Author | Lightnews

Allison Ralph, PhD @akralph.bsky.social · 3d

🎃 Feeling haunted by organizational tensions? 👻
That’s not a curse, it’s a call to lead.
🕸️ Join me Dec 4 for Leading When Values Collide — a virtual workshop for nonprofit & philanthropic leaders ready to face their values ghosts head-on.
👉 Register here
#Leadership #Halloween

Allison Ralph, PhD @akralph.bsky.social · 5d

Day 1 at #IS2025 was energizing 💡

From the State of the Charitable Sector to sessions on trust, belonging & purpose — powerful reminders of how data, story, faith & leadership all build civic strength.

#IndependentSector #Philanthropy #Trust #Belonging

Allison Ralph, PhD @akralph.bsky.social · 6d

Heading to Atlanta for the Independent Sector Summit Tues–Wed! Excited to learn, connect & be inspired by so many working to strengthen our communities. If you’ll be there too, let’s connect to talk about deepening engagement & amplifying trusted voices for greater impact.

Allison Ralph, PhD @akralph.bsky.social · 10d

Ran into Vinay Orekondy this morning at New America’s Everyday Democracy event—such a treat. Vinay wears many hats in the civic-renewal world, including co-chairing the Braver Network at Braver Angels and co-founding Better Together America. Keep building trust & belonging!

#EverydayDemocracy

Allison Ralph, PhD @akralph.bsky.social · 10d

In a time of tension & change, Allison K. Ralph helps leaders slow down, see what’s really happening, and move forward with courage & clarity. Trust, truth & transformation — all in one room. #philanthropy #retreat
Check out our website to learn more, stay in the loop, or register: lnkd.in/eFe8nxk9

Allison Ralph, PhD @akralph.bsky.social · 12d

Atonement. Dialogue. Shelter.
From a Humanist Yom Kippur to a muslim peacebuilding conference to a Sukkot dinner — @Nevia finds gezellig in the spaces where people stay in relationship across difference.
Read on → open.substack.com/pub/cohesion...

Finding Gezellig in a Fractured World

By: Nevia Selmon

open.substack.com

Allison Ralph, PhD @akralph.bsky.social · 12d

A successful two days at the Center for Christianity and Public Life conference!

Allison K. Ralph, Ph.D. Has a blast running into old and new faces, like Caleb Campbell of Disarming Leviathan, Zachary Davis of Faith Matters, and Andrew Hanauer of One America Movement.

#FaithAndPublicLife

Allison Ralph, PhD @akralph.bsky.social · 17d

What do you do when every option undermines one of your values?

Organizations often freeze when trust, inclusion, equity, or urgency collide — but these moments define who we are.

Our retreat explores how to lead when your own values are in conflict: cohesionstrategy.com/s-projects-s...

Allison Ralph, PhD @akralph.bsky.social · 19d

Funders are being pushed to take public stands on divisive issues — with real stakes for governance, reputation & impact.

That’s why we created Leading When Values Collide: A Retreat for Philanthropic Leadership.

📅 Jan 28–30, 2026 | Mid-Atlantic
🔗 cohesionstrategy.com/s-projects-s...

Allison Ralph, PhD @akralph.bsky.social · 25d

I’ve seen how values conflicts derail even the best efforts—climate funding lost, racial equity work stalled.

That’s why we’re launching Leading When Values Collide: A Retreat for Philanthropic Leadership (Jan 28–30, 2026).

🔗 www.cohesionstrategy.com/s-projects-s...
#ValuesBasedLeadership

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Allison Ralph, PhD @akralph.bsky.social · 26d

Some critics say bridging is too slow, too soft, too idealistic. But here’s the truth: you can’t shift public opinion or civic participation without building across ideological, racial, and religious divides. There’s no shortcut.

Blog w/ reflections here 👉 open.substack.com/pub/cohesion...

Reflections on the Bridging Summit 2025

By: Allison Ralph

open.substack.com

Allison Ralph, PhD @akralph.bsky.social · 26d

It has been lovely catching up with Symi Rom-Rymer and Sousan Abadian of the Interfaith Council of Metropolitan Washington!

Allison Ralph, PhD @akralph.bsky.social · Sep 26

It has been a joy running into Nichole Argo of TogetherUp Institute, Roshan Bliss of National Coalition of Dialogue & Deliberation, and Ade Salami of Democracy 2076!
#BridgingMovement #ListenFirst #SocialCohesion #BridgeBuilders

Allison Ralph, PhD @akralph.bsky.social · Sep 26

I join the millions of Americans who condemn political violence. What unites us is more important than what divides us. We are #BetterThanThis.

Allison Ralph, PhD @akralph.bsky.social · Sep 26

It has been great running into P.J. Andrews, Nina Fernando, and Cristin Brawner at the Bridging Movement Summit 2025 this week at George Washington’s Mount Vernon. #BridgingMovement #ListenFirst #SocialCohesion #BridgeBuilders

Allison Ralph, PhD @akralph.bsky.social · Sep 25

Cohesion Strategy joins the millions of Americans who condemn political violence. What unites us is more important than what divides us. We are #BetterThanThis.

Allison Ralph, PhD @akralph.bsky.social · Sep 24

👥 Book a free consult: calendly.com/allison-cohe...

🌐 Learn more: www.cohesionstrategy.com
#CivicInfrastructure #Bridging #Democracy

Free Consult - Allison K Ralph

calendly.com

Allison Ralph, PhD @akralph.bsky.social · Sep 24

Attended #NCOC2505 last week — key takeaways:
🔹 Change starts local & lasts when communities lead
🔹 Citizenship = agency, collaboration & problem-solving
🔹 Bridging is evolving into acting together

At @CohesionStrategy, we help orgs put this into practice.

open.substack.com/pub/cohesion...

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Allison Ralph, PhD @akralph.bsky.social · Sep 22

I’m heading to the Bridging Movement Summit 2025 this week! Thrilled to join others working to heal divides at Mount Vernon. Learn more: www.listenfirstproject.org/bridging-mov... #ListenFirst #BridgeBuilders

Bridging Movement Summit 2025 — Listen First Project

www.listenfirstproject.org

Allison Ralph, PhD @akralph.bsky.social · Sep 17

What's with the birds? At Cohesion Strategy, we're inspired by murmurations and other formations. That's because we believe that a community, like a murmuration, sticks together when each member finds more joy in it than sorrow. Creating that dynamic is collective work. #CommunityBuilding

“Starlings’ murmuration consists of a flock moving in sync with one another, engaging in clear, consistent communication and exhibiting collective leadership and deep, deep trust. Every individual bird focuses attention on their seven closest neighbors and thus manage a larger flock cohesiveness and synchronicity (and times upwards of over a million birds).”
– Sierra Pickett, quoted in Emergent Strategy, p 67

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Allison Ralph, PhD @akralph.bsky.social · Sep 16

It is great to run into @gabe-lerner.bsky.social of @democracy-notes.bsky.social at the #NCoC2025!

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Allison Ralph, PhD @akralph.bsky.social · Sep 16

#NCoC2025 #BuildingCivicResilience

Don't forget to check out our website: www.cohesionstrategy.com

Keep up with our conference updates on our socials:

Bluesky: @akralph.bsky.social

Twitter: @akralph18

Substack: @cohesionstrategy

Cohesion Strategy | consulting on pluralism and belonging

Cohesion Strategy LLC partners with nonprofit and philanthropic organizations working toward religious pluralism and social cohesion. Our consulting services include strategy development, facilitation...

www.cohesionstrategy.com

Allison Ralph, PhD @akralph.bsky.social · Sep 16

I've had an enriching morning at the 2025 Annual National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC). Kicking off with a fantastic panel led by Daniel Stid. Then, David Lazer shared insights from
chip50.org: trust and distrust both matter—distrust fuels accountability. Powerful reminder!

The Civic Health and Institutions Project | CHIP50

The Civic Health and Institutions Project

chip50.org

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Allison Ralph, PhD @akralph.bsky.social · Sep 16

Want to connect, but you’re not at this conference? Find my booking link: calendly.com/allison-cohe... #NationalConferenceOnCitizenship #CivicEngagement #Democracy #NonprofitLeadership #BridgeBuilding #Collaboration #Storytelling #CivicRenewal

Free Consult - Allison K Ralph

calendly.com

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Allison Ralph, PhD @akralph.bsky.social · Sep 16

Democracy Happy Hour at the 2025 Annual National Conference on Citizenship is off to a great start. It has been great running into Duncan Autrey of the Omni-Win Project, Piper Hendricks of Stories Changes Power, and James Coan of More Like Us!

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