Hello!
I ‘m Kayti, principal at Boreal Collaborative.
I work with small and midsized nonprofits primarily in the arts, culture, and community building sectors at some of the most consequential moments in an organization's life. My practice spans interim leadership, strategic planning, leadership coaching, and operational support, and I have had the privilege of partnering with organizations ranging from startups to legacy institutions, across first-year budgets to multi-million dollar operations.
Every organization brings its own history, culture, and people to the table. The challenges may rhyme across organizations, but the context is always specific and the work has to reflect that. I take a hands-on, collaborative approach rooted in a genuine belief that the best help is responsive and bespoke, not formulaic.
Much of this work happens in moments of real difficulty: transitions, long-standing challenges that have finally come to a head, or decisions with meaningful stakes for the people and communities an organization serves. I bring honesty, careful thinking, and a calm presence to those conversations — not to make things seem easier than they are, but to help organizations move forward with clarity and in alignment with their mission.
I am described as grounded, intentional, and personable, and I work hard to earn those words. I believe mission-driven work deserves an enthusiastic partner who takes it as seriously as the people doing it.
Commitment to Social and Racial Justice
As a champion of mission driven organizations, I root my practice in the values of racial equity and social justice. I am committed to reflecting these values in all of my work and daily life. I recognize that systemic inequities rooted in racism, colonialism, classism, ableism, sexism, homophobia, and other forms of oppression shape the nonprofit and arts sectors as much as they shape our broader society. My role is not only to support organizations in navigating the road ahead, but also to leverage my skills and knowledge to help dismantle barriers, ground solutions in values, and open access. I acknowledge that racial and social justice work requires humility and continual learning and unlearning. And, that my practice must evolve in response to community wisdom and shifting contexts.
Nonprofits remind me of that forest. They knit communities together. They provide beauty, connection, sustenance, and safe harbor, often under very difficult odds. And like the forest, they have seasons — periods of growth, periods of hardship, moments of real transformation.
Boreal is named for that place, and for what it taught me: that resilience is rarely dramatic. It's mostly just showing up, adapting, and doing the work together.
Why “boreal”?
I grew up where the boreal forest meets the sea in south-central Alaska. That landscape has shaped how I think about almost everything, including this work.
The boreal forest is one of the most quietly remarkable ecosystems on earth. It is extraordinarily diverse, home to towering old-growth taiga and the most delicate undergrowth. It has adapted to brutal conditions — long winters, permafrost, soil that offers almost nothing and not just survived but become a vast, intricate web of life that holds whole communities together.
Bio
Kayti Barnett (she/her) is an experienced and forward-thinking consultant with more than 15 years of leadership in nonprofit arts, cultural, and community building organizations. She partners closely with mission-driven organizations and creative leaders navigating growth, transition, or reinvention.
Kayti takes a collaborative, hands-on approach to strengthening organizational capacity and reimagining futures. Recognized for her calm, grounded presence and roll-up-your-sleeves approach, Kayti helps organizations untangle complexity and move through change with clarity and purpose. She works side by side with leaders, boards, and teams to co-create solutions that are both strategic and practical for their organization, connecting the dots between big-picture vision and day-to-day realities. Her holistic practice spans executive interim management, thought-partnership for leaders, financial and operational strategy, and governance.
Kayti has extensive leadership experience in the arts, culture, and community building sectors. Prior to consulting, Kayti served as the managing director of multiple Seattle area arts organizations. As a leader, consultant, and interim leader, she has worked with a wide range of nonprofit organizations from start-up to legacy, first year budgets to multi-millions. She has served on or worked with over a dozen boards and partnered with 150+ board members.
Selected Clients & Partners
I have been honored to work with a wide range of organizations and leaders at key moments. The organizations listed represent a selection of current and past clients across my practice at Boreal and prior consulting work.
Many engagements involve sensitive or transitional work; some client relationships are intentionally not listed.
Arts & Culture
Seattle Public Theater
ArtsWest
PHAME
Early Music Seattle
Sustainable Music Project
Performer’s Forge
Community & Belonging
Kitsap Immigrant Assistance Center
Game to Grow