She is a Certified Compensation Professional (C.C.P.) through World at Work and completed the Executive Leadership Program at Stanford University. She has served on the boards of the New Mexico Central Credit Union and the YMCA of Central New Mexico.
Myra Girón – Jordan
Myra Girón-Jordan is a seasoned commercial lending professional with over 20 years of experience supporting financial institutions that empower underserved communities. She specializes in commercial, small business, and real estate investment lending, guiding organizations through loan origination, underwriting, and servicing.
As an employee, consultant, and volunteer, Myra has trained organizations in managing diverse credit facilities and loan programs. She has also played a pivotal role in implementing lending software solutions, acting as a bridge between institutions and technology providers to ensure seamless onboarding, data integrity, and scalable operations.
Myra combines her expertise in business lending and technology with a deep commitment to empowering marginalized communities, equipping them with the tools and knowledge needed to succeed in traditionally inaccessible financial systems.
Diane Harrison Ogawa
Diane Harrison Ogawa recently retired as the Chief Community Partnerships & Systems Officer at Central New Mexico Community College. Diane previously served as a community relations executive with specialties in corporate philanthropy, volunteerism, foundation management and employee engagement. She practiced corporate law in Wisconsin, New York and New Mexico. Diane is a certified professional coach who helps people pursue lives of purpose and gratitude. She brings to her coaching three decades in the legal, corporate, non-profit and educational sectors. She has extensive experience working with mid and senior level executives who seek to clarify their priorities and envision their future paths to achieve both personal and professional goals. Diane graduated from Carleton College and received her law degree from Harvard Law School.
Jean Ann Chavez
Jean Ann Chavez is an experienced finance and administrative professional with a career spanning banking, law, and education. After earning a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from St. Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana, she began her career as an auditor with Coopers & Lybrand in Stamford, Connecticut before relocating to Albuquerque, New Mexico.
She went on to serve as a Credit Analyst with United New Mexico Bank and later as a bookkeeper for a law firm, while raising four children. Seeking work aligned with her family’s school schedule, she joined Holy Ghost Catholic School, where she spent 15 years as Office Administrator, substitute teacher, and bookkeeper. She then expanded her role within the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, providing bookkeeping services for multiple schools and churches. Today, she continues to manage bookkeeping for two churches in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, a law firm, Brothers of the Good Shepherd, and additional small business clients.
Outside of work, she enjoys time with her four grandchildren, golfing, and spending time in the mountains and at the beach. She also runs a small side business making handmade Christmas stockings.
Hannah Peria
Hannah Peria is an Albuquerque-based consultant with 15+ years of experience spanning K–12 and higher education, philanthropy, and government. She helps organizations adapt and thrive through project management, facilitation, leadership development, and equity-centered design.
Raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Hannah began her career as a second and third teacher in rural South Louisiana through Teach for America, going on to direct nationally recognized school improvement initiatives at the New Mexico Public Education Department. As a Senior Program Officer at Johns Hopkins University, she partnered with state agencies and school districts across the country, and later co-designed and launched an innovative charter school model in response to the pandemic.
She brings high expectations and humor to her work, creating space for collective wisdom to emerge. Hannah holds a BA in History from the University of Virginia and an MBA from the University of New Mexico.
Beloved Colleague
Our Heartbeat
LaDonna Hopkins’ community-impacting career spanned more than 30 years, devoted to building stronger families, lifting up communities, and working to make the world more just and generous. She brought vision and depth to every role — guiding nationally recognized organizational growth, building and scaling fundraising programs, coordinating grant-making, managing large volunteer efforts, and strengthening boards and executive teams across the country.
At LEH, LaDonna was our guiding light — a steady, generous, deeply principled presence who shaped our culture as much as our strategies. With wisdom, warmth, clarity, and unwavering kindness, LaDonna made everyone she encountered feel seen, heard, and valued. She led always by listening, mentored with humility, and lifted up the work of others with grace and grit. Her deep belief in people, a tireless work ethic, and a quiet strength inspired us to be better — and to do better.
LaDonna’s impact lives on here — in how we show up for each other, how we lead, and how we serve. Her spirit is woven into the DNA of our organization and into each of us who had the privilege to work alongside her. We miss her fiercely, and we aspire to carry her spirit forward in the way we do our work and care for one another. Her legacy calls us to choose courage and compassion in every moment.
LaDonna remains forever a part of the LEH team.
Partners
Collaboration is at the heart of our work. We are proud to partner with a network of trusted colleagues who bring deep expertise in CDFI strategy, operations, and capacity building. Each collaborator leads an independent practice, and together we deliver comprehensive, high-quality solutions for mission-driven organizations.
