Alicia Koné, Koné Consulting LLC
PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT
Our purpose is to inspire change and create lasting improvements for our clients in government and nonprofit sectors. Koné Consulting is a woman-owned consulting firm specializing in health and human services. We work every day to solve the social problem of inequity in income and opportunities, and strive to infuse joy throughout the process.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE/RESULTS
- Transformational change through Lean methods
- Strategic Planning with a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion lens
- Research and evaluation with a lived experience component
- Organization/program assessments
- Training and coaching
- ToP Facilitation/Institute of Cultural Affairs
EXPERIENCE / SELECTED PROJECTS
Department of Housing and Human Services, Boulder County, CO, 2017-ongoing
Koné Consulting provides ad hoc leadership coaching and subject matter expertise to executive-level management in Boulder County Health and Human Services for issues around policy and procedures, coaching, management practices, continuous improvement and performance measurement.
Community and Equity Assessment and Human Services Plan – City of Renton, Washington, February-October 2022
The City of Renton requested assistance with a Human Services and Equity Assessment and Plan. The assessment will provide a picture – drawn from data and lived experience – of a broad spectrum of human service needs and access in the city and analyze gaps in services. The plan will develop a list of strategies developed by stakeholders and provide an implementation schedule for the city.
Firearm Violence Intervention and Prevention Landscape Analysis – Washington State Department of Commerce, January – June 2022
The Washington Office of Firearm Safety & Violence Prevention hired Koné Consulting to complete a landscape analysis to research and provide recommendations to assist organizations in adopting evidence-based solutions and strategies responsive to community needs.
Health and Human Services Access and Enrollment Project – San Diego County, California, July 2021-March 2022
Koné Consulting, in partnership with Urban Institute, completed a comprehensive assessment of the County’s outreach, enrollment, and accessibility for its self-sufficiency services, examining issues including, but not limited to, application and renewal requirements and processes, state and federal regulations, language barriers, technology barriers, customer-centered culture, case management, outreach strategies and tactics, community partner opportunities and staffing levels of eligibility workers.
Human Services Needs Assessment – Edmonds City Council, Edmonds, WA, August 2021-February 2022
In 2018 and 2019, the City of Edmonds City Council sought to gain an understanding of the homelessness landscape within the city, to include: the number and demographics of residents experiencing homelessness; local and regional services available to assist those individuals living homeless, as well as mitigating potential homelessness from occurring; how nearby south Snohomish County cities and towns were addressing homelessness; and, identifying best practices among like-sized municipalities in other geographic regions. Edmonds-based Koné Consulting was retained to conduct an assessment of the above topics, which resulted in a report to council in February 2019.
CalFresh Regulations Redesign – California Department of Social Services, 2020-2021
Koné Consulting provided and managed a comprehensive assessment of and draft revisions to the CalFresh Manual of Policies and Procedures (MPP) to update and align the regulations with current Federal and State requirements.
New Americans Safety Net Research – Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, April-November 2021
The New Americans Initiative, the first of its kind in Colorado, has broad goals to identify and address issues related to integration; foster enhanced inclusion of New Americans in Colorado’s civic, social, and economic life; and ensure equitable opportunities for newcomers. New Americans are Coloradans who arrived to the US as immigrants and their children. The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) sought to identify and recommend changes to program access points to facilitate the ability for New Americans to benefit from programs for which they are eligible.
SNAP and Other Benefits Landscape Assessment – Feeding America, March-July 2021
Koné Consulting conducted a national landscape assessment of access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other benefits, and the ecosystem of (and gaps in) benefits application assistance services, partnerships, and providers.
Economic Impact Payment (EIP) Project – Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, May-October 2020
For more than two decades CBPP has undertaken EIC outreach work. In 2020 that work needed to be dramatically expanded to ensure that low-income Americans eligible for economic recovery rebates applied for and received them. An estimated 13 million individuals eligible for the rebates would not receive them through IRS/SSA/VA direct deposit efforts. Approximately half of those eligible individuals were enrolled in SNAP and/or Medicaid. CBPP hired Koné Consulting to manage the outreach project.
Strategic Planning – University of Washington, Seattle, WA 2019-2020
Koné Consulting, in partnership with Full Circle Associates, facilitated a strategic planning process with the University of Washington AIMS Center. The purpose of the strategic planning process was to create a framework for the strategic allocation of AIMS Center resources to realize maximum impact achieving their mission in a complex and shifting landscape.
Work Support Strategies Initiative (WSS) – Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), 2010-2016
As a long-term contractor, Koné Consulting provided research, analysis, technical assistance, IT development and support for this multi-year Ford Foundation funded project, helping states effectively integrate and streamline health and human services programs.
CREDENTIALS
- Master in Public Administration University of Washington, Evans School of Public Affairs
- Bachelor of Arts in Sociology University of Washington
- Certified in Hogan Leadership Assessment
SELECTED CLIENTS
- California Department of Social Services
- Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
- Feeding America/SNAP
- Renton, WA
- San Diego County, CA
- University of Washington
- Washington State Department of Commerce