DBS Advisory LLC

Strategic counsel for organizations doing work that matters

Expert operational and strategic advisory for nonprofit organizations and philanthropic institutions—helping leaders clarify direction, strengthen operations, and amplify impact.

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20+
Years of philanthropy and nonprofit leadership experience
$9B+
In philanthropic capital shaped through strategic planning roles
Global
Experience across international health, social justice, and advocacy

What I Offer

Services built around your organization's needs

Every engagement is tailored to the specific context, culture, and goals of your organization. I bring rigorous thinking and a collaborative approach to every project.

Strategic Planning

Facilitated, evidence-based processes to help your organization set clear priorities, align around shared goals, and build actionable roadmaps for the future—no off-the-shelf frameworks.

Operational Advisory

Practical support to strengthen the systems, structures, and processes that power your work—from governance and board effectiveness to team design and resource allocation.

Organizational Development

Helping organizations grow and evolve thoughtfully—from leadership transitions and team building to culture, change management, and navigating periods of significant growth or contraction.

Philanthropy Advisory

Strategic guidance for foundations and philanthropic funds—including grantmaking strategy, portfolio design, funder collaboration, and evaluating organizational effectiveness.

Interim Leadership

Experienced executive leadership during transitions—providing stability, continuity, and strategic momentum while your organization conducts a permanent leadership search.

Strategic Communications

Helping organizations articulate their vision, narrative, and impact with clarity—including stakeholder communications, board reporting, and funder positioning.

How I Work

A collaborative, practitioner's approach

I work alongside leaders, not above them. Every engagement is shaped by genuine curiosity about your organization's context and a commitment to leaving your team stronger.

1
Listen & Understand

Deep listening to your organization's history, culture, relationships, and aspirations before any recommendations are made.

2
Diagnose & Frame

Identifying the real questions to be answered—often different from the presenting question—and building a shared frame for the work ahead.

3
Co-create Solutions

Developing strategies and plans together with your team, so that the thinking and the ownership are both yours.

4
Support Implementation

Staying engaged through execution, course-correcting as needed, and building your team's capacity for the challenges ahead.

The most important work happens not in the boardroom, but in building the organizational conditions that allow great missions to flourish.

Diana Benton Schechter — DBS Advisory LLC

Diana Benton Schechter
20+ Years in Philanthropy

About

Diana Benton Schechter

Diana Benton Schechter is a nonprofit executive and independent consultant with more than two decades of experience at the intersection of philanthropy, strategy, and organizational leadership.

She spent nearly a decade at The Atlantic Philanthropies—the landmark limited-life foundation founded by Charles F. Feeney that distributed more than $9 billion to social causes—where she led strategic planning in the Office of the CEO, helping shape one of the most consequential philanthropic ventures of the modern era.

She subsequently served as a senior leader at The END Fund, a collaborative philanthropic initiative dedicated to ending neglected tropical diseases affecting 1.6 billion people worldwide. Over seven years she served as Vice President then Senior Vice President of Strategy & Operations, and ultimately as Chief Operating Officer and Interim Chief Executive Officer, guiding the organization through periods of significant growth and strategic evolution.

Through DBS Advisory LLC, Diana brings that practitioner's depth to nonprofit leaders and philanthropic institutions navigating complex challenges—from strategy and operations to organizational culture and leadership transitions.

M.P.A., Public & Nonprofit Management and Policy — New York University
B.A., History & Writing — Columbia University
Board Director, One World Surgery (2024–present)
Former COO & Interim CEO, The END Fund
Former Strategic Planning Executive, The Atlantic Philanthropies

What Clients & Colleagues Say

"Diana has an extraordinary ability to see both the forest and the trees—she understands organizational dynamics at a deep level and helps leaders make hard decisions with clarity and confidence."

Senior Nonprofit Executive

Global Health Sector

"Working with Diana transformed the way our team thinks about strategy. She asked the right questions, challenged our assumptions, and helped us build a plan we're genuinely excited to execute."

Executive Director

Community Foundation

"Diana is a rare consultant who combines deep subject-matter expertise with real empathy for the complexity of mission-driven work. She is an invaluable thought partner."

Board Chair

International NGO

Get in Touch

Let's explore how I can help

Whether you're at an inflection point, planning a major strategic initiative, or simply looking for a trusted thought partner, I'd welcome a conversation.

Location

New York, New York

Consulting Focus

Nonprofits & Philanthropic Institutions

Send a message

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