Wells L. Baker Strategies, LLC
About Yelene Makini Modley, LSW
I’m a mission-driven fundraising and engagement strategist with over 25 years of experience in nonprofit development, education, and community partnerships. My work has spanned direct service, program leadership, and advancement strategy in organizations committed to equity, youth development, and systemic change.
Through my independent consulting practice, Wells L. Baker Strategies, I partner with schools, nonprofits, and community organizations to support fundraising campaigns, strengthen donor and family engagement, and build inclusive strategies for long-term growth.
I’ve served in leadership and programmatic roles at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, Chicago Public Schools, Heartland Alliance, and spent 13 years as an administrator at the University of Chicago—leading alumni relations, annual giving, and civic engagement initiatives.
I hold a Bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Master’s degree in Policy and Nonprofit Administration from the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice at the University of Chicago. I'm also a Licensed Social Worker (LSW), and bring a collaborative, equity-informed approach to every engagement.
Why “Wells L. Baker”?
Wells L. Baker Strategies is named in honor of three visionary women—Ida B. Wells, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Ella Baker—whose courage, clarity, and commitment guide the way I show up in this work.
Ida B. Wells
Investigative journalist and civil rights advocate
Fannie Lou Hamer
Grassroots organizer and voting rights activist
Ella Baker
Movement strategist and quiet force behind the scenes
​Ida B. Wells fought racial violence with the power of data, truth-telling, and fearless advocacy.
“The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.”​
Her work inspires my commitment to clarity, research, and evidence-based strategy.
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Fannie Lou Hamer believed in self-determination and the transformative power of speaking out.
“When I liberate myself, I liberate others. If you don’t speak out, ain’t nobody going to speak out for you.”
Her voice grounds my approach to community engagement, courage, and building power from within.
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Ella Baker saw leadership not as a title, but as something ordinary people grow into when they’re supported and heard.
“The major job was getting people to understand that they had something within their power that they could use.”
Her wisdom shapes how I support teams with board development, capacity building, and collaborative planning.
TThese women’s legacies fuel the work I do through Wells L. Baker Strategies—where equity, purpose, and people remain at the center.
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​Their legacy lives on through the work I do with schools, nonprofits, and communities—building strategies rooted in voice, trust, and action.