Governance by Design  ·  Chicago, IL

Every durable institution runs on two things — structure built to last, and strategy designed to deliver.

Governance
Design

Forming a board is easy. Making it work takes a system. We design the governance infrastructure — decision architecture, deliberation protocols, role clarity, and accountability structures — that allows boards and commissions to actually function.

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Government
Strategy

Whether, when, and how to engage government — in that order. We help nonprofits, businesses, agencies, and associations determine if government engagement is the right move, then build a clear plan for doing it effectively.

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Schedule a Discovery Call Meet the Principal
The Problem

Good intentions don't build
functional institutions.
Structure does.

Every day, new boards, commissions, and oversight bodies are stood up with little thought given to how they will actually function. The institution fails not because of bad intent — but bad structure.

No Operating Model

Newly formed commissions with no decision pathways — leadership fills the vacuum informally.

Informal Power Displacement

Boards where informal authority overrides formal roles, creating accountability gaps and legal exposure.

Quorum & Deliberation Breakdown

Oversight bodies that can't achieve quorum or structured deliberation under statutory constraints.

No Executive Framework

Selection and evaluation processes with no defined criteria, sequencing, or vote pathways.

Cross-Body Misalignment

Friction between boards, staff, and stakeholders that creates legal and reputational exposure.

Scaling Without Structure

Organizations that outgrow ad-hoc coordination without building an operating architecture to replace it.

Ready to build the structure before dysfunction forms?

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What We Do

Two practices.
One firm.

Governance Design

We design the governance infrastructure that boards, commissions, and governmental bodies need to actually function — before dysfunction has a chance to form.

  • —Formation & Launch Architecture
  • —Decision Architecture & Deliberation Design
  • —Executive Selection & Oversight Frameworks
  • —Structural Realignment
  • —Scale & Transition Planning
  • —Governance Assessments
Government Strategy & Lobbying

Whether, when, and how to engage government — in that order. Honest counsel on engagement readiness before strategy, and direct representation when the time is right.

  • —Engagement Readiness Assessment
  • —Lobbying & Advocacy
  • —Lobbyist Hiring & Oversight Strategy
  • —Policy & Regulatory Navigation
  • —State Funding Positioning

Not sure which service fits your situation?

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The Principal
Brian Kenner

Brian Kenner

MPA · Founder & Principal · Chicago, IL ↗ linkedin.com/in/briankennermpa

Brian Kenner has spent his career inside the machinery of governance — not observing it from the outside. Across the Illinois House of Representatives, municipal agencies, and mission-driven organizations operating at the intersection of policy and public accountability, he built the expertise that forms the foundation of this practice.

He brings deep experience in governance infrastructure design, OMA compliance, executive selection, and structural realignment — built from direct experience operating inside high-scrutiny public bodies under real political pressure.

That experience — building real governance systems under real pressure — is the foundation of this practice. Not theory. Not distance. Inside knowledge.

Brian holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Illinois and completed Mediation Skills Training at Northwestern University.

For government strategy engagements, Brian is supported by senior advisor Howard A. Kenner — former Illinois State Representative and 20+ year government affairs specialist before the Illinois General Assembly.

Built from the inside. Ready to work with you.

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Get Started

Is your board
built to decide?

Whether you're forming a new body or stabilizing one already in motion, the conversation starts here.

What to expect

The discovery call is a 30-minute conversation — no pitch, no pressure. We'll ask about your body's current structure, where things are holding and where they aren't, and whether there's a fit. You'll leave with clarity on next steps regardless of whether we work together.

01 · Complete This Form

Share your organization and situation. Takes under two minutes.

02 · Discovery Call — 30 Min

We'll reach out to schedule a no-obligation conversation.

03 · Governance Diagnostic — 90 Min

A deep-dive session to map structural gaps and define priorities.

04 · Proposal Review

A tailored engagement plan with scope, approach, and outcomes.