January 27, 2026

For Immediate Release

Contact: Civil Strategies
‍657-777-8490

Civil Strategies Expands as Systems Design Firm, Adds Interdisciplinary Advisory Team

F‍irm formalizes interdisciplinary model integrating business, communications, finance, policy and risk management into one cohesive practice through The CIVIL Framework^TM 

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PORTLAND, OR – Civil Strategies announced today that it is formally operating as a systems design firm and has expanded its structure through the addition of an interdisciplinary Of Counsel advisory team. The evolution strengthens Civil's ability to partner with foundations, nonprofits, and mission-driven enterprises navigating complexity, restructuring, and institutional change in how they operate and govern.

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"Across sectors, the current landscape has exposed organizations’ greatest vulnerabilities. These are systems that held under stable conditions but are now buckling under sustained pressure,” said Midy Aponte-Vargas, Founder and CEO of Civil. “Civil's evolution formalizes how we already work, focusing on designing the full architecture organizations need to operate with coherence, resilience, and institutional health."

What Systems Design Means in Practice

Unlike traditional consulting that treats strategy, operations, or communications as separate engagements, Civil designs integrated systems where each element reinforces the whole. For example, a foundation undertaking strategic planning might also need governance restructuring, updated financial processes, communications architecture, and program or campaign models that carry new priorities into action. Civil addresses these as interconnected components of a single system.

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The firm’s work is guided by The CIVIL Framework™, which translates vision into the day-to-day architecture of decisions, operations, and culture, as well as how organizations design programs, campaigns, and partnerships as part of a strong operating model.

Addressing Growing Institutional Strain

Civil’s transition comes amid increasing pressure across philanthropy, the nonprofit sector, and mission-driven businesses. While leaders continue to invest in strategic planning and leadership development, many institutions remain constrained by fragmented systems, unclear operations, and a growing gap between how organizations are structured and how they actually function. Too often, decisions are made at the center while the work unfolds at the edges across programs, partnerships, fundraising, and community engagement, without a system designed to connect all.

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Civil helps organizations redesign the structures governing how they function internally and how they operate externally through programs, campaigns, partnerships, and coalitions.

Expansion of Advisory Team

To support this work, Civil has broadened its bench to include a team of Of Counsel advisors: senior practitioners who maintain independent practices and partner with Civil on client engagements. Each advisor contributes discipline-specific expertise as part of an integrated systems design approach.

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The Of Counsel advisors include:

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• Marcelo Bonta, Strategic Leadership. Based in Portland, Oregon, Bonta brings more than 25 years of experience helping foundations, nonprofits, and environmental institutions improve governance, leadership culture, and long-term systems needed to advance equity and inclusion. His work integrates executive coaching, systems design, and organizational stability, supporting leadership teams through change while building alignment across staff, boards, and partners.

• Mark Costanzo, Business, Finance and Capital. Based in the Washington, D.C. area, Costanzo brings deep expertise in financial strategy, business modeling, and operational discipline across the public and private sectors. His work focuses on designing pricing models, revenue systems, and internal financial processes that allow organizations to make informed, data-driven decisions and operate with accountability.

• Marcie Perez, MS, Strategic Communications, Branding and Marketing. Based in Los Angeles, Perez is a seasoned communications strategist with experience spanning entertainment, nonprofit advocacy, philanthropy, and public sector engagement. Her work focuses on multichannel communications, narrative development, and executive communication systems that support institutional credibility and influence across complex ecosystems.

• Lisa J. Pino, MA, JD, Policy and Risk Management. Based in New York, Pino is a nationally recognized attorney and public service executive with experience in senior leadership roles across federal and state government. Her expertise spans governance, civil rights compliance, privacy, and policy alignment, supporting organizations in designing systems that maintain legal integrity and accountability in evolving policy environments.

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“I’m proud of the team we’ve brought together,” said Aponte-Vargas. “The Of Counsel model reflects our methodology. It allows us to work alongside organizations to understand how systems function across disciplines and redesign them so internal structures better support the work they’re carrying into the world.”

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With this approach, Civil is positioned to partner with organizations at different stages and scales, supporting coherent action across their systems as they navigate continued change.

About Civil Strategies

Civil Strategies is a national systems design firm that works with organizations at the national, regional, and local levels, integrating business, communications, finance, policy, and risk management into one cohesive practice. The firm designs systems for coherence through The CIVIL Framework™, ensuring that what organizations stand for is reflected in how they operate in decisions, structures, and everyday practice.

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Civil offers retainer-based partnerships, project-based engagements, fractional leadership support, and technical assistance. The firm works with a limited number of organizations at any given time to ensure depth, focus, and accountability in its systems design work.

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For more information, visit civil-strategies.com, email contact@civil-strategies.com, or call 657-777-8490.

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