Meet The Team
imagination to see a better world.
a team to help you make it happen.
christine schwitzer (she/her)
founder and principal
Before stumbling into a career in fundraising, I started my professional life writing legal briefs as a paralegal. Now, I combine my technical writing skills with activism. I see grant writing as a tool to connect community-driven leaders and solutions to wealth through grants. My sweet spot is helping visionaries and changemakers tell their story, quantify their impact, and raise more money through grants. I get into the weeds to understand what organizations need to be most effective, and then build the strategy to help make it happen.
I’m a grant strategist, relationship builder, and action-oriented leader with over 14 years of experience in grant writing and management. Before starting Holistic Grants, I held leadership roles in both nonprofits and consulting firms, including as Director of Development and Communications for a Minneapolis-based organization serving youth experiencing homelessness, Grants Director for a Minneapolis-based fundraising consulting firm, and Grants Manager for the PBS Foundation in Washington, D.C.
Originally from the Philadelphia area, I am proud to now call Minnesota home. When I’m not thinking about grants, I’m probably playing in Minnehaha Creek with my husband and two boys, or curled up with a good book.
lauren white (she/her)
director of grants
I’ll never forget proclaiming many years ago that I could “never be a grantwriter” and here I am, joyfully doing exactly that. After working in higher education and international off-campus study, I shifted into a career in development. I have diverse experiences in empathetically mobilizing resources for change for over 15 years in individual and major giving, capital campaigns, grant writing and management, and earned revenue, from small arts nonprofits to a university setting. I am passionate about the intersections of creativity, shared experience, equity, identity, and place.
As a member of the Twin Cities arts community, I currently serve as the Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council (MRAC) and am a graduate of the University of Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Leadership Master’s Program.
I’m a dual citizen of the U.S. and New Zealand, and when I’m not writing for pleasure or work, I’m likely traveling to an ocean, reading, cooking, or eating delicious food, or hanging out in the woods with my dog and partner. Find summer sun and water, and you can usually find me!
kati holland (she/her)
operations and communications associate
Fueled by a passion for creativity and meaningful change, I’ve always been drawn to the nonprofit world. Growing up, I volunteered at the Oregon Food Bank. During college in Hawaii, I joined the Stream Restoration project at Hakipuʻu Loʻi Kalo, a wetland taro farm. In 2022, I created and organized the I AM WOMEN Empowerment and Wellness Retreat, which united over 30 women from five states and partnered with 12 women-owned businesses. With a focus on wellness and community impact, all profits supported The Policy Project, a nonprofit close to my heart. These experiences have deepened my commitment to building a more equitable and compassionate future.
I help connect visionary leaders with the financial sustainability they need to thrive. With over 7 years of experience in administrative and operations roles, I enjoy creating efficient systems and providing support that keeps teams running smoothly.
Outside of work, I’m a freelance graphic and web designer, registered yoga instructor, wife to my college sweetheart, and a mom of three. Design and holistic living light me up. When I’m not creating or writing, I’m probably off exploring Southern California with my family.
sadie rubin (she/her)
lead writer and grant strategist
As a born-and-raised Californian, I could never have imagined that I would end up living in Minnesota...but here I am: loving the Twin Cities, with no plans of leaving! Before taking a career break in 2018, I founded and directed an intergenerational creative arts program, where I managed: program and partner development, grant writing, strategic planning, vendor contracts, budgeting and finances, and participant and team needs. Though the program is currently on hiatus, I hope to one day reimagine it locally.
With over 12 years of experience working in nonprofit management and community programming, I thoroughly enjoy helping leaders achieve their goals through grant writing and strategic planning. When I'm not reading books, painting, or building Magnatiles with my two young kids, I'm probably snuggling with my dog or winning at the game of Carcassonne against my husband.
Originally from San Diego, I grew up with a love for the outdoors and am guided by a strong sense of optimism for the future that underpins the work that I do. With my background in grantmaking, project management, and writing, I have experience with storytelling in all its forms, whether journalism, creative writing, or grant writing. During my time in philanthropy, I managed grants to organizations that equitably address climate change and supported efforts to promote community-led conservation. I have master's degrees in conservation science and environment and development from Imperial College London and the London School of Economics, respectively, where my research focused on the intersection of community conservation and economic development.
When not working on grants, you can find me writing articles or taking photos, playing bluegrass mandolin, and exploring the great Minnesota outdoors (usually looking for birds and other critters). I am excited to bring my passion for project management and my knack for storytelling to the Holistic Grants team.