About Us
Who we are
We are long time researchers and practitioners who saw a need for new ways of working and partnering to realize the promise of high impact work with community at the intersection of systems and design
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Kelsey Werner
Partner
Kelsey brings a unique perspective to strategic design, leveraging her background in systems science and social work. With a passion for community engagement to foster collective understanding, she excels at evolving participatory approaches to unravel complex problems and co-create solutions.
Prior to Tributary, Kelsey worked as a strategist at BORN XDS collaborating with health and financial leaders to tackle the most pressing challenges of their industries. She also has deep roots in academic research through her role as Director of Social & Community Based Systems Modeling at Boston College School of Social Work and affiliate of the Social System Design Lab. Her work has brought her around the globe, ranging from projects on clean energy adoption in Rwanda, to ecological-based livelihoods in India, to health equity in the US. The common thread through all of it is that people are at the center of change.
Her interest is in bridging systems thinking, design, and other innovative methods to empower people to create practical impact in the world.
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Ellis Ballard
Partner
Ellis wears multiple hats - He is a teacher, a researcher, a creator, and a facilitator. He sees the work of systems change as dialogue between deep analysis, rigorous discussion, and creative expression. He believes in collaborative design and community practice to motivate his approach to Tributary’s work.
In addition to his founding partner role at Tributary, Ellis is Director of the Social System Design Lab focusing on strengthening the pipeline of system dynamics modeling in social work and public health and innovating and disseminating methods of participatory modeling to support social change. He is Assistant Professor of Practice in Social Work and Public Health at Washington University in St. Louis. In a former life, Ellis worked on disability rights advocacy in U.S. Foreign Policy with the U.S. International Council on Disabilities in Washington, DC.
Ellis’ work spans collaborations with community organizations at home in St. Louis to work with philanthropic foundations and multilateral aid organizations. He has worked across the United States, and abroad in places ranging from Peru to Afghanistan to Singapore to India.
Our Focus Areas
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Social Impact
Our team works closely with community-based organizations, non-profits, and community-engaged researchers to leverage innovative approaches and create replicable processes that drive social impact. Whether it’s tackling housing insecurity, championing inclusive education, or promoting equality and social justice, we collaborate with our clients to co-create solutions that address the root causes of complex social issues.
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Health
Our work in the health sector spans improving equitable access to quality healthcare, enhancing patient and provider experiences, and co-designing interventions to tailor to the unique needs of communities. We partner with healthcare administrators, frontline providers, communities, and researchers to change systems and experiences to improve health outcomes.
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Environment
Environmental problems encompass interactions between environmental, social, and economic systems and require engaging diverse perspectives to elicit systemic strategies for sustainability. We collaborate with community-based organizations, researchers, and policymakers working in this space to empower community voice in decision making and solution development.