Professional Consultants
"True expertise isn't about perfection, it's about finding the best path forward."
- Anonymous
Sentra Solutions experts prioritize understanding the challenges, the people affected, and, most importantly,
the intended and unintended consequences of any proposed solution.
Our true expertise is that we were not just former government and non-profit employees, we were the decision-makers.
People: The greatest challenge in any project is earning the trust and engagement of the target population. For those navigating language barriers, unfamiliar environments, or new responsibilities, trust often comes from seeing tangible, relatable solutions. Sentra Solutions sets itself apart by leveraging the lived experiences of its consultants—individuals who have been both recipients and providers of services. This dual perspective ensures that the solutions we design are practical, actionable, and grounded in real-world understanding. At Sentra Solutions, we believe the most impactful expertise comes from experience.
Challenges: Addressing challenges starts with recognizing that people—not tools or systems—are the key to overcoming them. Even the most advanced technology is only as effective as the people who use it. Sentra Solutions understands this and applies decades of experience in start-ups, crisis management, and routine operations to tackle challenges across any field. Our consultants draw on a wealth of lessons learned about human behavior and response, ensuring that every solution is tailored to meet our clients' unique needs and empower their teams.
Areas of Expertise
At Sentra Solutions, we leverage decades of experience across diverse fields to craft innovative, practical, and scalable solutions tailored to our clients’ unique challenges. Our expertise spans critical areas, including economic development, homelesness, food and agriculture, conservation, systems integration, public and non-profit administration, and international development. Below, we detail our strengths and contributions in each sector.
Economic Development
Sentra Solutions designs economic strategies that foster job creation, empower small businesses, and attract sustainable investment, building resilient economies that uplift communities. Leveraging economic analysis and market insights, we identify growth opportunities, address systemic challenges, and ensure actionable, impactful strategies. Through stakeholder collaboration, we ensure initiatives are inclusive and meet the needs of diverse community segments.
Homelessness
Homeless services and programs are inherently complex, encompassing prevention, behavioral health, substance use treatment, public health, housing, public benefits, and incarceration. We specialize in integrating these systems, designing and administering programs aligned with HUD's Continuum of Care requirements, and ensuring compliance with local, state, and federal homeless policies.
Food, Agriculture, & Conservation
Sentra Solutions reimagines agricultural supply chains to reduce barriers for farmers, connect them to markets, and promote profitability and sustainability. We advocate for equity by securing funding, infrastructure, and training for underserved farming communities, including minority farmers, empowering them to compete in thriving markets. Our commitment to sustainability fosters local food systems and eco-friendly practices, benefiting producers, consumers, and the environment. By integrating conservation with development, we protect natural resources, drive economic growth, and align local initiatives with state and federal priorities for long-term impact. Through community engagement, we preserve ecosystems while creating economic opportunities that support conservation and community well-being.
Systems Integration
Sentra Solutions fosters cross-sector collaboration by bridging gaps between departments, programs, and stakeholders to enhance service delivery and outcomes. Our expertise in data integration unifies disparate systems, providing actionable insights that drive informed policy and decision-making. We design scalable solutions that adapt to evolving organizational needs, ensuring long-term effectiveness and impact.
Public and Non-Profit Administration
Sentra Solutions enhances operational efficiency for public and non-profit organizations by optimizing resource use and delivering measurable impact. We assist in securing and managing grant funding while ensuring strict compliance with regulatory standards. Additionally, our leadership development initiatives build organizational capacity, empowering teams to drive sustained, long-term program success.
International Development - Agriculture and Conservation
Sentra Solutions combines a global perspective with innovative approaches to address pressing challenges such as food security, infrastructure gaps, and agricultural development, aligning projects with international goals like the SDGs. We focus on capacity building by strengthening institutions, fostering local leadership, and creating sustainable programs that empower communities in resource-limited settings.
Expertise in Motion:
California Highlander Cooperative
The California Highlander Cooperative (CHC) isn’t just a case study in people-powered innovation and system transformation—it’s the origin of Sentra Solutions. It inspired our mission to"pay it forward" and drive meaningful change through collaboration and innovation.
Problem Statement
After the ratification of NAFTA in 1992, U.S. agriculture faced a major shift. Production increasingly moved to Canada and Mexico, while imported Canadian and Mexican products flooded the U.S. market, driving down prices. While larger farmers, like those in corn and dairy, had platforms to advocate for their needs, small farmers and farmers of color—including African-American, Southeast Asian, and Hispanic farmers—were largely overlooked in agricultural trade policies.
In California's Central Valley, Southeast Asian farmers found themselves at a crossroads. With reduced demand for fresh fruits like strawberries and vegetables due to high production costs, they faced a choice: continue selling to produce brokers at slim margins or pivot to direct-to-market sales and realize full profits. However, this shift posed challenges—language barriers, limited access to capital, lack of infrastructure, and the complexities of starting a business.
Solutions
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Overcame data collection challenges to complete a gaps assessment and defined the "end state" as direct-to-market sales. Partnered with Southeast Asian farmers to create a strategic plan focused on financing, infrastructure, and market research.
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Advocated with USDA and other agencies for funding for disadvantaged farmers, including testifying before Congress during the African-American farmers' lawsuit against USDA.
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Established CHC, the first Southeast Asian cooperative to sell directly to grocery stores. Expanded to farmers’ markets by building a cold storage facility to support produce storage and sales.
Results
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Gained national recognition in 1998 with a visit from USDA's Gus Schumacher.
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Today, ~95% of Southeast Asian farmers sell at multiple farmers markets, driving increased farmland ownership in the Central Valley by Southeast Asian farmers.