Helping funders and nonprofits measure what matters.
Nat Mengist, M.Ed., M.S.Principal Consultant
How I help
I help organizations grow conviction and shared understanding. Here are just some of the ways:
Measurement
Quantitative, qualitative, and participatory evaluation to make your impact meaningful.
Executive coaching
Coaching for executive directors and founders, including through changes in who leads and how.
Facilitation
Custom retreats, trainings, and workshops for all ages, always informed by research.
About
I’m a Washington-born child of Ethiopian immigrants. I led my first facilitation in 2018 and began executive coaching in 2020. Those years I also designed research infrastructure for the NSF-funded Learning in Places research study and steered The Common Acre into an era of Indigenous leadership.
Today I manage fundraising for Nurturing Roots, where since early 2025 I’ve helped raise more than $1.39 million. Showing what that funding makes possible, and finding the right measures for it, is what I love about evaluation.
I’m also a PhD student in Learning Sciences and Human Development at the University of Washington, pursuing the Psychometrics & Applied Analytics Graduate Certificate. My doctoral research explores the emotional and relational capacities of the heart.
What people say
“I highly recommend Nat Mengist as a coach and consultant. He brings a lot of love, humor, and strength to his work. He’ll hold you accountable, and hold you at the same time.”
Valerie Costa, Aril Consulting
“Your training is respectful and meets people where they are. I love that.”
Dr. Sherry Jennings, Sound Governance
“YES YES YES! He has such a great presence and led the activities so well!”
Izumi Nance, UW Community, Environment & Planning
Who I’ve worked with
- Sawhorse Revolution
- 350 Seattle
- Climate Equity Partners
- Community Lunch on Capitol Hill
- Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association
- Environmental Professionals of Color
- Farms for Life
- FEEST
- Hilltop Urban Gardens
- Nurturing Roots
- Refuge Outdoor Festival
- Seattle Learning Garden Network
- Seattle Parks and Recreation (Urban Food Systems)
- Seattle Public Theater
- University Heights Center
- UW Community, Environment & Planning
- UW Panhellenic Council
- Washington State Department of Agriculture