Shaping programs for shifting contexts
As LALA rapidly expanded and pivoted to virtual programming during COVID, volunteer-led initiatives evolved into robust developmental programs. Over three years, I led annual redesigns of our program “ecosystem”—the infrastructure that housed and connected all programming—ensuring it matured alongside our growth. Each redesign engaged program teams, cross-departmental staff, and participants to refine structures, philosophy, and our operating model to meet changing contexts. This iterative approach strengthened program quality, deepened participant development opportunities, and positioned our ecosystem for long-term sustainability.
Challenge
As the organization rapidly scaled, its 24 independent programs operated in silos—with fragmented strategies, inconsistent staffing and compensation models, and limited alignment across teams. This made it difficult to support programs efficiently, market-fit talent and resources, or ensure coherence across functions like MEL, communications, and operations.
Action
Kara led a full redesign of the program architecture, transitioning from 24 isolated initiatives into a unified portfolio model. She designed the strategy, coached business unit leads, and implemented a new structure that aligned programs by theme, lifecycle stage, and strategic intent. With support from my strategic support role, she rolled out this transformation across teams—ensuring functional integration, calendar alignment, and greater clarity of ownership across the board.
Result
The shift unlocked stronger cross-program coordination, clearer staffing and compensation strategies, and increased access to MEL and operational support. It also enabled better talent acquisition, improved strategic focus, and a more robust foundation for differentiated revenue growth—positioning the org to scale with greater coherence and impact.