About Us
We are Steadfast in our commitment to providing excellent service to our partners.
We believe that advancing liberty, protecting individual rights and growing strong communities is among the most important work being done. And, we know that having a strong team to back you up is important, which is why we employ that same principle at Steadfast, where we have a bevy of seasoned professionals on our team to help support you.
Tim Hoefer
MY WHY: I’ve always felt that we can do better – economically, politically and culturally—so that our communities are better places to live. I started out in politics, certain that’s where I could make a difference. I’ve come to learn that there are many ways to make the kinds of advances that will lead to a better world. And that’s why I’m committed to advancing the work of non-profits that share that goal. HOW I CAN BE YOUR STEADFAST PARTNER: From my start working on and running political campaigns all over the country, I learned a great deal about how to build communities, how to unite people (and also, sadly, how to divide them). But mostly, I learned how to communicate with and listen to people. That (exhausting) experience—with races ranging from local Highway Superintendent to President of the United States—exposed me to a wide range of political concerns. Since then, and unlike most who move away from home permanently, I’ve returned to raise my family in Saratoga, New York where I was born. For over two decades, I have been committed to improving the Empire State. I did that first at the state Legislature, gaining experience that helped me better understand the political world from the inside, and taught me invaluable skills, including in marketing, communications and public affairs. I also created some pretty incredible relationships. Ultimately, I learned that politics alone is not enough to effect the change we need. I took the skills I'd built and deepened them by working for, and eventually leading, a non-profit organization that focused on transparency, government reform and accountability. WHY STEADFAST: I know first hand what it’s like to make limited resources work hard, and to raise the funds necessary to make that work possible. I also know that, in spite of the best planning and practices: things can and will go wrong; opportunities come up that need to be seized; and challenges come up that can distract an organization from its mission. I’ve been there and have great admiration for leaders who have the resilience to pull their organizations through it all. Supporting that process, is what drives me. SUPER POWER: Parallel Parking
Debi Ghate
MY WHY: I believe in protecting individual rights, without compromise, and that, as humans, we flourish best in strong communities. With my combined background in law, non-profit leadership and foundation management, I love coming alongside non-profit leaders to help them drive forward their most urgent priorities. I feel lucky that my personal and professional values have become one over my career. HOW I CAN BE YOUR STEADFAST PARTNER: After graduating law school in Canada, I had an opportunity to work for very different size legal groups – from a small town litigation practice to the in-house department of a large insurance company. When 9/11 happened, it shook me to the core that ideas really do have consequences – of all kinds. This led me to want to work on impacting what underlies our policies and politics – the foundational ideas that lead to human flourishing. My legal experience turned out to be valuable as I transitioned to the non-profit sector, where I worked in operations, policy and education programs. Gaining hands-on non-profit leadership experience – the challenges, the joys and the very hard work it takes to advance a mission—has prepared me to help non-profits that are working on issues I care about succeed. These organizations depend on philanthropy, so I transitioned to leadership positions at various Foundations, where I got a deep understanding of how funders make their decisions. Combining all of this knowledge and experience together allows me to support non-profit leaders today in a unique way. I’ve been on both sides of the equation, and on many things in between, but there is nothing like being on the ground with our partners, directly changing the world for the better. WHY STEADFAST: As a partner at Steadfast, I’m in a position to use my expertise to help multiple organizations at once. We are often behind the scenes, analyzing, improving and executing the core functions of good non-profit management. And sometimes we are out front, representing groups championing the ideals I believe in. There’s no other place I would want to be. SUPER POWER: Making Tortillas