Kay A. Floyd, President and Principal Consultant, brings over 30 years of expertise in development, encompassing prospect research, proposal development, project management, and program evaluation. She offers strategic guidance and support to higher education institutions and nonprofit organizations, helping them secure vital funding.
In recent years, she has successfully obtained over $100 million in external funding from state, federal, foundation, corporate, and individual sources. Her specialization includes securing federal grants through programs such as Title III Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP), Title III Hispanic-Serving Institutions STEM and Articulation (HSI STEM), Title V Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (DHSI), Title III Predominantly Black Institutions (PBI), and TRIO programs.
Her recent grant achievements also extend to the National Science Foundation programs, as well the U.S. Department of Energy’s Nuclear Physics program. Additionally, Kay provides external evaluations for federally funded programs across the United States.
She earned her Associate Degree in Business Administration, graduating cum laude from Lake Superior State University in Michigan. She is also a member of the American Evaluation Association (AEA).
Linda E. Cullum, Ph.D., serves as the Executive Director of Research and Proposal Development and brings over 40 years of experience in academic settings. Her background includes roles as a professional librarian, English professor, learning center coordinator, and writing center director. She has extensive expertise in grant proposal writing, having authored and contributed to successful grants funded by organizations such as the Verizon Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education, including Title III, Strengthening Institutions Program, among others.
Beyond grant writing, Dr. Cullum has led special projects related to institutional reaccreditation and strategic planning. She has also been an active member of various university committees, including the Institutional Review Board, Program Review Committee, and Graduate Committee. She holds advanced degrees in Library Science (M.S., Drexel University), English Literature (M.A., Temple University), and Composition and Rhetoric (Ph.D., Indiana University of Pennsylvania).
Tom Pink, Proposal Writer and Editor, began his career in journalism before transitioning into public relations. He served as the Director of Public Relations at Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, for over 25 years and has worked as a freelance writer, reporter, and editor for more than three decades.
During his tenure at the university, he managed the public relations department, taught journalism courses, and advised student organizations. He has also provided media relations consulting for local nonprofits, including Hospice of the Eastern Upper Peninsula.
An award-winning writer, Tom has been recognized multiple times by the Michigan Outdoor Writers Association for his work. He holds a degree in English Language and Literature with a minor in Journalism from Lake Superior State University.
Jason R. Long, Proposal Reviewer, brings 25 years of experience in manufacturing, engineering, and quality management, having held leadership and management roles in both private equity and publicly traded organizations. He specializes in organizational strategic planning and process improvement, with a strong focus on operational efficiency and compliance.
His expertise includes capital equipment procurement justification, ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and organizational compliance auditing, departmental budget development and management, customer product and service support, and sales and marketing campaign coordination. Additionally, he has played a key role in securing an industrial competitive scholarship.
Jason is a practitioner of the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) and an active member of both the American Society for Quality (ASQ) and the American Society of Employers (ASE). He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Mathematics from Lake Superior State University in Michigan.