We love what we do.
Every morning our clients set out with a vision to make a difference. Ambitious leaders and evolving institutions all have a common challenge—the future—and how to approach it in a thoughtful and organized way.
We work with those leaders and their institutions at the crossroads of the present and the future, where institutional strategy, the possibilities of place, and targeted fundraising efforts make change that matters.
Diverse communities, broad ambitions.
We serve leading independent educational institutions nationwide and abroad—large and small, boarding and day, coed and single-sex, located in urban, suburban, rural and historic settings.
The opportunities our clients pursue are broad. At any one time we may be planning a range of ambitions: strengthening the role of place as an educational partner; reshaping the campus form and organization to inspire innovation; scaling the school to meet emerging enrollment opportunities; accommodating the nature of generational consumers; defining program growth and change; positioning the campus as a hub of family life; recasting a stalled capital campaign; or resolving the natural tension between long-standing traditions and change; to name only a few.
People are the heart.
Sorting out the future of remarkable institutions isn’t easy—place and programs, needs and aspirations, culture and circumstances—big knotty questions, with interconnected parts, a variety of audiences, and often competing stakeholders.
We approach every engagement with an empathy for our clients’ unique circumstances, supported by practice leaders who are always hands on, with extensive experience; a strategic awareness; an inspired sense of place making; and the ability to work collaboratively with all facets of our clients’ communities.
Jeffrey Blanchard
The focus of Jeff’s 35 years of professional practice has been linking institutional strategy with the possibilities of a place. To each opportunity, Jeff brings the enthusiasm to engage and excite the communities he serves, the experience to translate ideas into action, and the leadership to advance his clients’ interests.
Patricia Tedesco
Patty is a people person and also fiercely analytical — rapport and report, a powerful combination. Patty has played lead and supporting roles at Blanchard Group over two decades, working with institutions on their campus development strategy. She conceives possible futures, and demonstrates these futures aren’t just inspired, but doable.
Janet Chandler
An engineer by training and a poet at heart, Janet has played lead and supporting roles on numerous campus planning and consulting engagements for over a decade. She is dogged about authenticity — how an institution’s vision, mission, and educational experience are reflected in its campus setting.