About
Experience. Knowledge. Results. Our mission is to provide expert strategic advisory services to deliver successful programs, informed by extensive experience managing organizations, leading projects, and working with governments, corporations and nonprofits. We commit that our advice and experience will lead to positive, quantifiable project results from planning through completion.
Our Team
Patrick O’Keefe
Patrick is an experienced leader with global experience across operations, sales and corporate functional management in a Fortune 500 corporation that serves clients across infrastructure, energy, water, and urban development. He has built and led multinational groups across each of those key sectors. His private sector experience is complemented with senior level experience in government and extensive work with non-profits. He has directly managed a $700m construction program with horizontal and vertical facilities. His major program work complemented his previous experience on major programs in the UK and for the United States Department of Energy.
Founder / CEO
Lisa Carpenter
Lisa Carpenter is a strategic leader with a proven track record of guiding high-stakes initiatives at the intersection of government, business, and community. She has served at the highest levels of local, state and federal governments, advising policymakers and driving the execution of key policy priorities. Lisa has managed and navigated complex issues and projects requiring consensus among diverse stakeholders. Lisa provides high-level strategic counsel to Summit Street Group's public, private, and non-profit clients, translating vision into action, aligning diverse interests, and delivering outcomes that create lasting community and organizational impact.
Principal
John is a collaborative and strategic leader who brings extensive experience from both the public and private sectors. He most recently served as Director of Finance for the City of Greeley where he was responsible for the City’s financial operations. He has spent time with the City and County of Denver’s Department of Finance and in Chicago’s Mayor Office during the Richard M. Daley administration. His municipal government work has focused on innovative public financing and economic development projects that support smart, sustainable economic growth. Before his move to Colorado, John served as senior advisor to the Chief Financial Officers’ Council in Washington D.C. where he worked with the Executive Office of the President, Office of Management and Budget to implement the President’s Management Agenda and support the development of sound financial management policy across the U.S. government.
PrincipalJohn Karner
Nora Johnson brings extensive expertise in economic and market analysis, complemented by a strong background in marketing that enables her to translate complex research into actionable insights for client leaders and stakeholders. She has partnered with organizations across diverse sectors to advance strategic goals, drive systematic improvement, and enhance stakeholder engagement. Nora excels at helping Summit Street Group's clients assess their current environment, identify future opportunities, and develop strategies to effectively deliver results. Recent work includes Capital Investment Planning (CIP) model development, program management, market research, data visualizations, and organizational and workforce assessments.
Principal and Director of Economic and Market Strategy