Who We Are
Paula J. Peter
Paula Peter founded The Solstice Group in July 2002, to utilize decades of experience with a wide range of not-for-profit organizations. She has particular strengths in board development, campaign readiness and management, strategic planning, major gift fund-raising and training. She designs and facilitates board retreats and 360 performance reviews for senior leaders and provides one-on-one coaching services.
Paula began her consulting career in 1991 with Carol O'Brien Associates, where she conducted feasibility studies and/or development assessments for dozens of clients, including Duke University and Duke University Medical Center; Harvard University, The Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, University of Pennsylvania and WGBH Educational Foundation (in Boston, MA). Prior to consulting, Paula held several positions with Cornell University's division of Public Affairs (now AA&D).
Paula also serves as an advisor with the Capital Campaign Toolkit, an online consulting platform. In that capacity she has worked with a diverse set of clients including, Finger Lakes Museum, Hospice of Southern Maine, Marin Humane (CA), and Project Home (Philadelphia).
Paula graduated from Cornell University in 1977. She is a lifelong learner, having completed: Napier and Associates' Group Leadership Intensive, a facilitation internship program; The Temagami Experience, a program on developing community and leadership skills conducted on a remote island in Northern Ontario, as well as programs through the Hoffman Institute (St Helena, CA), Outward Bound (Baja, Mexico), and the Gestalt International Study Center (South Wellfleet, MA.) She has lectured and presented workshops on board development, campaign planning, starting major gift programs, and how to be a good board member for many groups including the Association for Fundraising Professionals, CASE, SUNY CUAD, Leadership Tompkins (Ithaca, NY) and Duke University's continuing education program (Durham, NC).
She resides near Ithaca, NY with her husband, Michael Ward. Between them, they have four grown children and nine grandchildren.