bringing more people to the table
longtable helps mission-driven organizations, leadership teams, and community partners set direction, align people, and make clear decisions. Every engagement is led by founder Derek Smith, bringing more than 30 years of executive leadership and organizational experience.
more than 75 organizational engagements led · more than 30 strategic planning processes across Derek’s career
Clarity.
Alignment.
Action.
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Purposeful conversations around a defined issue or decision, including board and team alignment, clarity of roles, and practical next steps.
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Focused strategy refreshes and comprehensive planning that connect mission, community needs, and organizational capacity with clear priorities and an action roadmap.
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Focused reviews of leadership, operations, clarity of roles, and organizational alignment, with prioritized findings and recommendations.
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Individual sessions and ongoing executive counsel that offer candid perspective, practical decision support, and accountability around agreed priorities.
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Customized workshops that strengthen communication, clarify responsibilities, and create practical working agreements around one team challenge.
Why We Exist
Even capable teams can get stuck when priorities compete, important perspectives go unheard, or difficult decisions remain unresolved.
longtable helps people work through those moments.
We bring executive-level perspective, thoughtful preparation, and purposeful facilitation to conversations that matter. Together, we surface what needs attention, build shared understanding, and define practical next steps.
Our work connects strategy, people, and community impact—with a focus on what your organization can do next.
What working together looks like
A Focused Facilitation engagement begins with discovery and meeting design, brings the group together for a 90-minute facilitated session, and concludes with synthesis, an executive summary, and a sponsor debrief.
The work continues beyond the conversation: clear findings, usable next steps, and a shared understanding of what comes next.
Perspectives on Derek’s work
In their words.
Feedback from participants in governance and strategic planning engagements Derek led through his YMCA leadership work, before or outside longtable.
Derek is such a powerful facilitator. His delivery is perfect for a diverse group of thinkers. He navigates hard conversations with ease and brings a high level of professionalism and expertise.
Former CEO, Tillamook County Family YMCA
Governance Session Evaluation
Derek is thorough and is excellent working with disparate voices in any room. Derek is an excellent facilitator.
Former CEO, Snohomish County YMCA
Strategic Planning Evaluation
Derek was great with the volunteers, meeting them where they are and guiding them along. The framing of our time together was purposeful and meaningful.
CEO, Wenatchee Valley YMCA
Strategic Planning Evaluation