Deb Nelson Founder and president of DLN Consulting

Deb Nelson

As the company founder and president, Deb Nelson draws on her more than 30 years of experience in education, business and the non-profit world to DLN Consulting, Inc. Deb began her career as an educator and then converted her teaching knowledge to management of a small retail business. Using her teaching and management skills, Deb spent ten years as a community coalition coordinator before founding DLN Consulting, Inc. Deb has exemplary background in coalition building, community training and education, facilitation, and public relations.

Deb draws on a distinguished career to provide strategic solutions for DLN's clients. She strongly believes that each client is unique with specific needs. "The consulting and technical assistance services I've been involved in over the years have provided me with a robust appreciation of the challenges and opportunities faced by today's nonprofit organizations and small businesses. It is important to me that DLN provides an individualized plan that satisfies each of our clients' unique needs. We promise a professional product that ends in a professional relationship."

Deb has demonstrated her ability as an educator by serving as a presenter and lecturer at a number of national, state, and local conferences, workshops, and seminars. She has been the administrator for several research-based studies and surveys measuring perceptions and customer satisfaction. Deb is an accomplished grant writer. She uses her skills to teach grant writing workshops and evaluate proposals written by grant-funded hopefuls.

Deb has a proven track record when it comes to any kind of planning - strategic planning, strategic road mapping, community visioning, business planning, marketing planning, grant planning, evaluation planning, and sustainability planning. She has a strong background in coalition building, community assessments, non-profit board development and board governance. Through her dynamic, yet down-to-earth, style and wealth of knowledge, Deb provides practical training that help participants achieve positive results.

Awards Received

  • North Dakota Traffic Safety Honor Roll
  • North Dakota Governor's Highway Safety Award
  • North Dakota Safety Belt Coalition's Gold Belt Award
  • Outstanding ND Prevention Program Coordinator
  • Outstanding ND Community Traffic Safety Program
  • Who's Who Among American Women
  • Who's Who in America
  • Boy Scouts of America District Award of Merit
  • Boy Scouts of America National Silver Beaver Award for Volunteer Service
  • Boy Scouts of America James West Bronze Fellow

Professional Memberships

  • Mothers Against Drunk Driving
  • Region VIII Children's Services Coordinating Committee (past board member and chair)
  • Sunrise Youth Bureau (past board member)
  • American Association of University Women
  • Association of Fundraising Professionals
  • North Dakota Association of Nonprofit Organizations
  • Coalition of Charitable Organizations, 2010 President
  • Dickinson MasterMinds Network

Community Activities

  • City of Dickinson Human Relations Commission (past Commissioner)
  • Roughrider Country Kiwanis of Dickinson, Membership Chair
  • Past Adult Advisor of a Community-based Youth Prevention Group
  • Leadership positions for Boy Scouts of America at Pack, Troop and District levels
  • Northern Lights Council, BSA, Vice President of Operations