Today we’d like to introduce you to Casey Rogers.
Hi Casey, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I recently came across an essay I wrote in high school about the importance of active service, and it struck me how enduring that idea has been in my life: a commitment to supporting the well-being and thriving of others, communities, and our planet. Professionally, I began as a teacher in Namibia, where I was a classroom teacher and started a nonprofit scholarship fund. That experience was catalytic—it gave me a deeply immersive experience in community, taught me how to build something from the ground up, and gave me a 360-degree view of the nonprofit sector. From there, I knew I wanted my career to remain in the social sector. Whether working with large institutional funders like the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation or family foundations, I’ve always been drawn to starting with the problem or opportunity and asking what combination of solutions might create the greatest impact, rather than approaching a challenge through a single lens. That systems-level, entrepreneurial approach has been a through line throughout my career.
I’ve also continually returned to Africa, recently leading The Ellen Fund’s conservation philanthropy, and have spent much of my career supporting women and girls and environmental causes. Today, through Telea Insights, I’m bringing many of those threads together, working with philanthropists, foundations, nonprofits, and mission-driven organizations to turn bold ideas into meaningful action. In many ways, it feels like a natural evolution of the work I’ve been doing throughout my career: helping people see the bigger picture, connect the dots, and translate their values and aspirations into strategies that can create lasting change.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Has it been a smooth road? I’d say it’s been a fulfilling one. I actually don’t think a smooth road is the goal. For those of us who have our needs met and have privileges, I believe we have an obligation to give it our all—to contribute in as many meaningful ways as we can toward a world where everyone can thrive. I’ve never been looking for the easiest path, but rather one that feels purposeful and leads toward positive change. Of course, that comes with challenges. I’ve seen firsthand how difficult it can be when the resources needed to deliver on a bold mission simply aren’t available, even though we live in a world with more wealth than ever. But that doesn’t mean I stop. Clarity of mission is what propels me forward.
I’ve also had to learn to accept that meaningful change takes time. We live in a world where technology has created an expectation that everything can happen quickly and easily, but when you’re working with people, communities, behaviors, beliefs, and structural systems, the work is often inherently complex. Sometimes you want change to happen now, but the reality is that you have to keep showing up, persist and stay focused on the big vision.
As you know, we’re big fans of Telea Insights. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Telea Insights is a consulting firm working with leaders who have the agency to make positive change in the world. That might be a donor who wants to give in a bold and strategic way, or a philanthropic visionary who has a big idea and needs support turning it into reality. Our international team advises donors on philanthropic strategy, helps leaders birth new initiatives and organizations, and supports funders in making decisions about where and how to direct their resources and measure the impact they’re having.
What I’m most proud of about Telea is that we make bold ideas real. There’s a tendency for consulting firms to provide ideas, strategies, or recommendations and then move on. We do that, but our work doesn’t end there. We have experience working domestically and internationally. We understand what it takes to translate an idea into reality based on experience working in many different contexts. We stay engaged through the implementation, helping turn ideas and proposals into something tangible and lasting. For me, that combination of big-picture thinking and actually making things happen is what sets Telea apart.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I’m a dancer. I majored in dance in college and continued dancing and performing into adulthood. There’s something about the arts that gives you a different way of seeing things and expressing ideas, which I think provides an important balance to the more linear, logical way of viewing and interacting with the world, which we see prolific in finance and business.
A few years ago, I realized that the way I think about strategy is quite similar to the way I think about choreography. I can see it, visualize it, and imagine the different steps it will take to realize a goal.
I’m not sure if other strategists think in this way, but for me it’s a natural blending of two parts of myself: the artist and the strategist.
Pricing:
- Our pricing is customized based on each client’s needs. We typically work with clients over a period of several months and, in some cases, across multiple years, serving as an embedded member of their leadership team or as a trusted advisor. We’re always happy to have an introductory conversation with anyone who is exploring whether this type of support might be right for them.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://teleainsights.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/telea.insights
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/telea-insights
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TeleaInsights
