Paper Crane Funding SolutionsOur Team

Lynda Berge Disser
Chief Prosperity Officer

Lynda Berge Disser has been raising money successfully for non-profits for over 30 years. In that time, she has written and developed grant proposals that have brought in over $100 million from foundations, corporations, and government sources. She created Paper Crane Funding Solutions to bring more funding to social impact non-profits.

Specializing in program development, Lynda works with clients to create or refine programs and successfully raise funds for them. Lynda is also an expert facilitator and frequently works with foundations and their grantees to address community issues collaboratively. After graduating from Kalamazoo College, she got her start in community development as the Executive Director of an affordable housing development organization in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Lynda has worked at the national and local levels in Flint, Detroit, Baltimore, Washington DC, Philadelphia, New York, Richmond, Virginia, and Lancaster, Ohio.

Most recently, Lynda wrote a successful proposal for the City of Lancaster, Ohio for a U.S. Department of Transportation RAISE (now BUILD) planning grant for $800,000.

Deb Loader
Project Management Maestro

As a Nonprofit Executive and Facilitator with over 25 years of experience, Deb is recognized for her leadership, collaboration, strategic planning, and expertise in lean enterprise principles. At Paper Crane Funding Solutions, she specializes in research and project management. A results-driven professional, Deb successfully grew a nonprofit organization supporting the deaf, expanding its annual budget from $300,000 to $50 million and establishing global locations. She achieved this growth by fostering an environment of efficiency and profitability through strategic planning, project management, and value stream mapping.

During her tenure as a Senior Consultant for the Flint Area Reinvestment Office (FARO), Deb led high-performing teams to achieve ambitious goals. Her work was instrumental in securing over $82 million in grant awards for the Flint community, driving impactful projects and initiatives. This work continues to benefit the community today.

Deb is an active member of her community, serving as a Board Member for the Humane Society of Genesee County and the Flint Women’s Forum. She holds leadership roles with Toastmasters International, both at the local and district levels, and contributes as a featured author for Women2Women Michigan Magazine. Additionally, Deb is a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, dedicated to helping women achieve their goals through small, sustainable steps that lead to profound transformations.

Deb lives in Michigan with her husband, stepdaughter, and Deacon, their beloved 100-pound German Shepherd.

Claire Michaels, MPP
Research, Workforce & Small Business Maven

Claire Michaels has over 15 years of experience in workforce and economic development. At Paper Crane Funding Solutions, she specializes in research, writing, program design, and program implementation technical assistance. Claire is the Regional Manufacturing Careers Specialist for EASTBAYWorks, a collaboration of the 4 workforce development boards of the East Bay. Her role represents an innovative approach to adding industry specific capacity to the public workforce system. Previous jobs have included building a career program for first-generation college students and running an in-house workforce program for two economic development nonprofits focused on manufacturing in San Francisco/San Jose and Brooklyn, New York. Claire has worked with community organizations in Nicaragua and Peru and speaks Spanish. She holds a BA in Urban Studies from the University of Pennsylvania and a Masters in Public Policy from UC Berkeley. She lives in Oakland, California with her husband and daughter.

Ricki Chenault
Fundraising Guru

With over 30 years of experience in non-profit management and fundraising, Ricki’s fundraising journey showcases her skill in both individual initiatives and teamwork within large organizations.

Her career began with the challenging yet rewarding experience of being a staff of one. In the early stages of her professional life, she managed all aspects of non-profit operations on her own, gaining invaluable insights into the intricate workings of fundraising, donor relations, and organizational management. This period honed her skills in multitasking, strategic planning, and innovative problem-solving, laying a strong foundation for her future endeavors.

Later, Ricki transitioned into roles that required her to work within larger teams in more complex organizational structures. Her experience in team settings allowed her to leverage the strengths of her colleagues, fostering a collaborative atmosphere that maximized the impact of their collective efforts.

Keely Pearce
Donor Dynamo

Keely Pearce brings over ten years of experience in collaborating with donors, nonprofit organizations, and nonprofit boards. At Paper Crane Funding Solutions, she focuses on donor engagement and retention, leveraging her exceptional relationship-building skills. Currently, Keely serves as the Recruitment & Engagement Specialist at Fairfield Homes and Gorsuch Construction, an Ohio-based development, property management, and construction firm dedicated to providing safe and affordable housing. In this role, she effectively utilizes her strong interpersonal skills to support candidates from their initial contact through the hiring and onboarding process and into their tenure as employees.

Before joining Fairfield Homes and Gorsuch Construction, Keely honed her expertise in donor relations and annual giving campaigns while working for a hospital foundation in the nonprofit sector. She also has experience in the government sector at the county level.

In her personal time, Keely enjoys performing in music, dance, and theatre, as well as reading and traveling. She is also actively involved in various local community boards. Keely holds a Bachelor of Arts in History with a Minor in Art History from The College of Wooster.