Patricia Wyzbinski

Patricia Wyzbinski, President of Management Cornerstones Inc., has over 25 years of experience as a management consultant to nonprofit organizations. Management Cornerstones Inc., established in 1984, offers technical assistance to nonprofits through consultation, training, publication of resource materials, and the provision of special services. Clients have included social service agencies, arts groups, schools, churches, coalitions, community and civic organizations, and grantmaking foundations. Ms. Wyzbinski has consulted with the staff and Boards of more than 3,000 organizations in all areas of nonprofit management.

In 1994, Ms. Wyzbinski and her partner, Scott Gelzer, were engaged by the Nonprofit Management Fund in Milwaukee to design the application process, review proposals, gather evaluative information, and coordinate special initiatives of the Fund. Since then, the Fund has generated over $2.5 million from 17 private funders , who work in collaboration, to build the capacity of nonprofit organizations in the greater Milwaukee area.

Ms. Wyzbinski has written extensively about management of nonprofit organizations and is a contributing author to the New Directions publication by Jossey-Bass, "Small Nonprofits: Strategies for Fundraising Success".

Ms. Wyzbinski is frequently invited to area universities as a guest lecturer and adjunct instructor. At a mid 1990's gathering of Chicago technical assistance providers, she was described as a "pioneer in the field". University teaching experience (both graduate and undergraduate) includes University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, Roosevelt University, Northern Illinois University, and Columbia College.

In 1987, she co-founded the Corporation for Cultural ReInvestment, sponsor of Arts Bridge, the nation's first business incubator for the arts. She is a past recipient of the Athena Award for Outstanding Businesswoman of the Year from the Uptown Chamber of Commerce in Chicago.

As a student at Michigan State University, she helped organize and coordinate a variety of student-run volunteer programs. She moved to Chicago in 1972 to co-found and co-direct the centre, inc. (a comprehensive youth service agency in Uptown, Chicago). She has helped to establish and has served on the Boards of several organizations and coalitions. She is a founding member of the Nonprofit Management Association and the author of numerous publications, including a research study, Technical Assistance in Cook County. She also produced two technical assistance directories under the auspices of the Donors Forum of Chicago.