A bridge-builder, by nature and by choice.
About Dana
Dana grew up outside of her passport country — raised in Ecuador, shaped by multiple cultures, belonging fully to none. Not belonging fully to any group turned out to be its own kind of gift. It placed her permanently in the in-between spaces — and that is exactly where bridge-builders live.
Growing up, she was constantly bridging divides: between those who wanted to help and those who needed it, between donors and recipients, between good intentions and culturally appropriate action. She learned early that the distance between two parties is almost always bridgeable — with the right guide, the right language, and the right care.
That is the conviction at the heart of Ponto Advisory. Ponto means 'bridge' in Esperanto — a language created to connect people across cultural divides. And bridging is what we do: between where your organization is and where it could be, between your team's passion and the systems that would allow that passion to sustain itself.
Why Ponto Advisory exists.
Over more than a decade of frontline fundraising — across human services, international development, environmental conservation, human rights, and education — Dana kept seeing the same painful pattern.
The organizations doing the most contextually appropriate, efficient, and deeply human work were almost always small. They had passionate staff, close relationships with the communities they served, and programs that genuinely worked. What they did not have was the fundraising infrastructure to sustain it — and rarely the budget to hire the expertise that would help them build it.
At the same time, she watched talented fundraisers burn out and leave these organizations — not because they were not good at their jobs, but because the systems were not there to support them. Unrealistic goals. No data to guide decisions. Boards that were passionate but lacked the expertise to invest in what would actually work.
Dana founded Ponto Advisory because she believes this is a solvable problem. And because these organizations — and the people who work in them — deserve better.
The nonprofits doing the best work are often the ones with the least support.
What Dana brings to every engagement.
Over $15M raised across multiple sectors and organization sizes
Master of Public Administration, concentration in Nonprofit Management
Graduate research in philanthropy, George Mason University
Experience spanning local grassroots organizations to global institutions
Extensive work with multilingual and cross-cultural teams
Recognized as the 'queen of stewardship' for donor experience excellence
Known as a 'curious chameleon' — equally effective across diverse donor types and organizational cultures
Sector Experience
· Human services · International development · Environmental conservation · Human rights · Education · Healthcare
Request a free consultation
A free consultation is a real conversation — not a sales call. Tell me about your organization, what you are working toward, and where things feel stuck. Together we will figure out whether Ponto Advisory is the right fit.