Impact Aligned LLC

Founder

Treehouse Technology Group

Vice President of Solutions 

Solutions Architect

Ieso Digital Health

Business Transformation Manager

EthosWell

EthosWell was acquired by SimplaFYI in November 2017.

Accenture

IT Strategy Management Consultant

GE Aviation

Contracts Management Leadership Program

BostInnovation.com

Conducted interviews with local entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and angel investors to provide insight on Boston's technology and innovation sector.

VC Bijan Sabet on Seed Programs and Why Startups Should “Go for it”
http://bostinno.streetwise.co/2010/03/23/vc-bijan-sabet-on-seed-programs-and-why-startups-should-go-for-it/

Nothing Great Is Built In A Vacuum: Q&A with Adam Marchick from Bain Capital
http://bostinno.streetwise.co/2010/03/16/nothing-great-is-built-in-a-vacuum-qa-with-adam-marchick-from-bain-capital/

TechStars: Bootcamp for Boston Start-Ups
http://bostinno.streetwise.co/2010/01/19/techstars-bootcamp-for-boston-start-ups/

RacePoint Capital Group Merges With LaunchPad Venture Group
http://bostinno.streetwise.co/2010/12/08/racepoint-capital-group-merges-with-launchpad-venture-group/

Local Startup Pioneers Future Gifting: Interview with GiftsOnTime CEO
http://bostinno.streetwise.co/2010/09/25/local-startup-pioneers-future-gifting-interview-with-giftsontime-ceo/

The Secret Sauce to Inc. Mag’s Boston Companies feat. Carbonite & Gazelle
http://bostinno.streetwise.co/2010/08/25/the-secret-sauce-to-inc-mag%E2%80%99s-boston-companies-feat-carbonite-gazelle/

Christopher Mirabile of Race Point Demystifies Angel Investing
http://bostinno.streetwise.co/2010/08/18/christopher-mirabile-of-race-point-demystifies-angel-investing/

Venture Café Planning to Serve Up a Brand New Spot for Startupers to Meet and Mingle
http://bostinno.streetwise.co/2010/08/06/venture-cafe-planning-to-serve-up-a-brand-new-spot-for-startupers-to-meet-and-mingle/

Kate Castle: Flybridge Capital’s Marketing Pinch Hitter
http://bostinno.streetwise.co/2010/04/29/kate-castle-flybridge-capitals-marketing-pinch-hitter/

Got an iPhone App Idea? Appswell Just Might Buy It
http://bostinno.streetwise.co/2010/01/26/got-an-iphone-app-idea-appswell-just-might-buy-it/

Contributing Writer

Gelfand, Rennert & Feldman

Royalties Analyst

UBP Asset Management

Institutional Sales

University of Michigan - Office of Technology Transfer

Business Development Summer Associate

• Solutions-driven leader with 13 years of experience at the crossroads of strategy, technology, data, and growth.

• Track record of advising cross-functional executive teams on developing strategies, making data-driven
decisions, and implementing measurement systems to enhance organizational performance.

• Demonstrated success collaborating cross-functionally, aligning resources, and navigating market dynamics to drive strategic vision, spur product innovation, and roll out transformative solutions.

• Experienced business and data analyst skilled at organizational and technology transformation initiatives.

• Excels at the complete product lifecycle, from requirements analysis and strategic planning to innovative design, successful delivery, and responsive user feedback integration.

Sarah Merion

Cause Fokus

Named Top 10 Best New Advertising Startup Revolutionizing the US Market by BestStartup. We're a small, nimble agency (team of 10) that takes the stress of creating compelling thought leadership content off your plate so you can focus on what you're good at: serving communities that are changing the world! 

Services: 
- Social Media Audits & Strategies
- Thought Leadership & Ghostwriting for Executives
- Weekly Content Creation & Engagement
- Warm & Friendly Lead Generation

Founder & CEO

LinkedIn

An invite-only community featuring a global group of experts on LinkedIn.

LinkedIn Top Voice Community Member (North America)

Friends of the Child Advocacy Center

Board Member - Social Media

SheLeadsAI

A society of pioneers, innovators, and visionaries paving the way in AI.

SheLeadsAI Society Member

Paragonn Web Development

Paragonn is a digital agency based in Washington, D.C. Working with their incredible team of web developers and designers allowed me to offer clients full digital experiences when needed. Paragonn provides web development, web design, SalesForce, SEO, and digital marketing services across the globe.

Director of Marketing and Business Development

International Justice Mission

Oversaw paid and organic content development, strategy and community engagement for a social audience of 650,000 followers
Created and implemented cross-platform strategies for global campaigns
Secured cause-driven placement and assisted in developing influencer partnerships
Developed brand and campaign-specific best practice guides for content distribution
Served as creative producer for social copy, design and video content
Set and maintained paid CTR average 50% above industry standard
Percent increases: +165% followers, +30% engagement, +70% impressions

Social Media Marketing Manager

Family Research Council

Managed the accounts for FRC’s 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), Super PAC, and CEO on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram with an audience of 430,000 followers
Engaged and increased followers through content creation and social advertising
Developed and implemented digital marketing campaigns
Oversaw social media training programs for the organization
Increased engagement across all social media platforms by 360%

Social Media Manager

Trinity International University

Recruited students by assisting them through the admissions process
Evaluated college transcripts and facilitated student visa procedures 
Oversaw social media initiatives & assisted with content writing for the undergrad. enrollment team
Increased transfer & international student enrollment by 33% in 2014

Transfer & International Advisor

ANN INC (Ann Taylor | LOFT | Lou & Grey)

Sales Lead

Designed materials to increase university enrollment 
Collaborated with others to produce documents for university publications

Marketing & Design Intern

Managed admissions counselors’ social media pages
Communicated with prospective students via phone, email, & text message

Admissions Office Assistant

I believe even the hardest things—misunderstood tools, complex stories, or painful experiences—can be turned into a force for good. That’s what drew me to social media: a space that’s often written off as shallow or overwhelming, but when used well, can move people to act, connect deeply, and create real change.

After a decade working on hundreds of social media campaigns, I’ve seen both sides of it. The impact side—and the frustrating side. I’ve watched leaders pour time and resources into social without results, feeling like they’re shouting into the void.

I often hear:
"Social isn't working for us."
 "This is so frustrating."
 "You're my last stop before I throw in the towel."

That’s exactly why I founded Cause Fokus—a social media and thought leadership agency that helps purpose-driven leaders step confidently into their story, build trust, and turn their influence into impact.

We use empathy-driven strategy, grounded in human behavior, to get you in the room with the people who matter most to your mission. I’ve had the privilege of leading social for U.S. policymakers, international NGOs, small businesses, professional athletes, artists, and global change-makers.

And yes, I’m very proud of my Swedish roots—so you might hear me talk a lot about quality over quantity, fika breaks ☕️, and clarity in everything I do. (That’s also why "fokus" is spelled the way it is 😉)

3 ways to work with me:

- Subscribe to my free newsletter
- Hire me as a fractional consultant
- Hire our team for full content strategy & support

CASE STUDY: Turning Influence into Opportunity

A CEO of a patient advocacy foundation came to me with a big problem: no traction from their company’s LinkedIn ad campaigns. Cold outreach was falling flat. They were losing momentum with healthcare partners—and couldn’t afford to keep spinning their wheels.

Our solution:

We activated the Chief Development Officer’s personal LinkedIn presence.
In his own voice, we posted 3–4 times a week, spoke directly to the pain points of ideal partners, engaged in strategic conversations, and sent warm, personalized messages to his top-tier contact list.

In just 6 months:
- His content reached 100,000+ impressions
- Profile views from key decision-makers jumped 508%
- Connection acceptance rate hit 60%
- A major lapsed partner re-engaged and said: “I love what you’re doing on LinkedIn. I can tell the organization is taking a turn for the better. Let’s chat.”

Because when the right people trust you, the right doors start opening.
Trust is currency. Let’s spend it well!

Brynne Krispin

I told a packed room in Oklahoma City about the time my life fell apart. 

Standing room only.
All eyes on me.
And I wanted them to know the truth.

Because when you're in survival mode, needing to secure funding like your life depends on it... the marketing noise and B2B guru advice falls flat.

What I needed then, and what I know many leaders need now, is not more pitch decks or performative posts. It's a proven strategy to leverage LinkedIn for impact: breaking down overwhelming problems into smaller, manageable steps that lead to opportunities you've only ever dreamed about.

That's what LinkedIn did for me three years ago, and I literally can't stop talking about how powerful this platform can be!

I also shared in a separate talk about the work we're doing to train AI agents on how to be more empathetic. Our incredible CAIO, Kristina Sorrelli, created a brand new Empathy Engine Knowledge File specifically for the leaders in this room to upload to ChatGPT during the talk and begin practicing with it. It was so much fun! 🤓  

But the best part...

Meeting so many of you in real life — leaders I’ve admired from afar, whose comments and content have inspired me for years.

Your kindness, your questions, your vulnerability in the room… it reminded me why I do this work.

Social media is just the tool. Empathy is the engine.
And when we use these platforms with intention and clarity, they can open doors we didn’t know existed.

Thank you again to the Sarkeys Foundation for the invitation and to every single person who showed up, asked hard questions, and stayed after to keep the conversation going.

If we didn’t get a chance to connect, or if you want to explore what it looks like to bring this kind of training to your company or organization, my DMs are open.

We’re just getting started. 💛

p.s. Thank you for the photo Edie A. Tolbert and for the dinner rec Elizabeth Beck! The pink fries at Spark were 🤌. 

Jon McCoy, Becky Endicott, Dana Snyder, Cindy Wagman, Nathan Chappell, MBA, MNA, CFRE, AIGP, Haley Cooper, Kim Henry

#ThoughtLeadership #EmpathyDrivenMarketing #NonprofitLeadership #LinkedInStrategy #SocialImpact #SarkeysFoundation #CauseFokus #AIForGood #EmpathyInAction

Still taking it all in! On Friday night, Cause Fokus was named Social Media Agency of the Year at #SpeakerCon2025.

The event was held at the incredible Busboys and Poets, and I was surrounded by leaders who are using their platforms to move people toward justice, healing, and change.

Standing on that stage, I shared a bit of my own journey, one that started not with a business plan or a perfect pitch deck, but with burnout and grief. In the kind of season where it’s hard to even imagine the next step, let alone lead others.

Year 1 of building Cause Fokus was the hardest year of my life. And more than once, it was someone else’s story of resilience that kept me going.

So if you’re in that kind of season now, just know:
- Your story is not too much.
- It’s not too messy.
- It’s never too late to share it.

The stories we tell, and even more so, the ones we almost didn’t, can be lifelines. Someone, somewhere, needs to hear it.

To our small but mighty team — thank you for doing social differently and taking risks! Your care, creativity, and belief in doing social differently are what make this work possible.

To our clients — thank you for trusting us with your voice. For sharing your stories. For showing up with courage in spaces that weren’t always designed for people like you.

And to Dr. Cheryl Wood — thank you for building a space that honors both resilience and results. Your work makes space for so many of us to rise.

Celebrating with parents was the cherry on top! Love you, Mom and Dad!

This work is hard, but honestly, when was anything good in life ever easy?
Here’s to more grit, grace, and the stories that carry us forward! 🥂

Beep beep! 🚙  LinkedIn just announced it’s switching from a social graph to an interest graph. Here's what this means for thought leaders and subject matter experts.

Brought to you from my mini cooper with my mini mic. 😉 What would you like the next tip to be about?

We helped a CEO go from invisible to in-demand in 90 days. Here’s exactly what we did. 👇

When the founder of a child safety nonprofit first came to us, she had deep expertise, a strong network, and a mission that mattered.

But…
Like so many nonprofit leaders we work with, she didn’t have time to figure out how to show up consistently on LinkedIn. 

The pressure of saying the right thing, showing up the “right” way, and staying on top of social trends made it easier to just… not post at all.

Her story isn’t unique.
Many of the social impact leaders we support aren’t trying to become influencers — they just want to be trusted, visible, and understood.

So here’s what we did to help her get there without burning out or adding more to her plate:

1. Clarified her core content themes around tech accountability and child safety
2. Shifted from reactive to proactive posting — with a clear rhythm and schedule
3. Added variety: carousels, photos, text-only, and strategic reposts
4. Built emotional urgency with bold calls to action
5. Spoke directly to her #1 target audience in every post
6. Encouraged trust-building interactions through comments, tags, and thoughtful engagement

The results in 90 days:

57% follower growth
A 951% increase in impressions
Two viral posts (50k and 75k impressions)
915% increase in reach

And most importantly: a 20%+ active engagement rate — our internal benchmark for content that actually resonates, not just performs.

This didn’t happen because of an ad budget or automation.

It happened because we helped her unlock expertise she already had, and built a strategy that matched her capacity and conviction.

In a closed-door meeting with other top industry experts, her LinkedIn was called out as an example of how to put words into action. People she's admired from afar are now reaching out to her for advice.

So if you’ve been wondering whether LinkedIn can work for you, the answer is: Yes!
But you don’t have to figure it out alone.

Want to see what 90 days could do for your voice online?

Let’s talk.

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A few weeks ago, I did something I’ve been putting off for years:
I joined a coworking space.

For an introvert who’s been very content working from her peaceful home office for the past 3 years, this was a big (and honestly, intimidating) step. I love my quiet. I love my routine. 

But as I cross the 3-year mark as an entrepreneur, I’m chasing connection more than anything.

Already, this small step has led to meaningful moments:
🧠 Whiteboarding ideas with other curious humans
💬 Swapping business tips with fellow founders between calls
🥹 My first Friendsgiving (!)
🙌 And a sense of shared energy I didn’t realize I was missing

Hands down, the connection far outweighs the discomfort.

The more I lead, the more I believe:
We weren’t meant to build things alone.
We need real humans to laugh with, challenge our overthinking, and remind us we’re not the only ones figuring it out as we go.

So to my fellow introverts out there... this is your sign to get out of the house!

To the people I’ve met IRL this year — thank you. I’m so, so grateful.

What uncomfortable thing are you ready to embrace?

p.s. I think my small talk still needs some work, though. Someone asked me what I've been reading lately, and it turned into a conversation about funerals, cemeteries, and death. 😬 maybe I'll stick to the weather next time?

If you're not recalibrating your LinkedIn strategy after the 360Brew rollout, you're going to get left behind. The new LinkedIn is all about positioning, not performance.

A Top Voice creator told me this: "My feed’s been stacked with fluff, and TBH my own posts were starting to sneak into that same trap, so I’m stepping back to recalibrate."

Smart.

You can’t out-post incoherence.
You can’t out-hustle misalignment.
And you definitely can’t build trust with fluff.

Here’s what we’re seeing work right now with our executive clients who want their content to lead to revenue, partnerships, and trust — not just views:

1. Start with strategic clarity.

Before you post anything, ask:
What do I want to be known for?
Not just in theory — in keywords. In categories. In partnerships.

Your content isn’t a diary. It’s positioning.
If a corporate partner or ideal customer landed on your profile today, would they get what you do in 10 seconds?

Now's the time to update those bios and headlines. New year, new clarity!

2. Teach the algorithm how to think about you.

Every post builds a pattern. LinkedIn doesn’t just track activity anymore, it tracks meaning. That means:

- Posts with a clear throughline perform better
- Vague “updates” get buried
- Deep, reflective thought wins over high-frequency noise

Embrace a slower content model:
Fewer, richer posts that sound like you, backed by your lived expertise, not AI filler.

Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.

3. Treat engagement like a narrative strategy, not a numbers game. 

We’re not chasing vanity metrics here. We’re training the algorithm and building relationships. Instead of liking 47 posts and commenting on viral fluff, we’re guiding clients to:

- Engage in the rooms you want to be invited into
- Leave comments like a subject matter expert, not a fan
- Respond like someone building trust, not chasing clout

Tip: Warm up your feed before and after you post. It works! This signals deeper engagement. Not posting and ghosting.

🧠 Final thought:

Great thought leadership has never been about volume. 
It’s all about resonance. Relevance. Repeatability.

So if you're the type of leader who likes to think before they speak and focus on quality over quantity, this algorithm shift is for YOU.

The best thing you can do right now isn’t to post more.
It’s to recalibrate with intention.

👀 Want us to do a quick diagnostic on your profile or recent content? Send me a message.

#ThoughtLeadership #LinkedInStrategy #PersonalBranding #QuietLeader

When you're operating in survival mode, your brain is literally doing its job: telling you to stay safe...

Don’t take risks.
Don’t speak up.
Don’t post that thing.
Don’t move.
Just survive.

But here’s what your brain doesn’t always realize:
Sometimes the safest thing you can do… is take the smallest risk.

😊 Say yes to coworking with a friend.
🫣 Say yes to that project that excites you (even if you don’t have it 100% figured out).
😬 Say yes to sharing a little bit more about what you do—yes, even in “just” LinkedIn post.

For anyone currently in that stuck place—I see you.
Getting out of survival mode isn’t about going big.
It’s about taking one brave, uncomfortable step at a time.

And I'll be honest: I powered through every cringy, uncomfortable post in the beginning. Was it awkward? YES.

Were there some posts I’d definitely rewrite today? Oh, absolutely. But each time I hit “post,” I was building something:
A habit.
A rhythm.
A little more clarity in my voice.
A little more courage in my story.
And a ton of resilience.

The habit and the practice far outweigh any uncomfortable feeling.

And each time you show up, even imperfectly, your brain learns:
“Oh. I can do that scary thing… and the world isn't going to fall apart.”

So while you're building a personal brand and thought leadership... you're also healing your nervous system.

You're teaching yourself to keep showing up even when the rewards are uncertain. That's the key to going from good to great.

And if all you did today was show up online a little more human, a little more honest...
That’s courageous leadership. 

Keep going! You've got this. 💪

This summer, we completely overhauled our client communications. The cadence was running just fine... there was nothing terribly wrong with it, but I just kept feeling like it was missing something: depth.

We get to work with some of the world's top thinkers and innovators, and yet our time with them was packed into a weekly 30 min. meeting covering logistics and to-dos. 

Something needed to shift. We needed room to breathe, think, let clients go down rabbit holes, and share those out-there ideas and brilliant insights without checking the clock.

So we threw out the old system and rolled out something new.

Before: Weekly 30-min. check-ins
After: Monthly 1-hour clarity calls + Monthly 30-min check-ins

Now we have:
✅ Space to analyze post performance—what's actually landing on LinkedIn
✅ Room to review thought leadership goals and platform shifts
✅ Time to revisit strategy (not just content ideas)
✅ Space for story time! The wins, the rants, the random moments in life that actually make the best content

Already, we've discussed:
- An innovative project idea for a nonprofit that needs to reach new audiences
- Connecting the dots from a case study to a major cultural moment
- A message experiment to help a leader break into a brand new industry 
- Is Bigfoot real? 😂 (heated debate)

And we're just getting started!

One client said: “I love this. I’d much rather go deep once a month than scratch the surface every week.”

And our team is feeling the same way, walking away with more energy and clarity than ever before.

It's a great reminder that systems and workflows may seem like the boring parts of business, but they truly can help you increase the value and outcomes for the people you're serving.

It was a change in how we prioritize attention, insight, and leadership visibility.

And why at Cause Fokus, we’ll always prioritize deep clarity over surface-level busyness.

If you’ve felt stuck in your own weekly whirlpool of “getting things done,” don't be afraid to toss it out the window and start fresh. Maybe you need space, like we did, to see clearly again.

P.S. Huge shoutout to Amy Ogren, who is a calendar wizard and helped us pull this off! Finding time with C-suite execs is no walk in the park. 🫠

taplio

The Battle

Sarah Merion

Brynne Krispin

Followers

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taplio

The Battle

Sarah Merion

Brynne Krispin

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Brynne Krispin's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreBrynne Krispin's LinkedIn Performance