KMSG Research Fellowship
Building the next generation of strategists in philanthropy, nonprofit leadership, and public interest communications.
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KM Strategies Group Launches National Social Impact Fellowship in Partnership with The University of Alabama and Carnegie Mellon University
First-of-its-kind impact fellowship to be housed within The University of Alabama and Carnegie Mellon University, with KMSG Founder Kindred Motes named Visiting Instructor and Guest Lecturer
TUSCALOOSA, AL and PITTSBURGH, PA — KM Strategies Group (KMSG), a global advisory and social impact consulting firm, has announced the launch of the inaugural KMSG Research Fellowship, a new national initiative designed to train and position emerging leaders in equity-centered strategy, public interest communications, and narrative power.
The program is rooted in the deep talent and untapped leadership infrastructure of regions like Central Alabama, Appalachia, and Western Pennsylvania – places that have produced value for other regions while being structurally marginalized and experiencing systemic underinvestment.
The fellowship will be hosted in partnership with two inaugural academic institutions: The University of Alabama’s College of Communication and Information Sciences and Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy. Over the course of the 2025–2026 academic year, selected students from each institution will engage in active client projects alongside KMSG strategists while receiving structured mentorship, career development support, and immersive leadership training.
“We built this fellowship on the belief that outsized talent is everywhere, but investment is not,” said Kindred Motes, Founder and Managing Director of KM Strategies Group. “Alabama and Western Pennsylvania share a history of extraction without reinvestment—of producing value for others while being told to wait for their own. We’re launching this fellowship to change that—to create durable infrastructure that grows leadership where it’s long existed but rarely been resourced, and to connect that leadership to the systems that shape capital, culture, and policy.”
At The University of Alabama, Motes will serve as Visiting Instructor, delivering lectures and seminars, mentoring students, and supporting program design as an executive in residence. At Carnegie Mellon, Motes will participate as a guest lecturer and advisor throughout the 2025–2026 academic year, contributing to student learning and supporting cross-sector connections across the Heinz College community.
“We are excited about this partnership with KMSG. It presents outstanding opportunities for our students to learn from KMSG and will allow our students to use and expand their talents to benefit KMSG and its clients,” said Dr. Brooke McKeever, Chair of the Department of Advertising & Public Relations at The University of Alabama. “We look forward to working with Kindred Motes and his team, and to welcoming Kindred home to Alabama as a Visiting Instructor in our Department of Advertising & Public Relations and our College of Communication & Information Sciences.”
“The KMSG Research Fellowship aligns deeply with our mission to prepare students to learn, innovate, and lead in complex, interdisciplinary environments,” said Diane Taylor, Director of Partnerships & External Engagement. “Our students bring a rare combination of systems fluency and social purpose—and our partnership with KMSG gives them a platform to apply both on behalf of organizations that are working to make our communities more vibrant, just, and equitable places.”
The KMSG Fellowship prepares students to lead across sectors—philanthropy, nonprofit strategy, government, and movement work—with applied training in storytelling, stakeholder engagement, strategic positioning, and systems-level consulting. Fellows will present their work at capstone events held at both campuses, bringing insights from regions that have powered national movements but too rarely shaped the strategies behind them.
The fellowship is part of KMSG’s broader strategy to strengthen talent pipelines in public interest fields—particularly across the American South and Appalachia and among leaders who have historically been excluded from decision-making and capital flows. More information is available at www.kmstrategiesgroup.com. ###
About KM Strategies GroupKM Strategies Group (KMSG) is a global advisory, strategy, and social impact consulting firm with clients across philanthropy, advocacy, impact storytelling, and corporate social responsibility.
About The University of Alabama’s College of Communication and Information SciencesThe College of Communication & Information Sciences (C&IS) at The University of Alabama, founded in 1973, enrolls more than 3,500 students across three academic departments and one school. C&IS offers six bachelor’s degrees, five master’s degrees and a multidisciplinary doctoral program that prepare students to excel in the fields of communication and information. Through groundbreaking research, creative work and transformative partnerships, the College leverages the power of communication and information to address societal challenges, develop leaders and generate ideas that shape a stronger, more connected world.
About Heinz College of Information Systems and Public PolicyThe Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy is home to two internationally recognized graduate-level institutions at Carnegie Mellon University: the School of Information Systems and Management and the School of Public Policy and Management. This unique colocation combined with its expertise in analytics set Heinz College apart in the areas of cybersecurity, health care, the future of work, smart cities, and arts & entertainment. In 2016, INFORMS named Heinz College the #1 academic program for Analytics Education. For more information, please visit www.heinz.cmu.edu.
ABOUT
The KMSG Research Fellowship is a first-of-its-kind national initiative that trains emerging leaders to work at the intersection of strategy, communications, and social impact. Fellows gain hands-on experience through applied client projects, mentorship from KMSG strategists, and direct engagement with nonprofit and philanthropic leaders.
This program responds to a pressing need: public investment in leadership development is shrinking, even as communities face unprecedented challenges. The fellowship invests private-sector resources where public support has receded, creating durable infrastructure for the next generation of leaders.
WHY IT MATTERS
Philanthropy and nonprofit strategy have long drawn talent from a narrow set of elite schools and coastal hubs. The result is an advisory field disconnected from the communities it serves.
The KMSG Fellowship is rooted in places like Alabama, Appalachia, and Western Pennsylvania—regions that have powered national progress but have rarely been resourced to shape strategy. By expanding who is trained and where, we are reshaping the leadership pipeline for the field.
The fellowship will:
Expand opportunity for students historically excluded from advisory and leadership roles
Anchor public universities and regional institutions in social change and impact strategy
Build skills in equity-centered strategy, narrative power, and systems-level consulting
OUR PARTNERS
The inaugural 2025–2026 fellowship is hosted in partnership with:
The University of Alabama College of Communication & Information Sciences (Tuscaloosa, AL)
Carnegie Mellon University Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy (Pittsburgh, PA)
At The University of Alabama, KMSG founder Kindred Motes serves as Visiting Instructor, teaching seminars, mentoring fellows, and supporting program design. At Carnegie Mellon, Motes is a guest lecturer, and fellows work with faculty and KMSG strategists on applied consulting projects and present their work at capstone showcases.
“We built this fellowship on the belief that outsized talent is everywhere, but investment is not. Alabama and Western Pennsylvania share a history of extraction without reinvestment—of producing value for others while being told to wait for their own. We’re launching this fellowship to change that—to create durable infrastructure that grows leadership where it’s long existed but rarely been resourced, and to connect that leadership to the systems that shape capital, culture, and policy.”
KINDRED MOTES,
FOUNDER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, KM STRATEGIES GROUP
THE EXPERIENCE
Each fellow spends an academic year embedded in live client projects with KMSG strategists. Fellows receive:
Direct project work with nonprofits, foundations, impact campaigns, and advocacy groups
Structured mentorship and professional coaching from KMSG staff
Guest lectures and seminars on narrative power, systems consulting, and social impact strategy
A public showcase or capstone presentation at the end of the term
Support with CV preparation, professional development, thought leadership, and interview support
Inaugural Fellow Cohort
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Avery Trinidad
RESEARCH FELLOW, Carnegie Mellon University
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.
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Brenna Wrubel
RESEARCH FELLOW, Carnegie Mellon University
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.
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Skylar Deavers
RESEARCH FELLOW, The University of Alabama
Skylar is a first-year graduate student at the University of Alabama and a Fall 2025 Research Fellow with KM Strategies Group. He earned his bachelor’s degree in public relations from the University of Alabama in May 2025 and is now pursuing a master’s degree with a focus on media strategy.
His first experience in public relations with social impact came through Secret Meals for Hungry Children, an initiative of the Alabama Credit Union. That work sparked his passion for nonprofit communications and showed him that effective public relations is about building authentic relationships and telling stories that matter.
Outside of his academic and professional work, Skylar stays active through the gym and a wide range of sports and recreational activities.
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Paige Rodriguez
RESEARCH FELLOW, The University of Alabama
Paige Rodriguez is a senior at the University of Alabama studying Advertising with a concentration in Brand Management and a minor in Sales. She is actively involved in several areas within the College of Communication and Information Sciences. On campus, she serves as President of UA’s American Advertising Federation, Recruitment and Marketing Lead for Industry Immersion, and mentors freshmen and transfer students through the ROOTS program. She also spent two years with Capstone Agency, where she held roles as a Media Relations Associate, Senior Channel Planner, and contributed to the core repositioning team during the student-run agency’s restructure. Through these roles and internships at companies such as BBDO Atlanta and Destination Decoded, Paige has developed skills in leadership, client relations, content strategy, and project management.
Originally from Tampa, Florida, Paige is passionate about combining creativity and strategic thinking to produce impactful solutions. She is motivated by opportunities to apply strategic storytelling and problem-solving skills to advance causes, engage communities, and create work that matters.
PARTNER WITH US
We invite colleges and universities located in the Deep South, Appalachia, or US territories to join us in building durable leadership pipelines. As a partner, your institution will:
Receive direct financial support to fund student stipends and campus programming
Host guest lectures and public showcases
Connect your students to national-level strategy and client-facing experience
To explore partnership opportunities, express interest below.