About The Founders
In their 10 years leading schools together, Michael and Chrissy solved thousands of problems, developed hundreds of leaders, and built dozens of teams–all through which they learned many lessons in leadership and examined how great organizations thrive. Over breakfast one March day in NYC they considered how they could have a different impact on the sector and help others learn fewer lessons the hard way. In August 2022, they incorporated as Acuity Consultants, a reflection of their belief that clarity is one of the most important–and first–steps to leading effective organizations that deliver for kids. Since their launch they have coached and empowered leaders at charter management organizations, nonprofits, and foundations, providing guidance, support and clarity when faced with messy, amorphous problems. The messier the better.
Michael Ambriz
Michael Ambriz is a service-oriented, equity-driven, transformational leader who enables people to be and do their best through strategy, systems, and collaboration. As a first-generation college student, he has built a cultural competency around leveraging difference as a strength that gives him a people-centered approach. Michael spent five years at Teach For America during significant organizational growth where he was the architect of the operations staff training program, participated in the development of the organization's first DEI curriculum, and coached and developed teams across the country.
Following Teach For America, Michael became the founding regional Chief Operating Officer and ultimately the organization’s first Chief of Operations at Uncommon Schools, growing the charter management organization from 11 to 55 schools across six regions. His legacy lives on in the strong and healthy leadership teams and the dynamic and inclusive culture he built across many levels of the organization including at the executive level.
Michael is a Pahara Fellow and moderator, as well as a FOX Fellowship coach and advisory board member. He has a certificate of business excellence from Columbia Business School, is a certified practitioner in the Meyers & Briggs Instrument (MBTI) and the Six Types of Working Genius from The Table Group, and holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles. He lives in Harlem, NY where he is single-handedly working to keep Broadway open post-COVID.
Chrissy Burgess
Chrissy Burgess is a mission-driven leader, manager, coach and skillful executor with a lifelong commitment to social justice and equity-centered work. She started her career as an AmeriCorps member at Jumpstart for Young Children, a national early education organization, before becoming a Site Manager and eventually the Director of the Early Literacy Initiative. In her time there, she coached and managed a team of 45 college students and chaired the Community Coalition, which brought community partners together for professional development and relationship building.
Chrissy spent 10 years at Uncommon Schools where she served as a school leader, project manager and chief of staff. In these roles, Chrissy managed and coached diverse teams and drove organization-wide cross-functional initiatives where she focused on intentional team and culture building to achieve outcomes.
Chrissy has a Master’s degree in public administration from Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs and a BA in Economics & Communications from Boston College. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and 2-year old son where she spends her free time working on the New York Times crossword puzzle and section-hiking the Appalachian Trail with her family 5 miles at a time.
