Our Services

A woman in a red dress presenting in a conference room with a large screen displaying a discussion topic on data and organizational decision-making. The audience is seated around tables, listening. The presentation slide has the title 'Round Robin Table Discussion' and includes questions about data's role in organizations.

How might we reimagine evaluation to be in service of equity and community?

Two report covers: the left one titled 'Touchpoints of Homelessness' with a black and white photo of a woman and the right one titled 'Island of Possibility' with colorful imagining of performing arts on the word 'ISLAND'.

How might the perspectives of community members shape our priorities and strategies?

Group of fifteen women standing outdoors on a grassy lawn, smiling, with tropical plants and a building in the background.

How might thoughtfully-guided conversations shape not only what we do together, but also how we “be” together?

Title slide of a presentation titled 'Introduction to Data Equity', hosted by the National Council of Nonprofits, facilitated by Joyce Lee-Ibarra of JLI Consulting, dated May 26, 2022.

What is data equity, and how might we more intentionally bring an equity lens to our production and consumption of data?

Equity-Centered Evaluation

How might we reimagine evaluation to be in service of equity and community?

We help organizations move beyond the traditional models of evaluation by centering people over process.

We encourage movement away from compliance, judgment, and transactions, and instead towards learning, experimentation, and relationships.

And rather than reinforcing “status quo” evaluation approaches that often cede power and decision making to those holding the purse strings, we see evaluation as a tool for advancing equity by centering communities and their insights into what is valuable, meaningful, and worthy of measurement.

Our approach to evaluation is heavily informed by the Equitable Evaluation Framework™, as well as the Trust-Based Framework for Learning & Evaluation in Philanthropy.

This means, in part, that we bring an exploratory approach to evaluation that:

(a) centers trust-building and relationships as integral to successful learning efforts;

(b) acknowledges power dynamics that may exist between funders and grantees; and

(c) recognizes the importance of historical, institutional, and cultural contexts of evaluation efforts.

Check out the videos below for a few examples of Joyce’s perspective on equity-centered learning and evaluation.

Presenter on equitable evaluation for Funder Hui Lunch & Learn, May 31, 2022

Interviewee on equity-centered evaluation and power dynamics of knowledge frameworks, Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society, Spring 2021

Community Research

How might the perspectives of community members shape our priorities and strategies?

It’s a fact that’s often hiding in plain sight:

Community members closest to the issues at hand are often the best equipped to inform priorities, suggest solutions, and generate strategies for addressing those issues.

But too often, community perspectives are an afterthought.

And the richness of narrative perspectives—where people’s thoughts aren’t simply reduced to numbers and statistics, but are given full voice, in their own words—sometimes fall to the wayside.

At JLI Consulting, we conduct qualitative community research, such as focus groups and interviews, that captures texture that can be lost in working with quantitative data alone. Through analysis of stories, anecdotes, and discussion, we identify overarching themes and reveal nuances that can be difficult for closed-ended data to reflect.

A few examples of our community-informed approach to better understanding complex issues:

Facilitation

How might thoughtfully-guided conversations shape not only what we do together, but also how we “be” together?

A powerful conversation is more than just a volley of words between people; it’s an opportunity to share insights, to be in fellowship with others, and to truly see and hear the wisdom of others.

Gathering people for meaningful, learning-driven conversations requires thoughtful preparation not only for what people will discuss, but also how you hope they will feel: engaged, curious, pyschologically safe, respected.

At JLI Consulting, we seek to facilitate generative conversations that lead to new understanding and cross-pollination of ideas.

We create conditions for people to have meaty, meaningful discussions, leaving plenty of space for participants to marinate, clarify their own perspectives, and think out loud with others.

And we employ “mixed methods facilitation,” using a variety of activities and formats for prompting reflection, sharing ideas, and collecting insights.

Group of diverse adults sitting around a conference table engaged in discussion, with colorful artwork on the wall behind them.

Joyce with participants from workshop on common applications for grantees, sponsored by Funder Hui

A group of people seated in a circle in a conference room, listening to a presentation on a large screen, with two women speaking at the front and several potted plants behind them.

Joyce with co-facilitator, Ophelia Bitanga-Isreal, at HANO conference session on Identity, Power, and Privilege in Hawaii’s Nonprofit Sector

Group of 14 women standing outdoors on a grassy area, smiling, with tropical plants and a building with glass windows in the background.

Participants of school health coalition gathering, sponsored by Hawaii Department of Education

Data Equity Training

What is data equity, and how might we more intentionally bring an equity lens to our production and consumption of data?

What is data equity, and why is it important?

As Joyce writes in this LinkedIn post:

Data equity “refers to the consideration, through an equity lens, of the ways in which data is collected, analyzed, interpreted, and distributed. It underscores marginalized communities’ unequal opportunities to access data and, at times, their harm from data’s misuse. It raises the issue of data sovereignty, and the democratization of data. And data equity pushes us to consider the ways that data can reinforce stereotypes, exacerbate problems like racial bias, or otherwise undermine social justice.” 

We provide workshops and trainings to familiarize people with the notion of data equity, and provide concrete examples to illustrate key data equity concepts:

  • Data is not inherently neutral or objective

  • Data can create and perpetuate power dynamics

  • Data transparency generates trust, and trust advances data equity

We also provide guidance on demographic data collection, common data collection pitfalls to avoid, and promising practices that help people and organizations “walk the talk” of approaching data more equitably.

A woman in a red dress is giving a presentation and holding a large sheet of paper, while four people seated at a table listen. A large screen displays a slide titled 'Round Robin Table Discussion' with questions about organization and data use.
From presentation to state affiliates of the National Council of Nonprofits

Clients and Partners say…

  • “In working with Joyce, I’ve found her to be conscientious, thoughtful, and wicked smart. She has a different kind of scan, and she forces us to look at our work differently. She’s also malleable to what a team might need, and has the ability to switch gears and adapt as a project requires.”

    — Nick Redding, Executive Director, Hawaiʻi Data Collaborative

  • “As a consulting colleague of Joyce’s, I’ve seen how she can successfully create a safe space for people to learn, share, and grow together. In the hui we are both part of, she plays a critical role in making people feel welcome and heard. In my experience, it’s super-rare to find people who are really down-to-earth, are values-grounded and values-driven, and are truly trying to collaborate and bring out the voices of others… Joyce brings all these things to the table. She embodies all the principles a consultant should in caring for people and fostering community.”

    — Kuʻulani Keohokalole, Principal, People Strategies Hawaiʻi

  • “Joyce is good at synthesizing information across multiple inputs. She’s thoughtful, a quick study of complex problems and varying perspectives. If we didn’t have her in our local social sector, we’d be missing a passionate yet intentional advocate for good data and good thinking about research & evaluation, equity, race, and inclusion, especially in the context of Hawaii. In addition to helping me cultivate and refine my own thinking, she is also warm and reflective as a practitioner, which makes her someone you want to learn from and with.”

    — Michael Courville, Founder & Principal, Open Mind Consulting; Former Adjunct Faculty, Department of Sociology & Sexuality, San Francisco State University

  • "Joyce brings the conceptual into the real world. I mean that in both her application of theory to practical circumstances and in her ability to take an idea and turn it into a concrete reality... Through organic development, generative discussions, and constant iteration and learning, not only have we developed evaluation solutions that are authentic to who we are and how we operate, we are putting them into practice!"

    -Ben Treviño, Network Coordinator, Hawaiʻi Leadership Forum

  • “As a collaborative partner, Joyce listens deeply in conversations, synthesizing and sharing back what she hears. She’s super smart, has an amazing background, and is also really humble and gentle. In short, I trust Joyce and the quality of services she provides.”

    — Jennifer Cornish-Creed, Director of Professional Development, Hawaiʻi Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations (HANO)

  • “Joyce really invested in a set of ‘meetings before the meeting’ to understand dynamics, history, and objectives. With this background, she not only managed our session professionally and with purpose, but also with joy. Everyone was engaged. Everyone found their voice. Then, afterwards, she helped us stay on top of a set of follow ups. It was a pleasure to see someone at the top of their game doing work they love.”

    — Max Scoular, Co-Founder, GoodCitizen

  • “Joyce is a skilled facilitator, in part because she is approachable and puts people at ease. She sets the stage well for discussion, and is able to bring out information from participants, synthesizing what she hears while identifying next steps, continuing group momentum, and helping the group stay focused. Her thoughtful and collaborative approach make her awesome to work with.”

    — Jessica Yamauchi, Executive Director, Hawaiʻi Public Health Institute

  • “In her consulting work with the foundation, I’ve found Joyce to be extremely professional, competent, experienced, polished, and organized. I trust the quality of her work and the professionalism she brings to it, whether in presenting and training on data and evaluation, or in project design and implementation. Without Joyce, we would struggle to find someone with her experience to deliver the type of nonprofit capacity building that she provides.”

    — Tom Kelly, Principal, KEL Advising; Former VP, Knowledge & Evaluation, Hawaiʻi Community Foundation

  • “I appreciate that Joyce is always open to applying new ideas and approaches. Her work isn’t static, and she continues to evolve and grow, which makes our work together more meaningful. I also enjoy her interpersonal approach: her willingness to be open, the questions she asks, her honesty, and her ability to engage with me in a genuine and thoughtful way.”

    — Ophelia Bitanga-Isreal, Assistant Director, City and Community Engagement, Living Cities; Former Senior Program Officer, Hawaiʻi Community Foundation

  • “Joyce’s name rises to the top for me when I think of local consultants. She’s professional, well-respected, thoughtful, and strategic in a big-picture sense. She’s a good listener, and values listening and understanding different perspectives and grappling with hard issues before moving forward. I also appreciate her thought partnership; with Joyce, I know I have a safe space to brainstorm and work stuff out without a feeling of pressure to make a decision before I’m ready.”

    — Josh Levinson, Principal, Josh Levinson Consulting

  • “In addition to sharing values and professional chemistry with Joyce, I appreciate her integrity, reliability, and the quality of her work. She’s deliberate in her thinking, processes, approach, and relationships, and is big-hearted in a subtle way. The work and projects that she chooses are personally and professionally important to her, and she steps into those roles in a deeply committed way. Joyce is a strategic thinker, and her thoughtful approach is evident in her willingness to press ‘pause’ to make room for reflection rather than rushing ahead to take things down the wrong path.”

    — Jennifer Barrett Fajardo, Principal, Jen Barrett Coaching & Advising

  • “Joyce’s work was thoughtful and thorough; she was responsive to the needs of our team and evolved in response to challenges and changes.”

    — Community Research Client

  • “Joyce facilitated so thoughtfully... I felt like she honored and created a lot of space for sharing knowledge and connections in the time we had together.”

    — Facilitation Participant

  • “These were deep and rich discussions that allowed me to process, think, and step out of my comfort zone to continue to do this work. Appreciate you, Joyce!”

    — Community Research Client

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Something to Chew On

Something to Chew On is a newsletter I’ve cooked up to share some of my ruminations and marinations with family, friends, and colleagues.

More importantly, though, it’s meant as an invitation to (re)connect, reflect, and be in conversation, at a pace that works with all the goings-on in everyone’s lives.

New issues will go out about once every month or two. Happy reading!