
OUR MISSION
The mission of ACT3 Consulting Partners, LLC is to provide our highest quality of service, creative approaches to problem solving and capacity building, and transformational experiences at the intersection of arts and culture, community, and technology.

OUR STORY
ACT3 Consulting Partners is a consulting group focusing on [the intersection between] Arts & Culture, Community & Technology. ACT3 was conceived in 2014 by life-long friends: Kendra Ross, Denele Biggs and Tanika Harris. Between the three partners, they represent a wide gamut of experience, areas of expertise and interests. Their experience includes almost 20 years in the music industry, 20+ years in corporate and non-profit sectors and 20+ years in the field of Information Technology for banking and financial institutions. The Partners also represent vast and varied skill sets from Project Management and Program Development to Event Planning, Strategic Planning and Technical Assistance. The Partners are community-engaged servant leaders ready to meet your consulting needs.
THE PARTNERS
Dr. Kendra Janelle Ross is the Head of Social Impact at ed-tech company, Duolingo. Before joining Duolingo, she served as an Assistant Professor of Sports, Arts, and Entertainment Management at Point Park University, where she also completed a PhD in Community Engagement. A proud graduate of Pittsburgh Public Schools, she holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Business and Technology from New York University and master's degrees from Brooklyn College/CUNY and The New School for Social Research. Dr. Ross spent two decades in New York City, working both on stage and behind the scenes in the entertainment industry. For over a decade, she managed label operations for Universal Music Group, the world's leading music company. Dr. Ross is a veteran songwriter, vocalist, and producer who has recorded with renowned artists such as Quincy Jones, Lauryn Hill, and Kanye West, to name a few. Since returning to Pittsburgh in 2014, she has been an active member of Pittsburgh’s arts scene. Dr. Ross is the co-chair of #ArtsInHD, a collective of creatives in the historic Hill District community, and previously co-chaired the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's Community Advisory Board. In 2022, she was appointed to the Regional Asset District Board of Directors by Mayor Ed Gainey.
Visit www.kendraross.com to learn more.

Denele D. Biggs, MS, MA is a self-described "creative," but she is also a consummate IT professional who actively engages both sides of her brain. She has always had an interest in technology, which she pursued by furthering her degree in the discipline. Denele is an expert in web design/development, project management, business analysis, and social media marketing as a result of her IT and creative experience. She currently works as a Senior Business Analyst for Automated Health Systems and has over two decades of expertise in financial services, technology, and management. She holds a Master's of Information Technology and a Master's of Art in Communication Technology, allowing her to further integrate her interests and strengths.
Visit www.ddbconsults.com to learn more.

Tanika S. Harris is a passionate “servant leader” with over 20 years of experience in the corporate and non-profit sectors. She is sensitive to the needs of all people and utilizes her administrative, public speaking, critical thinking, and conflict resolution skills to provide quality service. Tanika possesses a diverse range of skills that she developed while working as an executive-level leader for a multinational, faith-based organization for 13 years. In the years after, she has continued to hone and enhance those abilities with numerous community and faith-based non-profits, as well as in her current role as Director of Communication and Community Relations at The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA). She brings to the ACT3 arsenal experience in topical training, program development, resource development, strategic development, and budget management. Tanika recently received her B.A. in Organizational Leadership from Point Park University and is pursuing her Master's degree.

WHAT WE DO FOR YOU
CULTURAL COMPETENCY AND EQUITY STRATEGY SERVICES
STRATEGIC VISIONING
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND RETENTION
TRAINING AND ASSESSMENT
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLANNING
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PROJECT MANAGEMENT
AGILE & WATERFALL METHODOLOGY
COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
SOCIAL MEDIA CRISIS & STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING
ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTION
PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT
ARTIST/MUSICIAN CONTRACTING
PROGRAMMING
THE WORD IS OUT! READ OUR TESTIMONIALS
"We are so glad that we hired ACT3 Consulting Partners, LLC to guide us in revitalizing our programming and connections with the Hill District community. Not only did the ACT3 team help us create more meaningful engagements with the Hill District community, they also provided opportunities for learning and exchange that have resulted in a more collaborative and inclusive approach in all of our programming efforts.
ACT3 helped us to frame several challenging initiatives, creating achievable goals, objectives, and manageable tasks within a timeline and workflow that resulted in success.
ACT3 Consulting Partners, LLC assisted us in identifying critical networks of influencers and leaders.
The project work was very challenging, but involving ACT3 enabled us to find joy in the process. Their calm, gracious, and logical way of leading and supporting allowed us to know the tasks would be taken care of in the highest quality and we could relax in knowing they had it covered.
I can’t speak highly enough about this group!"
Suzanne Perrino
SVP of Learning and Community Engagement
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
"Act3 is consistently effective and excellence exudes from everything they touch. I hold our liaison at high regard and it is always my pleasure to collaborate with Act3 on projects both small and large."
D. Johnson
Founder
DRE|media Digital Solutions
In November 2017, McAuley Ministries Foundation sponsored a workforce development event in Pittsburgh’s Hill District. We had only six weeks to plan, market, and implement the event, so we turned to ACT3 Consulting Partners. ACT3 coordinated the branding for the event, social media, radio advertising, and event flyers. They organized the day of the event from room set-up to registration to signage and catering. I was impressed with their professionalism and attention to detail. They worked well with our workforce development partners, and as all good consultants do, they challenged our assumptions when appropriate and in a respectful way. I have sponsored many events over my career, and I’m accustomed to pitching in to ensure a smooth event. ACT3 covered every aspect, freeing me to talk with our guests and network with our partners. One test of a successful consulting engagement is whether one would use the consultant again. In the case of Act3 Consulting Partners, my response is an enthusiastic “yes”!
Michele Rone Cooper
Executive Director
McAuley Ministries Foundation
“Act3 Consulting was contracted to create a retreat experience for our non- profit agency. They were charged to provide an opportunity for staff to create a shared vision for future strategic planning by learning about organizational history through three historical contexts: faith-based, African American History and the richness of the Hill District (Pittsburgh) history. As an organizational leader, I wanted my team to take this kind of risk as we forge ahead in the field of servant leadership in human services. Staff responses to the event, included: innovative, creative, engaging, educational and entertaining. The partners attended to every detail. We started and ended on time and every goal was achieved. They made me, the Executive Director, look like a rock star to my team of 20 people. BRAVO!”
Dr. Trisha M. Gadson
Executive Director
Macedonia FACE