For Georgia Tech MBA candidates Bilan Ismail, Pate Mann, Isha Naidu, and Maricruz Pedrera, their work with PlantLanta through Georgia Tech’s Pro Bono Consulting Program became an opportunity to look beyond immediate growth and focus on what the organization needed to grow sustainably.
Through Georgia Tech’s Pro Bono Consulting Program, MBA students work alongside Atlanta nonprofits to understand their unique challenges, develop strategic solutions, and create practical tools that can support their long-term impact. After the team's midpoint presentation, they recognized that PlantLanta was not limited by a lack of vision. Instead, its strong programs and community relationships were supported by informal structures that could make future growth difficult to sustain. The team pivoted its approach to focus on the foundational roles, governance, systems, and financial strategies needed to prepare PlantLanta for its next chapter.
Throughout the project, the team encouraged PlantLanta to “start with why”: reconnecting future strategies to the purpose and values that inspired the organization. From there, they developed a “Direct–Create–Enable” framework to help PlantLanta understand its operating model and organizational capabilities. The framework is designed to help the organization proactively evaluate opportunities, determine how they align with its mission, and recognize when its approach may need to evolve.
Working with PlantLanta’s team was a genuinely rewarding experience. They weren’t afraid to be candid about their pain points, which made a real difference in how deeply we could understand their needs. That openness and trust allowed us to deliver tools and recommendations that we hope will help set a stronger foundation for PlantLanta’s growth in the years to come.
Isha Naidu, MBA Candidate
Rather than providing a report that would sit on a shelf, the team created a practical toolkit PlantLanta can continue using after the project ends. The resources includes program-specific tools focused on leadership capacity, financials, operations, and programs and partnerships.
Through their willingness to listen, adapt, and dig beneath the surface, the MBA team helped PlantLanta translate its strong vision into the structures and systems needed to carry that vision forward; positioning the organization for sustainable growth and greater impact in the years ahead.
Working with the Georgia Tech MBA Pro Bono team felt less like being studied and more like being genuinely seen. They took the time to understand the real work, relationships, creativity, and growing pains behind PlantLanta, then turned what they learned into practical tools we can actually use.
Liv Payton, Resource & Operations Manager - PlantLanta
PlantLanta is a community-rooted nonprofit growing better leaders through sustainability, creativity, and hands-on learning. Working alongside Metro Atlanta schools, particularly Title I communities, the organization creates immersive experiences connecting environmental stewardship, STEAM education, health and wellness, and culture. From school takeovers and garden builds to composting programs and community celebrations, PlantLanta is grounded in one belief: young people deserve the tools, trust, and space to lead.
The Institute for Leadership and Social Impact (ILSI) is an interdisciplinary institute at Georgia Tech dedicated to promoting servant leadership and advancing organizational practices that contribute to a more just, caring, and sustainable world. Through experiential learning, research, and community partnerships, we nurture leaders who drive meaningful social change—locally in Atlanta and globally. To learn more about our initiatives and programs, visit our website.