A Little About Us

What makes community building so complex is that it occurs in an infinite number of small steps, sometimes in quiet moments that we notice out of the corner of our eye. It calls for us to treat as important many things that we thought were incidental. An afterthought becomes the point; a comment made in passing defines who we are more than all that came before. If the artist is one who captures the nuance of experience, then this is whom each of us must become.

Peter Block
Community: The Structure of Belonging

Our Story

In the summer of 2021, Beth Ellen and Anna spent the day on a beach at Lake Michigan talking about all the barriers to equity and the systems that perpetuate them. While it’s not the most relaxing beach conversation, it’s all we talk about when we are together. We realized that our theory of change (for everything) starts with a culture of belonging.

We spent the last seven years working together towards achieving a sense of community with staff, volunteers, and in Together Women Rise chapters all over the country in the pursuit of global gender equality. Beth Ellen was the CEO of Together Women Rise and Anna volunteered to lead national efforts there while pursuing a masters degree in social justice and serving as VP of Business Development of a $35m community development organization. Somehow in these busy times, we connected deeply in our desire for trusting relationships in community impact organizations.

Now we are using the depth of experience in our careers to create a business that fosters the sense of belonging we crave and to help social benefit organizations become communities of belonging unto themselves. We believe this is the requirement for the justice, equity, and inclusion we all seek in our work in nonprofits, but also for ourselves.

We look forward to working with you,

All of us at The Hive Collective.

“

The results of our program exceeded expectations. The program content was what we needed to inspire and re-energize our Board as a more cohesive team of dedicated volunteers. With a better understanding of our governance strengths and opportunities and a renewed commitment to the values of belongingness, diversity, equity, and inclusion, we were ready to take on our challenges with a deeper understanding of where we are and where we wanted to grow. Thank you, The Hive Collective, for being a supportive member of our team as we navigate these challenging times.
Stand Up Placer Board of Directors, Auburn, CA

“

[The Hive Collective] is amazing and very knowledgeable about governance systems, boards and CEO. In my opinion [they] brought a sense of enlightenment to the group because focusing in the future is so needed.
Sherman College of Chiropractic, Spartanburg, South Carolina

“

I highly recommend [The Hive Collective] for their outstanding work in developing a successful fundraising plan and updating the mission and vision for our community action organization…and creating a comprehensive plan that is enabling us to secure the necessary funding to continue our vital work in the community. [The Hive Collective] was able to quickly assess our needs and develop customized solutions that were tailored to our unique circumstances.
Jen Trowbridge, CEO, Northwest Indiana Community Action Network

Our Core Values

Question the whole shebang.

We believe that questions are transformative. Did you know that research shows that brainstorming questions is much more powerful than brainstorming ideas and answers? We ask why like two-year-olds.

Disrupt oppression.

We pursue deeper understanding of our own complicity in maintaining inequitable systems and act to disrupt oppression. We understand leadership as a function that is always available to every individual and invite others to express their leadership at every opportunity. We make it our business to understand how power is concentrated and utilized to marginalize voices and communities.

Own it.

We take a stance of ownership in every interaction; we take responsibility and learn from our stories. We are committed to the good of the whole in every engagement. We show up with excellence and achieve exceptional results. We hold ourselves accountable for the commitments we’ve made.

Courage over fear.

We choose courage over fear always. We take big risks and adapt. We practice vulnerability, transparency, and authenticity even when it’s difficult. We learn and try new things constantly. We care about feedback.

Community is everything.

We believe people when they describe their experiences and we endeavor to understand the meaning and importance of each story they share. We create the experience of belonging in every room we enter, practicing radical hospitality that welcomes whole authentic people into the room and never demands that they be anything other than themselves.

We are here for the long haul.

We take care of ourselves so that we can be present for our clients. We respect our own limits and commit to prioritizing rest, health, and self-care.

Founder

Beth Ellen Holimon, or “BE,” has over 20 years of experience educating boards in transformational leadership, guiding organizations to develop actionable, co-created strategies and plans on a global scale. Known for her strategic insight and business acumen, she designs participative structures that elevate board engagement and leadership impact, driving measurable results across diverse mission-driven sectors. Alongside her work in board governance and strategic planning, she provide leadership coaching to nonprofit executives, helping them develop inclusive, value-driven approaches that empower teams, build resilience, and strengthen organizational impact.

As Founder and CEO of The Hive Collective, Beth Ellen leads a consortium of thought leaders dedicated to advancing connective and inclusive leadership, participative planning, and values-based board governance. She believes that organizations reach their highest aspirations when boards, fundraising, and operations are transparent, respectful, empathetic, and courageous, and she applies this philosophy to every aspect of her work.

With almost 25 years in nonprofit executive leadership, Beth Ellen has built a robust skillset in governance, strategic planning, and resource development. She served for seven years as CEO of Together Women Rise, where she led a community of over 500 chapters working to achieve global gender equality. Her experience spans key roles with the American Cancer Society, Reach Out and Read Utah, Norwegian Outdoor Education Center, and more, consistently building frameworks that align business strategy with organizational mission. An honored Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar, she also studied domestic violence intervention in Mexico.

Beth Ellen holds a BA in Women’s Studies and an MA in Linguistics, is a Certified Fundraising Executive, a BoardSource Governance Consultant, and a ToP Facilitator. She acknowledges the unearned privileges of identifying as a cis-gendered, white, straight American woman and remains committed to inclusive and equitable decision-making, inviting feedback and engaging in reflection to amplify diverse perspectives.