ABOUT US

The TRU Story.

About TruEd and TruGov

Tru Consulting supports success in higher education and public sector strategy and Anaplan implementation through our divisions TruEd and TruGov.

Through TruEd, we work with higher education institutions from community colleges to small liberal arts colleges to large public and private universities. We understand the business challenges that colleges and universities face today and deliver innovative financial management strategies and Anaplan implementation to help them succeed. We specialize in finance, budgeting, academic planning, program planning, labor planning, long-range strategic planning, operations, and much more- and we staff every implementation with higher education leaders who speak the language of our clients.

Through TruGov, we partner with public sector entities, including utilities, municipalities, and other government agencies. We help them transform financial planning, forecasting, and budgeting to improve efficiency, steward taxpayer resources, and better meet the challenges of uncertainty in service delivery and budgeting. Our rapidly growing public sector agency consulting practice includes engagements with local, state, and federal agencies.

Partner with Tru Consulting and discover what it means to work with true experts in higher education and public sector.
A Certified Asian American Business

Tru Consulting is a proud member of USPAACC, the most established and largest nonprofit organization representing Pan Asian American and their related groups in business, sciences, the arts, sports, education, public and community services.

our story

Where Experience Meets Innovation

Focusing on supporting client success

We focus solely on supporting success in higher education and public sector organizations. Why? We believe your work is a key part of a brighter future, and a mission brings out the best in us all. Our team understands the challenges and pressures that higher education and public-sector agencies face today—and we’re committed to helping you overcome them with connected data for better budgeting, planning, and forecasting.

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Find a partner who cares

We understand that every institution is unique, which is why we take a personalized approach to every project. Our team works closely with our clients to develop customized solutions that address their specific needs and goals, while leveraging the latest tools and technologies to drive efficiency and effectiveness.

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A certified Anaplan partner with deep roots

Founded in 2019, Tru Consulting is led by industry experts with decades of higher education and public sector experience. As a certified Anaplan Partner, we implement a single software platform, focusing on unlocking all its potential for your specific financial planning and analysis needs. Our ultimate goal is to empower your staff through a proven implementation process, custom training, and expert support.

"This organization is striving to create an environment where its employees can be seen and heard. The incentives offered by this organization are more than financial, there is an actual interest to mentor and grow the employee."

Tru Team Member

"TruEd is 100% focused on taking care of its employees and customers."

Tru Team Member

"As a small but rapidly growing organization, it's clear that everyone is a necessity. Everyone's contribution is valued and cherished."

Tru Team Member

"I am proud to be part of a company that values me as a whole person. We are encouraged to share our ideas and know we will be heard."

Tru Team Member
What we Believe

A mission-driven organization

Mission

Dedicated to surpassing client expectations, we provide exceptional consulting services to Education and Public Sector partners. With unwavering commitment to excellence from project initiation to completion, we ensure strategic
objectives are met and business performance is enhanced. Leveraging our deep industry expertise, cutting-edge
technology, and innovative approaches, we deliver tailored, sustainable solutions for our clients' most pressing
challenges. Our mission extends beyond delivering projects efficiently; it's about fostering genuine partnerships,
empowering clients to make data informed decisions, positively influencing their organization and the communities
they serve.
Vision
Our vision is to consistently deliver exceptional client experiences that surpass expectations, foster trust, and inspire lasting partnerships where clients achieve transformative results and become our most enthusiastic advocates.
OUR VALUES

And these are
our principles

Guiding us each day, we use these principles as a foundation and bedrock to the decisions we make.

Client-Centric Approach

Our clients are at the heart of everything we do. We are committed tounderstanding their unique challenges and providing exceptional service. This approach drives us tocontinuously evolve and foster meaningful partnerships built on trust and reliability.

Inclusion

We are dedicated to fostering a workplace where differences are celebrated, leading to richercollaboration, deeper understanding, and meaningful connections. We believe that inclusivity is thefoundation of innovation and creativity, driving our ability to understand andserve our clients.

Trust

We understand that trust is earned through unwavering integrity, transparency, and reliability. Weare committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in all our interactions, both within ourorganization and with our clients, partners, and communities.

Excellence

We are committed to providing the highest quality of service to our clients, partners, andcolleagues to foster collaboration, transparency, and achieve excellence across all areas.

Integrity & Accountability

We take pride in our commitment to doing what is right, even when no one iswatching. We are dedicated to delivering on our commitments and taking responsibility for the outcomesand hold ourselves accountable for delivering on our promises.

Innovation

We develop solutions and services that inspire, transform, and lead the way in our industry. We continuously seek to innovate and improve our services, our solutions, processes and approaches to deliver better outcomes for our clients.

Efficiency

Our commitment to efficiency empowers us to achieve operational excellence and enhanceproductivity. We embrace innovative technologies and continuous improvement, ensuring that our clientsreceive high-quality solutions in the most timely and cost-effective manner without sacrificing quality orclient satisfaction.

Tru's Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Vision

Equity

We believe the importance of growing and maintaining a diversified and inclusive workforce. We aim to be a team where all employees will also feel empowered to bring their best ideas forward, knowing that their voices will be heard. We value the differences and similarities that we share and engage in a workplace. We are honored to be certified as a Great Place to Work.

Community

Our values are at the core of what we do at Tru, we are committed to improvement and making a difference in our communities. We focus in on the events and groups sometimes not highlighted in communities and we make great efforts to support endeavors in multiple communities across the United States. Below are a few examples of our community outreach:

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Partnering with the Evan Nakashige Foundation to raise funds for suicide prevention and to end the stigma around mental health, particularly in the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community.
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Sending holiday cheers and cards to those living in assisted living centers across the country.
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Writing cards to pediatric patients.

Sustainability

Tru Consulting understands the importance of sustainability in the workplace by limiting the environmental consequences of doing business. As a technology implementation service provider, we continuously encourage our clients to leverage better connected technology for efficient and automated operations to reduce the amount time spent on the screen and paper use to do financial planning and analysis.

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Allowing team members to work more than 80% remotely. This reduces our carbon footprint by reducing the need for transportation.
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Being nearly a paperless organization (99%) with the exception of when a client requires hard-copies or “wet” signatures.
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Aiming to reduce unnecessary waste and encourage our team members to utilize reusable materials in their daily routine. Avoiding single use products whenever possible.
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Having all used/old electronic goods recycled
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Working preference with other vendors who also have a ESG mission.
diversity & inclusion

Diversity is a core principle at Tru

80% of our leadership is women, and 100% women of color
50% of our team is multilingual
55% of our team identifies as a racial minority
55% of our team is women
TEAM

The Innovators behind TRU

Mela Fezzey, MBM
Senior Managing Partner, CEO
Wayland Ng, CFA
Senior Managing Partner, Founder
John Merriman
Managing Partner, Chief Delivery Officer
Justin Martin
Managing Partner, Chief Growth Officer
Sophie Pae, CPA
Managing Partner, Strategic Client Delivery Lead
   Shardai Olivio
     Partner, Chief Operating Officer
Libby Deibler
Partner, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives
Alexis Miller
Consultant
Amanda Ray
Senior Operations Analyst
Anu Lkhagvasuren
Associate Consultant
Audrey Neet
Principal Consultant
Bernadine Parker
Consultant
Brinia Colbert
Consultant
Catherine Cenotto
Senior Associate
Catherine Lloyd
Planning Advisory Consultant
Christal Somar
Senior Consultant
Christina Wallek
Project Manager
Connie Wong
Head of Marketing Strategy and Sales
Ella Ordonez
Sr. Operations Coordinator
Farhan Warsi
Senior Consultant
Frey Kebede
Associate Consultant
Greg Smith
Director/Technical
Hannah Brink
Senior Consultant
Heather McIntosh
Director/Proposal Management
Jesse Gauthier
Principal Consultant
Joe Hartert
Associate Consultant
Kaka Liu
Consultant
Katie Mester
Director
Kimara Caballero-Morris
Senior RFX Analyst
Laura Qi
Consultant
Lauren Newbauer
Principal Consultant
Lily Chapman
Consultant 1
Linda Morais
Associate Consultant
Linda Teater
Senior Consultant
Luke Grady
Senior Consultant
Manuel Lopez
Consultant
Mark Hautala
Business Development Representative
Min Ma
Operations Coordinator
Mitch Aist
Senior Consultant
Nabeel Khan
Senior Consultant
Nicholas Tunks
Intern
Nick Madryga
Business Development Representative, Senior
Nicole Jones
Associate Consultant
Nigel Rowser
Associate Consultant
Ryan Fitzgerald
Associate Consultant
Samantha McMorris
Senior Consultant
Samuel Low
Consultant
Sangeetha Jakkani
Associate Consultant
Sheila Morris
Director
Steve Benton
Engagement Director
Taylor Beasley
Senior RFX Analyst
Zlata Vorobeva
Consultant