About A17 Consulting
A17 Consulting was founded in 2024 by Erin Lewis and Catherine “CJ” Johnson.
We first worked together at Hennepin County and discovered that we were good collaborators who could help each other see different perspectives and push each other to grow. Having both spent our careers in the public sector, we are deeply committed to work that serves our communities and advances equity. We’re also familiar with the challenges that mission-driven organizations face. We’re here to support public sector and nonprofit entities as they overcome barriers and maximize their impact.
We’ve experienced the power of a trusted thought partner and strive to be that for our A17 clients. We’ll help you make sense of your current reality, define where you want to go, and figure out how to get there.
Who we are
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Erin Lewis
I have 11 years of experience in the public sector, including a decade at Hennepin County and more than a year at Scott County. I have held a variety of roles focused on internal consulting. My areas of expertise are strategic planning, project management, organizational development, facilitation, community engagement, program development, and continuous improvement. I hold a Master of Public Administration and bring an understanding of data and evaluation to my work.
I am a change leader who has overseen initiatives impacting justice, health, human services, and operations systems. Increasing equity and addressing disparities is a driver in all my work, and I emphasize the importance of engaging employees and community members with lived experience to develop effective solutions. I collaborate with leaders to set direction and strategy for initiatives, then lead cross-functional workgroups and staff at all levels to translate visionary thinking into actual progress. I bridge gaps between stakeholders and systems, finding ways to meet differing needs simultaneously and advance meaningful change for the benefit of organizations and communities.
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CJ Johnson
I have nearly 30 years of experience in the public sector, including more than a decade of executive leadership roles in criminal justice organizations. I am also an accomplished educator with 7 years of experience teaching at the college level. My areas of expertise include strategic planning, policy analysis, leadership development, training development and delivery, investigations, process analysis, and operational effectiveness in law enforcement and correctional agencies.
I have worked with a wide range of nonprofit and government organizations to identify best practices in their respective practice areas and develop innovative solutions to complex challenges. I have worked with elected officials at the local and state level to create and support meaningful, effective change across systems. I hold a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice Leadership. My unique blend of strategic insight and practical experience makes me an asset to any organization seeking to enhance the skills of their leaders, develop and implement strategic change, and navigate the evolving landscape of public sector and nonprofit work tied to the criminal justice system.
How we work
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Adaptability
We will adapt our services and approach to your needs and current reality. We're willing to meet you where you're at and if things change in the middle of a project, we'll work together to figure out the best next step.
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Capacity building
We would rather do things with you than for you. We prioritize building the skills, capacity, and confidence of our customers, whether that looks like taking time to explain our approach or more formalized coaching.
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Authenticity
We believe in being real and being our full selves, and we want you to do the same. We like to get to the heart of things, we acknowledge the elephant in the room, and we do things for real, not just to check a box.