Her Story
About Tina
Tina Faber is the Founder of Faber Strategy & Solutions LLC, a consulting firm focused on helping nonprofit organizations, government agencies, educational institutions, and other mission-driven organizations strengthen leadership, improve organizational performance, and create lasting community impact. With more than 20 years of professional experience, she brings a diverse background spanning social work, state government, higher education, program development, technical assistance, and organizational leadership. Her consulting practice focuses on strategic planning, organizational development, leadership development, grant strategy and capacity building, program evaluation, policy development, facilitation, stakeholder engagement, and project management.
Before launching Faber Strategy & Solutions, Faber served as Director of the Division of Family Support at the West Virginia Department of Human Services, where she provided strategic leadership, strengthened organizational processes, improved grant accountability, and enhanced program oversight. Her earlier career includes nearly five years with West Virginia University in field education, clinical instruction, research, and workforce development, as well as extensive technical-assistance work supporting Parents as Teachers programs throughout West Virginia. She has also worked in social services and grant-funded program development, giving her a practical understanding of the challenges organizations face in balancing mission, operations, funding, compliance, and long-term sustainability.
Faber holds a Master of Social Work from West Virginia University and a Bachelor of Social Work from West Virginia State University. She has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to community service through more than two decades of board service with Legal Aid of West Virginia, service with West Virginia 211, and extensive involvement with the Jackson County Historical Society. Her work in digital preservation earned her the 2025 Jackson County History Hero Award. Faber's professional philosophy centers on listening first, building trusted relationships, strengthening organizational capacity, and helping leaders turn ideas into practical action. She is particularly passionate about helping organizations become more resilient and prepared for the future while encouraging others to approach their careers with integrity, determination, continuous learning, and purpose.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Tina
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the relationships I have built throughout my career, my willingness to continue learning, and my commitment to approaching challenges with integrity and perseverance. I have benefited from the people and professional networks that have supported me, challenged my thinking, and helped me grow. I also believe that being willing to learn from every experience—including failure—has helped me develop the resilience and perspective necessary to continue moving forward.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I have received is to dress for the position I want and to understand the importance of making a strong first impression. I believe professionalism includes not only appearance, but also preparation, confidence, communication, and understanding the environment and people I am working with. I try to be intentional about the professional presence I bring into every room while also recognizing the culture and expectations of the people I am there to serve.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women is to develop determination and grit. We do not talk enough about failure and the importance of learning how to fail forward. There will be opportunities or responsibilities that may not come naturally, and it is okay not to be immediately successful at everything you attempt. Take the lesson from those experiences, learn from them, and keep moving forward. Those challenges build resilience, character, experience, and ultimately give you knowledge that you can use to help others.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges facing organizations is funding and sustainability. Many businesses, nonprofits, and mission-driven organizations have meaningful goals and strong ideas, but they may lack the funding, resources, or capacity needed to sustain those efforts over time.
At the same time, there is a significant opportunity to help organizations understand and leverage the resources available to them. Organizations are often so focused on their day-to-day responsibilities that they do not have sufficient time to step back, assess where they are, and think strategically about what comes next. I see an opportunity to help organizations identify resources, partnerships, volunteers, funding opportunities, and operational improvements that can strengthen their capacity and help them move to the next level.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Relationships, integrity, and trustworthiness are among the most important values in both my professional and personal life. I believe that strong relationships and networks are fundamental to long-term professional success, while relationships with family and friends provide the support that carries us through difficult times. I also value continuous learning, perseverance, service, and personal growth. I want the work I do to be grounded in trust and to create meaningful, lasting value for the organizations and communities I serve.
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