International (Ex-USA)

Ancora’s founder and President began her career working on projects in Africa for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the World Bank. As President of Ancora Associates, she has completed engagements for non-profit and private-sector organizations in Western Europe, and holds active contracts with USAID as a Senior Education Specialist and Senior Local Capacity Development Specialist. Ancora’s team and partners are well versed and deeply experienced in identifying, engaging and collaborating with key stakeholders and community groups to build support, consensus and enthusiasm for a wide range of initiatives. Ancora has helped our clients:

• Create continuing education program and secure higher-education partners in order to build public financial management skills within national civil service.
• Devise and implement dynamic pricing systems to reduce traffic congestion while maximizing transportation-related revenues within major municipal centers.
• Optimize municipal revenue collections through deep-dive cash-flow analysis and comprehensive redesign of business licensing and other user-fee strategies.

Municipal Revenue Enhancement/Kenya

Advised secondary towns in Kenya on municipal financial management for the World Bank.  Worked with city leaders to identify potential sources of funding. Analyzed incoming cash flows from taxes, utilities, business licensing and user fees and devised action plan to optimize revenue collections.

Shift in Organizational Mission/France

The Terra Foundation for American Art supports the worldwide study and presentation of historical art of the United States through grants, initiatives, partnerships, and arts education. Founded by Daniel Terra in 1978, the Foundation opened the Terra Museum of American Art in Chicago in 1980 and the Musée d’Art Américain Giverny in France in 1992.

In the mid-2000s, the Terra Foundation engaged Ancora Associates to conduct a thorough strategic review to determine how it could best steward and leverage its resources, while continuing to achieve its mission of providing a broad audience exposure to American art. Ancora performed a thorough analysis of all operations in both France and America. Working collaboratively with a leadership group at the Terra Foundation, Ancora helped form and then implement a strategic plan for change management within the French organization. With Ancora’s support, the Terra Foundation established a partnership with the French government to secure operating stability for museum operations in France, freeing the foundation to expand grant programs, lend its collection to international institutions, enhance acquisition, and create traveling shows designed to foster a dynamic and evolving conversation about American art.

City of Paris and City of Madrid (with Lockheed Martin)

Devised traffic control practices to reduce congestion and enhance revenue for Paris and Madrid.  Led Lockheed Martin team in leveraging impact study data along with access management techniques and neighborhood-specific parking plans to build a customized municipal traffic management system ensuring free flow while simultaneously maximizing revenues from parking fees.

Government of Liberia (with US Agency for International Development)

Performed a comprehensive review of continuing and higher education needs for civil servants in Liberia. With USAID support, developed a 5-year plan to enhance public sector knowledge base with an emphasis on accounting, public financial management and administrative management.  Secured university partners to offer coursework aligned with the plan.