Announcement

We’re thrilled to announce Caylin Haldeman is rejoining Next Stage as our Director of Strategy.

Introducing Caylin

Caylin is no stranger to Next Stage; she was the firm’s first hire in early 2017. A fresh transplant from Philadelphia, Caylin had already established a deep commitment to helping nonprofits grow through work experiences in direct service, consulting and grantmaking with organizations like Broad Street Love, Frontline Solutions and the GreenLight Fund. She quickly found her roots in Charlotte and advanced in her role at Next Stage, playing a key part in many client engagements. She helped define the firm’s strategic direction and supported the design and implementation of early versions of Next Stage’s collaboration management platform Cultivate Impact™. 

During the pandemic, Caylin nurtured an interest in community-centered design and the intersections between social impact and technology. She joined fundraising software platform Flipcause in 2021, where she managed business development efforts, supported sales operations and built partnerships with small nonprofits across the country. Caylin then transitioned from partnerships into the product-design side of the tech-for-good space. She joined Resilia, a startup focused on nonprofit capacity building, as the company’s first UX Researcher. While there, she managed research strategy and operations and launched a cross-functional Voice of the Customer program.

Caylin’s core values of community, belonging and investment in local systems led her to seek opportunities more deeply rooted in Charlotte and the greater Southeast. Most recently, Caylin stewarded grantmaking processes and project management with the United Way of Greater Charlotte. 

In her new role as Director of Strategy, Caylin looks forward to merging her background in design and nonprofit organizational development to work alongside Next Stage’s talented team and lead initiatives focused on growth and innovation.

In Her Own Words

“I’m thrilled to return to Next Stage at this particular juncture in the company’s evolution. The landscape of social good work is continuously shifting, and I’m excited to join a growing team that has demonstrated a commitment to placing belonging, equity and courage at the forefront of our strategic initiatives,” says Caylin. “I admire Next Stage’s purpose — building belonging at the intersection of social good — and am eager to roll up my sleeves and contribute to this important work.”

Please join us in extending a warm welcome back to Caylin!

Introducing Nora

We’re excited to introduce Nora Hines — Next Stage’s new Content Manager.

Originally from the suburbs of Chicago, Nora developed a passion for supporting children with disabilities through volunteer opportunities with local organizations and nonprofits. These experiences inspired her to pursue a career in speech-language pathology.

After graduating with her bachelor’s from the University of Notre Dame, Nora continued her education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. While there, she worked part-time as an Academic Coach and Editor, assisting student athletes placed at risk of academic probation. This impactful experience sparked Nora’s love of writing and further fueled her desire to support public education systems — particularly those in historically underserved and under-resourced communities.

Upon receiving her master’s degree, Nora moved to San Jose, CA, and worked as a speech-language pathologist (SLP) for a local school district. There, she supported the communication needs of children with significant intellectual and developmental disabilities from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

In 2019, Nora relocated to Charlotte, where she continued her career as an SLP in Title 1 schools for both Cabarrus County Schools and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. During this time, she also began pursuing opportunities to further her education and hone her skills in writing, editing and content creation.

In 2022, Nora began a part-time contract role with a professional writing and editing company, and in 2023, she opted to pursue this role, plus additional freelance opportunities in the content creation and management space, full-time.

In her former role as Lead Developmental Editor, Nora maintained internal style guides and edited case studies, technical blogs and customer reference stories for major enterprise technology clients. She also created a training curriculum and coached newly hired freelance writers and editors. Additionally, Nora leveraged her clinical expertise to support the content marketing needs of small businesses in the continuing education and health care fields. She developed editorial calendars, created social media content, wrote clinical blogs and designed email campaigns.

As Next Stage’s new content manager, Nora greatly values the opportunity to support the company’s efforts to amplify the impact of mission-driven organizations.

In Her Own Words

“I’m thrilled to join the dedicated team at Next Stage and begin this next chapter in my career,” says Nora. “I’m grateful for this opportunity, and I look forward to contributing to the company’s mission to support social good organizations in our community.”

Introducing Jalah

The Next Stage team is thrilled to introduce Jalah Blackmon – our newest member of the team serving as a Consultant.

Jalah is a skilled public health educator dedicated to using a social justice and health equity lens to empower underrepresented communities and challenge systemic barriers to wellness. Her passion is fueled by a commitment to destigmatize mental health in communities of color, emphasizing education, community, and social support. She deeply believes in challenging and reshaping health outcomes entrenched within systems of structural racism.

She previously served as the Director of Innovation and Capacity Building at Care Share Health Alliance and as a Program Director at Charlotte Mecklenburg Food Policy Council. Additionally, Jalah is the Co-Founder of The Black Light Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit focused on bringing light to dark places for individuals suffering from suicidal thoughts and mental health issues by providing the necessary resources for emotional support, education and intervention.

A graduate of UNC-CH and UNCG, Jalah holds a BA in Exercise and Sports Science and Sociology and a Master of Public Health. Jalah was born and raised in North Carolina and enjoys being a functional fitness trainer.

In Her Own Words

I’m returning to my roots in Charlotte and am particularly enthusiastic about Next Stage’s profound commitment to nurturing local nonprofits while disrupting and reimagining social systems for the greater good. As I step into this consultant role, I’m eager to contribute actively to Next Stage’s mission, specifically in projects targeting community health promotion.

My approach is to not just lead client engagement and project management, but to also champion community-driven strategies. I thrive upon fostering a sense of belonging, a value I am already extending through the innovative use of Cultivate Impact, Next Stage’s online collaboration management platform.

Within and beyond my professional endeavors, I am committed to amplifying diverse voices, fostering inclusivity, and sparking impactful change through thought leadership. In alignment with Next Stage’s visionary mission, I look forward to contributing toward tangible strides toward a more equitable and healthier future for all.

Join us in welcoming Jalah to the team!