Ellen Sprenger is the founder of Spring Strategies. Spring Strategies works to strengthen social justice and human rights organizations, movements and foundations by helping them grow, thrive and manage change. The approach is both down-to-earth and transformative based on the latest management innovations, tools and insights. Spring Strategies combines challenging conversations, coaching, creativity and out-of-the-box thinking with a drive for practicality and excellence. Led by Ellen Sprenger, Spring Strategies engages committed strategists and change management experts from around the world. Spring Strategies specializes in strategic planning, future scenarios, leadership development, organizational transformation, financial sustainability, strategic grantmaking and learning and evaluation.
With over 15 years of experience working with non-profit organizations and social justice initiatives worldwide, Ellen has worked with, among others: Hivos (Netherlands), Sigrid Rausing Trust (UK), Association for Women’s Rights in Development, Fund for Global Human Rights (USA), Global Fund for Women (USA), Open Society Institute (Azerbaijan), International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (USA), Global Campaign for Microbicides (USA), Puntos de Encuentro (Nicaragua), Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Association for Progressive Communications (South Africa), Breakthrough (India), Akina Mama wa Africa (Uganda), Mama Cash (Netherlands), Ukrainian Women’s Fund, Maquila Solidarity Network (Mexico & Canada) and the affinity group Funders for Lesbian and Gay Issues (USA).
Prior to Spring Strategies and becoming an independent strategist and management consultant in 2004, Ellen was the executive director of Mama Cash, a dynamic feminist foundation based in Amsterdam. From 1992 – 2001, she held several leadership positions at Oxfam Novib, including the gender policy advisor, organizational development advisor and quality and control manager.
Ellen serves on a number of international boards and advisory committees including Just Associates, The Women’s Funding Network, Central American Women’s Fund and the Astra Central and Eastern European Network for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights.
Her publications include Where is the Money for Women’s Rights? Assessing resources and the role of donors in the promotion of women’s rights and the support of women’s rights organizations, co-authored with Cindy Clark, Lisa VeneKlasen, Lydia Alpizar and Joanna Kerr (2006, AWID), The Future of Women’s Rights: Global Visions and Strategies, co-edited with Joanna Kerr and Alison Symington (2004, ZED books), and Gender and Organizational Change: Bridging the Gap between Policy and Practice, co-authored with Mandy MacDonald and Ireen Dubel (1997, Royal Tropical Institute).
Ellen holds a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Erasmus University Rotterdam, an MA in Development Studies and BA in Anthropology from University of Nijmegen (Netherlands) and undertook the Women and Development Masters program at the Institute of Social Studies (Netherlands). She is in the process of becoming accredited as a professional Executive Coach through Integral Coaching Canada.