Michelle Shumate is the Delaney University Research Professor and the founding director for the Network for Nonprofit and Social Impact at Northwestern University. She is also an associate faculty of the Institute for Policy Research. Her research focuses on how to design interorganizational networks to make the most social impact. The National Science Foundation recognized her research with a CAREER award. Her research has been funded by the
National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Army Research Office. Nonprofit Quarterly, Stanford Social Innovation, and the Conference board have featured her work. She offers workshops, consulting, and coaching through the Social Impact Network Consulting.
Katherine R. Cooper is Assistant Professor of Communication Studies at DePaul University. As a researcher, Kate is primarily interested in nonprofit organizations and interorganizational collaboration in response to social problems. Her
research has been published in both communication and nonprofit journals, as well as outlets for nonprofit practitioners, such as Nonprofit Quarterly and the Stanford Social Innovation Review. She remains active in the nonprofit sector as a volunteer and consultant.