Consulting Team Members

Patty Oertel, President

Ms. Oertel has helped hundreds of nonprofit organizations increase their effectiveness for over 35 years.

She served as the Executive Director of the Center for Nonprofit Management in Southern California for seven years and for the previous ten years as the Center’s Associate Director developing its information, education and consulting services.

She holds her MBA from and has taught on the faculty of UCLA’s Anderson’s Graduate School of Management and was recently named one of the 100 most inspiring alumni. She has also taught and designed curriculum for the University of San Francisco, California State University – Northridge, and the Phillips Graduate Institute.

She also served as the Administrative Director of the Nonprofit Management Association (the predecessor organization to the Alliance for Nonprofit Management).

Charles T. Watson, Senior Vice President

Mr. Watson also has significant experience in the nonprofit sector serving in varied capacities including Executive Director, Chief Financial Officer, Board member, consultant and public commissioner. His consulting focus is strategy development for large nonprofit organizations, financial management, change management, and strategic alliances. He is the past President and CEO of Interface Children Family Services of Ventura County, a multi‐service nonprofit agency with over 187 staff and 1,200 volunteers  and Executive Director for the Community Commission of Ventura County. More recent assignments include ongoing management and financial management assistance to the Advancement Project, a national advocacy organization with offices in Los Angeles & Washington, D.C. and Crane Country Day School, an independent K-8 Elementary School.

Mr. Watson completed his undergraduate work in Community Psychology and holds an MBA in Organizational Development. He has extensive knowledge and experience with First 5 and local Workforce Investment Boards where he served as both Commissioner and grantee in Ventura County. He serves as adjunct faculty at CSUN and Phillips Graduate Institute conducting courses on financial management for nonprofit organizations. Mr. Watson served as the Chair, California Association of Nonprofits.

—————————————-

Mr. Watson and Ms. Oertel co‐created the Institute for Organizational Health, a statewide technical assistance program designed to increase the organizational effectiveness of services for survivors of domestic violence.

Affiliated Consultants

The Oertel Group is also affiliated with a large network of experienced consultants that can be accessed for project if additional assistance and/or specialized skills are needed.