Our Story
SM Coaching Solutions grew from a remarkable story of transformation that began at Monsignor Clarke School, a Catholic school in Rhode Island. Sara Marshall was hired as the Director of Admissions and Development in 2016, tasked with building a formal admissions and development program, in a school was facing potential closure as a result of declining enrollment and negative community perception. Despite having no prior experience in nonprofit development, Sara was chosen for the role. Instead, she brought over 20 years of extensive sales and management experience spanning multiple industries—real estate, banking, manufacturing, and wholesale companies. Her career had taken her across domestic and international markets, where she developed a results-oriented approach to relationship building and customer engagement. This unique background, combined with her genuine passion for the school's mission, brought a fresh perspective to educational advancement that challenged traditional development methods.
For seven of Sara's nine years at Monsignor Clarke, she worked alongside Dr. Arthur Lisi, whose exceptional leadership as Principal was instrumental in creating an environment where innovative development approaches could flourish. Together with their dedicated team, they embarked on a journey that would not only save the school but transform it into a thriving institution with a 70% increase in enrollment and over $1 million raised through development efforts.
Throughout this transformation, Sara was fortunate to learn from respected thought leaders in the field of development, particularly Frank Donaldson and the Institute for School and Parish Development (ISPD). These mentors provided valuable insights that complemented Sara's sales and service background, helping her develop a holistic approach to building community engagement. This combination of professional sales experience alongside development best practices created a powerful foundation for success.
Sara and Arthur's work gained national recognition when they were invited to present at the National Catholic Education Association's annual conference. Their presentation, "Building a Catholic School for the 21st Century," attracted standing-room-only attendance as they shared their experiences with education professionals from across the country. As their approach to development continued to evolve, they embraced the principle that development is fundamentally about "the meaningful involvement of people in an organization's mission or vision" – a perspective that looks beyond traditional fundraising to focus on authentic engagement. This philosophy resonated with their sense that we all have a responsibility to share our gifts and talents to help others succeed.
This belief became the cornerstone of SM Coaching Solutions. Sara and Arthur realized their collaborative approach could benefit not just educational institutions but any organization looking to increase engagement and drive results. Sara and Arthur's diverse backgrounds, shaped by transformative experiences and respected mentors, equipped them with a unique skill set for building authentic connections between organizations and their communities.
Today, SM Coaching Solutions brings this proven expertise to organizations across sectors – from nonprofits advancing their missions to businesses growing their market share.
Our fundamental belief remains: strategic development through authentic engagement leads to measurable results, and sharing our knowledge and experience with others is both a privilege and a responsibility.