Xanthus Consulting with Pat McCowan Helps Non-Profit Organizations with Trust, Partnership, and Accountability

Leading any organization can be stressful. The last thing staff and board leadership need is a situation where teams are pulling in different directions, each trying to micro-manage the other.

Xanthus Consulting was founded in 2019 on the belief that all community impact organizations can have dynamic, powerful, effective governance and management partnerships that propel them toward achieving their purpose. We delight in partnering with staff and volunteers to:

  • Uncover confusion and misunderstandings;
  • Facilitate a clarification process tailored to their unique community;
  • Provide tools and training to create greater alignment and accountability, and;
  • Create a plan for continued evolution and growth.
An oak tree with the sun shining, a symbol of integrity, one of the core values of Xanthus Consulting.

Our Values

Integrity. We believe that meeting people where they are (and not where “best practices” say they should be) is critical to long-term success and sustainability.

Empowerment. We believe facilitative leadership propels organizations to achieve their goals during our work together and empowers them to continue evolving to meet their dynamic environment afterward.

Individuality. We believe one size does not fit all. Each organization has its own unique vision, voice, and vitality. Providing context for leading practices allows the organizations we work with to adapt those practices to what works best for them — now and in the future.

Our Experience

Xanthus Founder Patricia McCowan is an avid believer that one size does not fit all. She applies knowledge gained through more than 30 years of work in the not-for-profit sector, a Master of Nonprofit Leadership (MNPL) degree from Seattle University, Certificates of Nonprofit Board Consulting from BoardSource, Certified Diversity Professional from the National Diversity Council, and Third Sector Company’s Interim Executives Academy and Board Chairs Academy.

Pat is a member of the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA) and the International Association of Facilitators (IAF). She is a frequent speaker and trainer on purpose-driven leadership, success planning, board-executive partnership, and succession planning.

Pat McCowan, Founder & Owner of Xanthus Consulting
Pat McCowan, Founder & Owner of Xanthus Consulting

Our Experience

Xanthus Founder Patricia McCowan is an avid believer that one size does not fit all. She applies knowledge gained through more than 30 years of work in the not-for-profit sector, a Master of Nonprofit Leadership (MNPL) degree from Seattle University, Certificates of Nonprofit Board Consulting from BoardSource, Certified Diversity Professional from the National Diversity Council, and Third Sector Company’s Interim Executives Academy and Board Chairs Academy.

Pat is a member of the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA) and the International Association of Facilitators (IAF). She is a frequent speaker and trainer on purpose-driven leadership, success planning, board-executive partnership, and succession planning.

Testimonials

Our clients and colleagues have said some truly kind and thoughtful things about Xanthus Consulting. Here are a few of our testimonials.

“The resources that you provided were very helpful, and your ability to facilitate our team through important conversations was invaluable. I also appreciate your frequent positive feedback to the team.”

—Jodi G.

“Pat brings knowledge and expertise from previous nonprofit chief executive and board member roles. These perspectives contribute to her ability to do better than most consultants. Pat has the ability to get participants to voice their own thought processes, and she synthesizes issues and topics in a way that is affirming and makes people feel heard.”

—Amy W.

Xanthus and Balius were the horses that pulled the chariot of Achilles during the siege on Troy.

Why “Xanthus” Consulting

The name Xanthus comes from Homer’s Iliad. Xanthus and Balius were the horses that pulled the chariot of Achilles during the siege on Troy. Xanthus was given voice and foretold Achilles’ future.

We chose Xanthus as the name of our company because of our belief that an unexpected voice and outside perspective can provide invaluable insights into the future. Trust in the partnership is critical to whether or not individuals and organizations decide to act on those insights.