Civil Strategies
Our Team

A principal-led firm, with depth on call.

Civil is a collective of senior practitioners, each with an independent practice and deep expertise in their field. They join engagements as the work requires, bringing the full architecture of systems thinking and staying close to the work from start to finish.

Leadership & Of Counsel
Founder & CEO

Midy Aponte-Vargas

Founder and CEO of Civil Strategies and architect of The CIVIL Framework™, with more than 25 years building institutions across business operations, communications, finance, and policy.

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Midy is the founder and CEO of Civil Strategies and the architect of The CIVIL Framework™. She brings more than 25 years of experience building institutions and integrating business operations, strategic communications, finance, and policy into systems that drive sustainable organizational impact.

Before founding Civil Strategies, Midy served as Chief Experience Officer at Spitfire Strategies, where she founded the firm’s Intermountain West office, oversaw a $16M business pipeline, developed profitable pricing models, and built the operational infrastructure that sustained the firm through COVID-19 and periods of rapid growth. She led the firm’s international portfolio and managed cross-sector coalitions across Mexico, Africa, Latin America, and Europe.

Previously, Midy served as the founding executive director of the American Latino Heritage Fund at the National Park Foundation, a position created by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. She built the fund’s national infrastructure, secured federal and corporate partnerships, and led grant-making operations that designated three National Historic Landmarks, including the César Chávez National Monument.

Her practice integrates the analytical rigor of management consulting with the implementation discipline required to translate strategy into operational reality. She advises foundations, nonprofits, and mission-driven enterprises navigating institutional transitions, multi-entity structures, and leadership realignment. Midy is based in Portland, Oregon, and maintains a national practice.

Strategic Leadership

Marcelo Bonta

Marcelo@Civil-Strategies.com

A trusted leader in environmental justice, organizational transformation, and leadership development, with more than 25 years advising foundations and nonprofits.

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Marcelo brings deep experience helping foundations, nonprofits, and environmental institutions improve governance, leadership culture, and the long-term systems needed to advance equity and inclusion.

He founded the Center for Diversity & the Environment, one of the most influential organizations in the environmental movement’s DEI evolution, and has advised hundreds of organizations and thousands of leaders across the country. His work integrates executive coaching, systems design, and organizational stability. Marcelo is based in Portland, Oregon.

Business & Finance

Mark Costanzo

Mark@Civil-Strategies.com

Deep expertise in financial strategy, business modeling, and operational discipline across the public and private sectors.

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Mark has spent his career helping organizations build strong financial and structural systems that underpin growth, stability, and long-term sustainability.

His work includes designing profitability frameworks, pricing models, revenue systems, and internal financial processes that allow organizations to make informed, data-driven decisions. He supports leaders in translating strategy into day-to-day financial architecture, ensuring institutions operate with accountability and disciplined resource management.

Branding & Communications

Marcie Perez

Marcie@Civil-Strategies.com

A seasoned communications strategist spanning entertainment, nonprofit advocacy, philanthropy, and public-sector engagement.

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Marcie brings expertise in multichannel communications, multicultural engagement, narrative development, and strategic marketing campaigns that support influence across diverse and complex ecosystems.

She has led communications initiatives for high-profile organizations navigating public issues, reputation dynamics, and stakeholder visibility. Her work focuses on building systems for executive communication, message discipline, and institutional presence. Marcie is based in Los Angeles.

Policy & Risk Management

Lisa J. Pino, MA, JD

Lisa@Civil-Strategies.com

A nationally recognized attorney and public service executive who served in senior roles under the Obama and Biden administrations and in New York State government.

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Most recently, Lisa was Director of the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, an Aspen Institute Health Innovation Fellow, and is a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.

She brings expertise in public policy, risk management, compliance, regulatory oversight, and governance to Civil clients. Her background spans civil rights, public health, health equity, immigration, SNAP, and food security. Lisa is based in New York.

Of Counsel, Learning

Dennis Poplin

Dennis@Civil-Strategies.com

High-level strategic communications counsel and learning programs for foundations and nonprofit organizations.

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Dennis works to understand the specific needs of a client and create tailored experiences and planning sessions that increase their strategic skills and drive their work forward. He knows how organizations work and what they need to succeed.

A former principal and chief learning officer at Spitfire Strategies, he served on the firm’s senior management team driving business strategy, new business cultivation, and client relations. He has assisted organizations large and small, from local to global, on issues including education, public health, the environment, and human rights. He is based in the Hudson Valley of New York.

Sister Agencies

A circle of trusted partners.

Civil’s ecosystem extends beyond its core team to a circle of Sister Agencies, partners whose disciplines enhance the systems design practice. Each brings specialized expertise that deepens Civil’s ability to design, implement, and sustain systems with integrity and precision.

PROVOC

Branding, creative, and digital strategy that supports identity, narrative, and design execution.

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Sector Law

Legal counsel for nonprofits and charitable foundations focused on governance, compliance, and mission delivery.

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Social Lens Research

Research and insights for social impact organizations focused on community voice, learning, and evidence-based decision-making.

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Work with a team that stays close to the work.

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