Reviews
Client Perspectives
Reflections from leaders and organizations on their experience working with Cornerstone.
Testimonials
Trusted by Leadership
Cornerstone partners with executive leaders and governing bodies to address structural challenges and strengthen long-term organizational performance.
The perspectives below reflect the impact of this work across nonprofit, public sector, and cross-sector environments.
Liana Potmen
Gjvar Payne
Executive Director, Capitol Area Reentry Program, Inc.
“Working with Marcus Stanley has been extremely impactful for me as a new Executive Director. The capacity-building work around MIPA, trauma-informed care, and dismantling white supremacist culture in the workplace came at a critical time as I stepped into leadership. As someone leading an organization that is Black-founded and Black-operated, Marcus helped guide conversations that allowed me to really examine the systemic and cultural dynamics that exist in many nonprofit spaces. His approach pushed me to think intentionally about how we create equity in the workplace, how we show up as leaders, and how policies and culture must align with the communities we serve. Marcus also grounded the work in trauma-informed practice, recognizing that the people we serve often carry deep trauma—and that many of us as staff carry our own lived experiences as well. Learning how to lead with that awareness while still building strong systems and accountability has been incredibly valuable. Many of these lessons are now baked into the DNA of the evolving culture at my organization. They have influenced how we structure our leadership, how we practice meaningful involvement, and how we’ve built a more leveled and equitable administrative structure rooted in intention, equity, and community voice.”
Robert Mathew
Masonia B. Traylor
Emmy-Nominated Producer
Founder & Executive Director, Lady BurgAndy Inc.
CEO, Legacy Leadership Consulting
“I’ve had the privilege of working with Marcus for over seven years, and his impact on my growth as a leader has been undeniable. Through his guidance, I’ve grown from securing $45K contracts to leading and contributing to over $700K in grant-funded opportunities, while expanding into philanthropy, research, and coalition-building on a national level. What makes his work so powerful is its attention to detail and its ability to align vision with the systems needed to sustain real impact. Because of him, I’ve been able to build safer, more intentional spaces for communities navigating health disparities and for executive leadership teams, ensuring that trauma-informed approaches are embedded in both culture and practice. One of the most impactful lessons he’s shared with me is: “Build it for them, they will come. Build it with them, they will stay.” That philosophy has shaped how I lead, how I build, and how I show up across every community I serve.”
Peter Brandson
Krista Martel
Executive Director, The Well Project
“Marcus helped The Well Project navigate a significant period of organizational change by moving beyond surface-level conversations to address the deeper issues affecting our culture, communication, and decision-making. He has a rare ability to identify patterns we were experiencing but had not yet fully named, and then translate those insights into a practical path forward that resulted in a more aligned way of working together. His combination of strategic rigor, emotional intelligence, and trauma-informed leadership is truly rare.”
Peter Brandson
Dr. Tonyka McKinney
Executive Director, The Vision Community Foundation
“Marcus guided our organization through a deeply impactful, trauma‑informed organizational change process that reshaped both our culture and our service delivery. His leadership was not just technical—it was grounded and strategic. Marcus helped us design and implement policies that have fundamentally transformed how we approach HIV prevention and care for Black sexual and gender minority communities. He brought a rare blend of expertise and empathy, ensuring our systems, staff, and programs were aligned with the realities our communities face. Because of his guidance, we now operate with greater cultural humility, stronger accountability, and a clearer commitment to healing‑centered engagement. Our teams are more confident, our services are more responsive, and our community partners consistently note the difference in how we show up. Marcus didn’t simply facilitate a process; he helped us evolve!”
Aliana Lorel
Tatiana Williams
Executive Director, Transinclusive Group
“Working with Marcus through the TIOC initiative helped me recognize how my lived experiences, including trauma, shape my leadership and decision-making in ways I had not previously named. He creates space for honest reflection while grounding the work in clear, practical application. Marcus brings a rare ability to translate deeply personal insight into structured, actionable leadership growth, and his approach is both thoughtful and highly effective in complex environments.”
Aliana Lorel
Kevin Anderson,
Founder/Chief Executive Officer, The T.R.U.T.H. Project, Inc.
“Working alongside Marcus A. Stanley has been transformative for both my personal leadership journey and the growth of The T.R.U.T.H. Project. As our Project Officer during an intensive 18-month trauma-informed organizational development process, Marcus guided us in reshaping our programmatic approach to center healing, community voice, and cultural humility. His co-facilitation of RenewED: Embracing Power Sharing for Transformative Leadership further deepened my understanding of equitable leadership, offering tools that continue to influence how I show up for community and for myself. Because of his guidance, I am better equipped to navigate complex challenges, prioritize self-care, and lead with intention in service to Queer and Trans communities of color and allies.”
Work with Cornerstone.
If your organization is navigating complexity, transition, or growth, we’re ready to help you strengthen your foundation.