Discover the heart of Skifte

Transforming systems, communities & lives

Skifte is a Norwegian word that means to change or to “SHIFT”.  Our company is committed to partnering with public sector, non-profits, and business to SHIFT narratives, paradigms, hearts, and minds that will lead to transformational changes in systems, communities, and lives.

Our History

Founded by Andrea Zuber and Kelly Harder, two passionate human services professionals born and raised in Minnesota, Skifte, LLC, brings nearly six decades of combined experience in the human services sector. Our journey began after recognizing a profound need for specialized consulting services that bridge the gap between organizations and governmental agencies and the people and communities they serve.  Andrea and Kelly believe that “SHIFTing” and reframing the way we think and talk about the people we serve, our resources, our capacity and our processes will lead to powerful, positive transformation in not only within organizations and systems, but in the lives of people and their communities.   With careers spanning across five Minnesota counties—Ramsey, Dakota, Blue Earth, Steele, and Clay—as well as significant roles within the Minnesota Department of Human Services, and serving other national human service organizations, our founders have cultivated a deep understanding of, and commitment to human services in a way that is unique to consulting services.

Our Services

Advocacy

Disability Justice

Public Policy Coalition Building

Employment Rights

Language and Narrative Reframing  

Inclusion, Equity, and Belonging

Consulting

Policy Development

System Transformation

Intelligent Business Process Redesign

Program & Operational Support

Implementing Integrated Service Delivery Models

Executive Strategic Planning

Technical Assistance

Organizational & Systems Transformation

Assessment

Strategy Development

Stakeholder Engagement

Training & Support

Implementation Management

Communications

Facilitating and Convening

Community Impact

Our Community Impact work supports financially challenged agencies with access to our high-quality consulting services.

Our Focus Areas

  • We work with agencies to build on the capacity, wisdom, resiliency and power of people with disabilities, supporting them to have self-efficacy, belonging, justice and live thriving lives.  Guided by the framework of Disability Justice, we focus on organizational and system transformation to center the expression and lived experience of people with disabilities.  Areas of expertise includes integrated, individualized employment and residential services, wage justice, public policy, coalition building and community organizing, diversity, equity, inclusion and justice, framing science and storytelling,  person-centered thinking and planning, trauma-informed thinking and care and positive behavioral supports, case management, formal and information supports and community development. We facilitate agencies who want to re-envision, transform and restructure to meet the demands of the modernized views, needs and desires of people with disabilities and their families.   

  • We support agencies to advance the autonomy and well-being of adults receiving human services, including those experiencing mental illness, housing instability and homelessness, the elderly and the disabled. Our core philosophy focuses on improving adults' quality of life through personalized support, ensuring that the appropriate services and interventions are provided at the precise time and for the optimal duration needed. We emphasize the social determinants of health and access to healthcare and community-based services, aiming to ensure individuals live with dignity, belonging and inter-dependence in their communities.

  • We share the mission to safeguard the well-being of children and families.  At the core of our Child Welfare approach is a commitment to health, safety, and overall well-being: ensuring that the right children and families receive the necessary services and support at exactly the right time, and for the right duration. Our approach is rooted in a deep understanding of the unique needs and circumstances of each family agencies serve. Through these efforts, we strive to ensure every child grows up in a secure and nurturing environment, enabling them to reach their full potential.

  • Our services help child support agencies support more families in less time, overcoming obstacles such as labor shortages, regular changes in policies, outdated technology, and pressures from stakeholders.

    We recognize that automation alone doesn't equal innovation. With this principle in mind, we assist agencies in revamping workflows and service delivery—the method through which the work is completed—to tackle capacity issues first. Only then do we look to technology to automate tasks, ensuring agencies' efforts are more impactful and effective.

  • We share your goal to ensure accessible, safe, and affordable housing to improve the lives and stability of individuals and families, prioritizing the vulnerable, marginalized, low-income households, the elderly, disabled, and homeless. A key part of our strategy involves strengthening collaboration among community agencies to overcome organizational and procedural obstacles hindering access to housing.

  • We support agencies’ efforts to ensure timely, accurate, and equitable access to essential services for individuals and families, leading to better health outcomes, reduced hunger, a reliable safety net, and inspiring hope for a more promising future.  Our services empower agencies to serve more families in fewer days while mitigating labor shortages, constant and competing policy changes, outdated technology, and stakeholder pressures. 

How We Work

Staff Capabilities

Leadership