Ninkasi Strategies
Connecting insights, people and communities for greater impact
Great ideas are easy. Harvesting them is where the work begins.
From conception to implementation to results, Ninkasi Strategies brings great ideas to life with rigorous analysis and creative execution.
Strategic Planning & Program Development
Enhance efficacy, increase impact, build sustainability. Bringing insights from diverse range of fields, NS helps you operationalize your vision for your organization, program or special project to improve administration, resource development, communications and implementation.
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Strategic planning, program development, grant writing, research, special projects, interim directorships, and more!
Community Engagement & Event Planning
NS is committed to ensuring your next event or campaign harvests all the fruits of your labor. With a creative, comprehensive approach to events and engagement, NS maximizes your return and impact well beyond a single event or campaign.
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Galas, fundraisers, conferences, forums, trainings, focus groups, community festivals, pop-ups, athletic, launches, press conferences and more.
Collaborative Initiatives & Special Projects
With extensive experience in collaborative projects, cross sector engagement and community development, NS can manage initiatives providing the muscle needed to meet the mission. From staffing committees to overseeing new initiatives, NS helps you manage complex objectives to foster sustainability and drive results.
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Grant writing, research, pilots, project management, interim directorships, and more!
Storytelling, Promotional Writing and Marketing
Getting your message across is more than a transactional communication. It is building authentic relationships with your audience for the long haul. NS offers an array of communication services to help you not only be heard but stand out.
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Core message development, public awareness and engagement campaigns, CSR programs, promotional/ grant/speech writing, and more!
Meet our founder
With over 30 years of experience and insight in both the profit and nonprofit sectors, Mary has helped many organizations navigate times of transition and growth, drawing on her experience across a broad range of sectors and stakeholders, and expertise across disciplines and communities. With a focus on strategy, program development, fundraising, civic/community engagement, communications, and collaborative initiatives, Mary creates value for clients with her entrepreneurial and intersectional approach to problem solving and consensus building, as well as a commitment to effective implementation design.
With years of experience and a commitment to building trusting relationships, she is proud of the diverse and expansive network she has developed. Believing that insights come as much from frontline experience as they do from rigorous analysis, Mary remains dedicated to serving on the community level. Much of her approach to problem solving was developed during her time at The Washington Post, a highly complex organization that had a very clear set of outcome metrics, instilling a deep commitment to valuing the entire administrative/operational chain to avert unintended consequences and maximize success.
Growing up in New York City and beginning her career in Washington, D.C., Mary came to Chicago to pursue a graduate degree and has been an active member of the Hyde Park community ever since. She holds an M.S. from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration (Crown) and Health Administration and Policy and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, with a B.A. in religious studies and psychology. She is a proud mother, humble volunteer, cat whisperer, mountain lover and avid beer aficionado.
What people are saying
“Mary served as a core team member of our Chicagoland Food project, leading outreach, interviews and research on best practices. She is a pleasure to work with, and a great thought partner, providing a bridge between operational and theoretical insights. The ensuing creation of Chicagoland Food and Beverage Network reflects the high quality of her work.”
– Bob Weissbourd, President, RW Ventures
“Mary transforms how teams think and operate. Her ability to unpack intricate problems and translate them into simple, strategic steps creates alignment, focus, and momentum. She doesn’t just analyze—she clarifies, inspires, and leads people to real, measurable outcomes. What makes Mary truly exceptional is her ability to tell others’ stories in a way that honors their voice, not replaces it. She listens deeply, captures the essence of people’s experiences, and communicates them with grace and power. In doing so, she gives voice to others while ensuring they remain at the center of their own narrative—an advocacy that is both rare and profoundly moving.
Margaret Baczkowski, Founder, MLB Luxury and Founder, Strides for Peace
“Having worked closely with Mary for many years, I can attest that she is a truly transformative leader whose impact consistently extends beyond the expected scope of her role. Her approach to leadership is marked by a unique combination of profound empathy and strategic ingenuity.
One of Mary’s most remarkable talents is her ability to build and bridge relationships. She possesses a rare gift for identifying friction points or gaps within teams and between organizations and consistently works to heal those divisions with grace and purpose. She doesn’t just facilitate conversations; she fosters genuine understanding, ensuring that every voice—no matter how disparate—feels valued and heard, ultimately creating cohesive and powerful operational units.
What truly sets Mary apart is she never defaults to a one-size-fits-all solution. This unique combination of relational genius and strategic insight always yielded tangible results. I witnessed Mary launch several key cross-functional initiatives that successfully brought previously siloed relationships together. Mary is more than just a leader; she is an architect of achievement and a champion for personalized development. Any organization seeking a leader who can not only manage but actively mentor, inspire, and drive diverse talent toward meaningful success would be fortunate to work with her.”
– Diane Latiker, Founder & CEO, Kids Off the Block
“I have known and worked with Mary over the last two decades in several different roles. I always found her to be an insightful and strategic thinker who was also grounded in the realities imposed by funding and the patience needed to achieve system reforms. As the lead for Antolin & Associates Consulting, I engaged Mary as a consultant who could both be an effective interviewer and insightful thought partner. She effectively engaged community organizations and researchers to explore their services and unmet needs as the foundation for recommendations delivered to our client in Illinois government to improve design, access, and delivery of human services addressing poverty, social determinants of health, mental health service delivery, childcare, and safety. I enthusiastically recommend working with Mary.”
– Joe Antolin, President and CEO, Asset Funders Network
“I had the pleasure of partnering with Mary to produce multiple promotional community film series. I’ve collaborated with many executive directors – but none with the vision, integrity and drive that Mary brings to her work. Her ability to truly listen to the needs of the community and transform that insight into clear, inspiring action is nothing short of remarkable. She just knows how to inspire others, connecting across all ages, races and backgrounds and bring them together towards a common goal. Between her work ethic and her vision, she’s remarkably powerful asset to any team, client or partnership.”
– Patrick Mulvey Owner, 15 x 12 Films
Why Ninkasi
A Message From Mary
When choosing a name, I decided to have a little fun. For those who don’t know, Ninkasi is the Sumerian goddess of beer and beer culture has long been a passion of mine. It’s been said beer “saved civilization” and I love that we have a goddess to thank for that! Here’s why Ninkasi still inspires me today:
Culture: Having hailed from Sumeria where Armenia lies today, Ninkasi is a nod to my paternal culture and celebration of diversity. My Armenian father was born and raised in Jerusalem after his family survived the Armenian genocide. Growing up in a home infused with different cultures and languages instilled a deep appreciation for our respective lived experiences and a respect for diverse perspectives that informs all my work today.
Impact: Ninkasi was revered because beer purified water and was thus foundational to building the world’s first civilization. And all that with just four elemental ingredients: water, barley, hops and yeast! We live in an era where professional and academic expertise is central to developing interventions to build a better world. But sometimes we overlook the simpler solutions, which when considered in new ways, can create something life-saving and new. Mastering the essentials – especially when it comes to the human experience – is the foundation of innovation.
Collaboration: There’s an old adage that brewers take their beer (aka work) seriously, but not themselves. Prioritizing collective work over and above individual standing leads to a culture of openness and collaboration. A core value throughout my life and career has been to harness and amplify the talents and insights of others for the best possible results. We are truly better together!
Joy and Community: For all of us, and especially for those who work on the frontlines of our greatest challenges, laughter and shared community is the fuel that keeps us going and shines the light when things are dark. Beer culture has always been about bringing communities together, embracing celebrations and honoring rituals. Especially with my work in gun violence prevention, I have witnessed those who withstood the greatest loss imaginable – the senseless death of a child – embrace joy and build community. From them I have humbly learned that laughter does not diminish the struggle but rather helps provide the strength to make change from pain and build something better for those who come next.
Past Clients
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- Action for Illinois Children
- Alternative Schools Network
- Antolin and Assoicates
- Chicago Public Schools
- BUILD Chicago
- Chicago Survivors
- Erie Neighborhood House
- Illinois Department of Human Services
- Metropolis 2020
- RW Ventures
- The Washington Post
Contact us
Mary Stonor Saunders, Principal
c: 773-326-5358 e: msstonor@gmail.com
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