Marisol Rodriguez
marisol@insignia-partners.com

Marisol Rodriguez is a master facilitator and an expert in organizational development with experience advising the strategic growth of countless organizations throughout the public sector. Marisol specializes in strategic planning, and is inspired by the synergy between strategy and highly effective leaders and teams. Clients count on Marisol’s uncommon ability to help teams comprised of individuals with diverse skills, styles and perspectives come together in alignment around a shared path forward. She co-founded Insignia Partners in 2012.

Most recently a Program Officer with the Walton Family Foundation, Marisol is an education-sector veteran who also understands the funder mindset. She began her career in higher education, traveling across the country to advise fraternity chapters in their organizational development. After several years of strategic management consulting for federal agencies, Marisol gained a national perspective and deep content expertise in public education through roles at Walton and the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.

Marisol holds a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Political Science and C.L.E.G. (Communications, Legal Institutions, Economics and Government) and a Master’s of Public Administration with a concentration in Nonprofit Management, both from American University. She lives in Boulder, Colo. with her two children, and volunteers regularly in her daughter’s classroom. She loves to ski and hike, and thinks she would have been an outstanding wedding planner.

What our Clients Say

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"I feel like the time and energy put forth has already had a positive impact on the school and the task work hasn't even happened yet!"
Angela Romanowski
Principal, Trillium Academy
"I feel like you hit it out of the park with Insignia Partners. Those ladies were amazing. They brought out all of our best qualities."
Alicia Jenkins
Principal, Summit Academy North Middle School
"I just wanted to thank…Lisa and Marisol for their hard work on this! It turned out really great! I’m excited and looking forward to the excellence this will bring to Trillium as well as rolling up our sleeves and getting the work done! I feel like the time and energy put forth has already had a positive impact on the school and the task work hasn’t even happened yet!"
Angela Romanowski
Superintendent, Trillium Academy
"Insignia Partners responded to an RFP with thoughtful and detailed ideas. Once they were chosen for the project, we found them to be responsive, flexible, and timely. We were very pleased with their report and it has provided the backbone for our funding strategy. I look forward to working with Marisol and Lisa again in the future."
Elise Eplan
Facilitator, The Education Philanthropic Collaborative Fund
"Insignia partners have been critical in supporting Bluum’s efforts in Idaho to manage our $17.1 million federal Charter School Program (CSP) grant. As one of the country’s first non-profit organizations to receive federal CSP funding the stakes for our work are very high, and our efforts to help open, expand and replicate public charter schools faces scrutiny. I sleep better at night because I know Insignia Partners have worked closely with us to build our processes, procedures and play book for managing the responsibility of directing and overseeing a significant federal grant. Their support and expertise have been critical to our efforts. I would highly recommend them to others working in the public charter school space. They are true pros."
Terry Ryan
CEO, Bluum
"Insignia Partners did a masterful job leading our board through a strategic planning exercise. They balanced our need for flexibility with our desire to achieve ambitious goals in a short period. They expertly managed a diverse array of voices and opinions in a way that resulted in a clear set of strategies that will accelerate the impact of our organization."
Van Schoales
Chief Executive Officer, A+ Denver
"I have worked with Insignia Partners both at the individual and organizational level. As a coach, Lisa has a natural ability to get to the heart of the matter quickly and to ask questions that help her clients translate insight into action. Each of our team members who has worked with Lisa in a coaching capacity has demonstrated visible growth that has positively impacted individual and team performance. As an organization, we are trying to be much more purposeful about the culture we are creating to best fulfill our mission. Insignia Partners has been a tremendous thought partner along the way and has facilitated critical steps in the process in a way that is collaborative yet efficient (and fun!). Our team was in awe at how much we accomplished collectively in a short period of time. We are moving toward our ideal culture much more quickly than I would have thought possible and I have no doubt that it is because of Insignia Partners guidance in this work. "
Kasey Miller
Chief of Staff, National Association of Charter School Authorizers
"Our new organization needed the steady direction of Insignia to help turn our thoughts and ideas into a strategic plan. Lisa and Marisol guided us through the process, which allowed us to be true to our objectives as an organization. They were always available, and we are grateful for their guidance and professionalism."
Julie Collier
Founder and Executive Director, Parents Advocate League
"Thank you again for what you did for AAE and how you did it. You were patient, confident, helpful, and supportive, but you also coaxed and lovingly nudged us through a comprehensive and involved process that on our own we wouldn’t have been able to do. It was a very pleasant experience and left us better suited to overcome the challenges and maximize the opportunities ahead."
Colin Sharkey
Executive Vice President, Association of American Educators
"Insignia Partners is the hottest strategy planning team in the country. And they’re damn funny too!"
Caroline Roemer Shirley
Executive Director, Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools
"Insignia Partners helped identify and convene key stakeholders in our region and use their input to craft a program start-up plan. Their connections, expertise, and execution were vital to getting our program off to a great start."
Gregory Handel
Senior Director, Detroit Regional Chamber
"We could not have been more pleased with our partnership with Insignia Partners. They were able to form relationships and analyze both data and people to help us, as funders, know which levers to pull and areas to invest. They make this work, which is difficult in nature, interesting, fun, and real. We look forward to partnering with them again and would recommend them to all."
Noah Devine
Director of Educational Investments, School Smart Kansas City
"“I really enjoy working with the Insignia Partners team. Lisa and Marisol consistently produce high-quality work, and are a pleasure to work with. They know the education reform space, and therefore provide thoughtful guidance. I expect to work with them again and again."
Eric Paisner
Chief of Staff, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
"You were patient, confident, helpful, and supportive, but you also coaxed and lovingly nudged us through a process that on our own we wouldn’t have been able to do. It was a very pleasant experience and even though we still have a lot of challenges ahead of us, we are better suited to meet them as a result."
Colin Sharkey
Executive Vice President, Association of American Educators
"Lisa Diaz and Insignia-Partners provided invaluable support to Colorado Charter Facility Solutions during our start-up phase. As the new non-profit organization’s Executive Director (and only employee at the time), Lisa knew answers to questions that I did not know to ask. She made sure that the board of directors was set up correctly and that the organizational documents were in place. Lisa helped me establish the organization’s goals and ways to track progress toward meeting those goals. Lisa is organized, patient and kind, and worked quickly, thoroughly and collaboratively throughout the process. She is a good listener and sort of acted as an executive coach/therapist at times. When necessary, Lisa can be direct, but always focused on the goals of the organization and its success. I highly recommend Lisa Diaz and Insignia-Partners."
Jane Ellis
Executive Director, Colorado Charter Facility Solutions
"Please know that today's session for DEA's leadership team was one of the most productive we've had in a while. The level of discussion and engagement helped shape the thoughts, and hopefully, meaningful actions for immediate practice. You and Lisa kept the momentum going"
Sylvia Green
School Leaders, David Ellis Academy
"As a family owned and operated company, it became clear we needed to preserve our culture, and define our mission, vision, and values better as we grew. Insignia Partners helped capture a variety of diverse perspectives and hopes for the future in a way that was relatable to all involved. Insignia Partners helped us create a clear focus for our future that drives our strategy, stabilized our culture and coached our leadership to support implementation. "
Mark Smith
President, Krapohl Ford & Lincoln
"Lisa did a fantastic job with our entire strategic planning team. Her process was beyond organized. As a new administrator, I was able to lean on Lisa for her expertise and her knowledge of strategic planning. She did everything from meeting organization, facilitated subgroups, focus groups, surveys, and staff culture surveys. Her work with the school board and the administrative team was respectful, while also filled with appropriate advice and constructive feedback. I could not imagine going through this process without Lisa. I am looking forward to our future and I believe that Lisa will continue to be a trusted resource for the years to come."
Jamie DeWitt
School Leader, NexTech High School
"Marisol has been the facilitator, partner and coach I needed to move several challenging projects and situations forward. She doesn’t always tell me what I want to hear, but she always tells me what I NEED to hear."
Greg Richmond
President, National Association of Charter School Authorizers
"Marisol and Lisa go above and beyond their call of duty. Their working style is such that we were not only confident in their strategic planning work, but we were even more confident in their dedication to the mission of MCSA and the sincere concern they showed for Mississippi’s unique political environment."
Erika Berry
Executive Director, Mississippi Charter Schools Association
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