Client Talk: The Word on the Street

Over the years, I’ve engaged Cristina and the TERRAMAR consulting group on a diverse array of issues. The firm has done topnotch work on projects as far-reaching as boreal forest conservation, renewable energy development on Tribal Lands, international efforts to prevent Tar Sands expansion, and Latino community engagement in climate justice. In each instance, TERRAMAR brought razor-sharp analysis that drew on an exceptional ability to break down barriers and collaborate across all manner of divides. This was coupled with an incisive facility to see problems from 360 degrees. What that meant is that we consistently got multi-dimensional, integrated solutions. And what TERRAMAR delivered time and again were best-in-class evaluations, strategies, and ultimately roadmaps; products that provided a clear way forward and enabled me to be an innovative and impactful grant-maker.

—Tom Steinbach, Executive Director, Tempest Advisors

TERRAMAR was integral to the development of several strategic grantmaking and conservation initiatives at the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. Cristina’s deep passion for understanding the complexities underlying project design, community engagement, and durable impact led to the success of multiple programs. She is caring and thorough in her commitment to mission fulfillment and was an invaluable member of our team.

—Justin Winters, Executive Director, Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation

TERRAMAR is outstanding. Cristina is a pleasure to work with, meets deadlines is thorough, but most importantly insightful and able to unravel complex issues into their most essential elements. I have never seen Cristina loose her cool calm and collected demeanor she is always on her game and am always impressed with her ability to dive in. It almost seems like the more difficult the issue, knotty the problem or complex the personal dynamics of individual relationships on a team the more she shines.

—Ed Zuckerman, Senior Vice President, League of Conservation Voters

Our work with Cristina Mormorunni and TERRAMAR reflected a deep level of insightfulness and understanding of organizational development and strategy. In short order, Cristina was able to hear and understand a multitude of complex experiences about a new community organizing program focused on Latino families and channel the feedback into a series of substantive recommendations that spanned from small-to-large scale change including issues of racial diversity, equity and inclusion. The recommendations have withstood the test of time: they continue to be a litmus test for progress.

—Jennifer Allen, Senior Vice President of Community & Civic Engagement, League of Conservation Voters

TERRAMAR did an outstanding job helping the National Wildlife Federation strategize on our conservation partnerships with tribes. Their work was not only consistently thorough, but they brought great insight on how we could advance and grow. We had a great rapport with Cristina and she has outstanding intellect—we were amazed by how quickly she grasped the issues and succinctly directed us through the complex task of creating an updated vision.

—Garrit Voggesser, National Director for Tribal Partnerships, National Wildlife Federation

Cristina is a passionate and experienced professional able to engage effectively with a wide array of stakeholders in the conservation community and on a variety of issues. Her ability to understand our strategic thinking as a philanthropy and to then work respectfully and constructively with our grantee community on monitoring, evaluation and learning issues has been extremely valuable as we grapple with the challenges of developing an evaluative approach to our Environment Program. She was ready and willing to adaptively manage her approach as the work unfolded, and went above and beyond which seems to be her standard!

—Jason Cole, Program Officer, Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies

Cristina is amazingly open and perceptive; she understands your needs with remarkable accuracy. Cristina and TERRAMAR are a rare blend of thoughtful analysts and practical doers. Cristina is persistent in a way that gets things done, while building trust and a team dynamic. It is a real pleasure to work with such committed professionals and caring people.

—Guillermo Castilleja, Former Chief Program Officer, The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation


As a project manager for Taku River Tlingit First Nation, I have had the pleasure of working directly and indirectly with Cristina on a number of different projects. Without hesitation, I can say she has been clear, honest, and open, and extremely helpful on all fronts. She quickly came to understand our community and the individuals in it and how we all work together to achieve our collective goals. In simple terms, I can say something I have said rarely about outsiders who work with us, “she gets it.” I look forward to many more years working with Cristina on multiple projects that will bring prosperity to our community and our citizens. Gunalcheesh.

—Peter Kirby, Director, T’akhu  Tlèn Conservancy

Compassionate. Intellectual. Empathetic. Logical. Holistic. Strategic. Targeted. These are not words that are often found together, but they are exactly the words that embody Cristina Mormorunni and TERRAMAR consulting group. As a result, Cristina is an excellent partner in exploring strategies to bridge the cultural, emotional, and strategic gaps that exists between indigenous communities and philanthropies. Because of who she is as a person, Cristina can sit at the crossroads of these ideas and help organizations find the best solutions for people, communities, and the natural world in which we all live.

—Dietmar Grimm, Former Principal, Redstone Strategy Group

Cristina embodies the rare combination of sharp intellect, depth of experience, courage, and compassion. She is the kind of leader and thinker that makes me feel both hope and inspiration. Working with Cristina strengthens our organization and me as a director and human being.

—Molly Sturges, Artistic Director and Co-Founder, Littleglobe, Inc

Cristina is a rare talent. To each endeavor, she applies a rich collection of professional and personal experiences. She also artfully blends issues of culture, community, and conservation, recognizing that true progress can’t benefit one at the expense of another.

—Sam Tucker, Former Senior Advisor, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation

Cristina Mormorunni’s work with land and people encompasses an extraordinary combination of skills and experience. This capability resides in an activist who has spent years on the front lines of resource and cultural conservation, learning not how things should be but how they can be, how restorative transformation can be practically implemented. Cristina’s feet are so firmly planted on the ground they create a solid foundation for her clients’ goals and aspirations. Most impressive is how she thrives on complexity and the seemingly intractable. “Daunting” is not a word in her vocabulary. “Can” is.

Paul Hawken, environmentalist, entrepreneur, author and activist

Cristina Mormorunni is a great person with a genuine heart full of compassion and love. In knowing her, I’ve only witnessed her work coming from a place of doing the best by her clients. Her actions speak louder than her words and she always goes above and beyond the call of duty. Her assistance with our current and past projects has been invaluable in helping us get closer to achieving our organizational visions and dreams. I would recommend her services and expertise without reservation.

Gabriel Yaiva, Executive Director, Peace and Balance Youth Project

I have known Cristina and TERRAMAR for most of a decade as a funder colleague and consultant. She is consistently one of the deepest, most broadly informed, most ethical strategic thinkers in North American philanthropy. She is also a smart, kind and fun person with whom it is always a pleasure to work. And her work usually goes well beyond the call of (contractual) duty.

—David L. Secord, Ph.D., Former Vice President, Strategic Grantmaking, Tides Canada