Transformation without friction, we care about your experience just as much.
With over $1B+ in projects advised and 100+ clients served, we are trusted advisors to local governments, leading commercial enterprises, academic institutions and nonprofits.
The Butterfly Effect turns senior-level, to-do lists into executed quality results, delivering clarity, capacity, and measurable impact.
The Founder
Cari A. Harris, MS, PMP
Founder & Principal Consultant
The Butterfly Effect
Cari A. Harris is the founder of The Butterfly Effect with a dedicated focus on inclusivity, sustainability, and community partnership. Since April 2021, Cari has led The Butterfly Effect, providing strategic advisory and consulting services to over 100 local governments, leading commercial enterprises, academic institutions and nonprofits.
Cari's experience includes roles in analytics for Morgan Stanley, Merrill, and other financial corporations, where she honed her skills in data, financial and business analysis and reporting; compliance and quality control; and business technology systems management. In her tenure as a principal consultant of the Butterfly Effect, her ability to leverage her expertise in economic analytics has positioned her as a trusted partner for businesses, universities, nonprofits, and government agencies seeking to optimize management frameworks and drive socioeconomic outcomes.
Cari is also co-founder of the Claude C. Thornton (CCT) Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to community building, education innovation, and inclusive sustainability. In 2021, she co-founded the HEJT Collaborative, a collaborative group of HBCU-affiliated economists, data scientists, geoscientists, engineers, and geospatial experts that visualize and analyze socioeconomic impacts of environmental policy for various stakeholders.
Currently, Cari sits on the Comptroller of Maryland’s Climate Advisory Council, Maryland Clean Energy Center Climate Catalytic Capital (C3) Fund Investment Oversight Committee, and the advisory commission on Environmental Quality (CEQ) in Baltimore County. She is a graduate of Leadership Maryland’s prestigious Emerging Leader Program. She was also a Future Leaders cohort member with Council Fire (2022-2024). Additionally, Cari is a Morgan State University alum with a Bachelors and Masters in Economics, and an alumna of the Harbor Bank Emerging Developers Program’s third cohort (2019-2020).
Expert team
Principal Consultant
Cari A. Harris, MS, PMP
Cari A. Harris is the Principal Consultant and Founder of The Butterfly Effect (TBE), a management consulting firm supporting organizations at the intersection of economic development, public policy, and community impact.
With a background in analytics, project/program management, and organizational strategy, Cari has advised 100+ nonprofits, universities, government agencies, and mission-driven businesses on how to design and execute complex initiatives with clarity and accountability. Her experience spans stakeholder engagement, data-informed decision-making, compliance-driven programs, and systems-building for growing organizations.
Cari is known for translating vision into structured, executable strategies—helping clients strengthen capacity, navigate funding and procurement landscapes, and deliver outcomes that are both measurable and equitable.
Senior Consultant
Autrese M. Thornton, MA, BCC
Autrese M. Thornton brings over 20 years of leadership experience across education, human services, and community-based systems to her role as Senior Consultant at The Butterfly Effect (TBE).
With a background spanning Baltimore City and Baltimore County Public Schools, she has served as a teacher, mentor, special educator, librarian, and assistant principal. She holds a Master’s degree in Leadership in Teaching and is currently a PhD candidate in Psychology, with a concentration in Cognition and Instruction.
A Board Certified Coach and Founder of See Limitless Life Coaching, Autrese brings a coaching-informed lens to organizational development, leadership strategy, and team effectiveness. At TBE, she supports clients navigating complex systems with clarity, accountability, and care.
Junior Consultant
Carmen S. Harris
Carmen S. Harris is a Junior Consultant at The Butterfly Effect (TBE). She brings experience across consulting, supply chain management, and data analytics—supporting nonprofit engagements, building reporting tools and dashboards using Excel and Power BI, and improving processes that enhance efficiency and performance. Her work spans procurement operations, vendor coordination, and digital campaign execution, using tools such as Smartsheet, Concur, and Adobe Experience Manager.
In addition to her technical and operational expertise, Carmen brings a strong foundation in creative strategy and digital execution—supporting content development, campaign management, and brand growth initiatives. Her ability to bridge systems, strategy, and execution makes her a valuable contributor to teams navigating growth and complexity.
Carmen holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from Clark Atlanta University, where she graduated Cum Laude.
Senior Consultant
Will L. Epps
Will is a project-based and fractional Program & Project Management Consultant with 15+ years of experience supporting organizations through planning, coordination, execution, and operational follow-through. Experienced working across government, nonprofit, and private-sector environments, providing embedded project support, process improvement, and stakeholder coordination. Known for integrating quickly, working independently, and adapting to initiatives at various stages of delivery.
Consultant
Randi Williams
Randi Williams currently serves as an Environmental Health Consultant. She's an eleven-year public policy professional that previously developed programs and products to comply with regulatory systems for implementation. She volunteers at urban farms in West Baltimore with a dream of owning a pollinator apiary.
She has an education in traditional public policy and a background in insurance, community development, and public health projects, centered around improving internal policies and programs - continuing her PhD in Architecture, Urbanism, and Built Environments at Morgan State University. Her services have awarded her multiple Board Member positions for Smalltimore Homes, The LeadHership Project, and The Maryland Comptroller’s Women Economic Empowerment Council. To that end, she is equipped for the challenges that arise when creating livable communities in urban cities with Blue Zone integrations.
Senior Consultant
Amber Ginyard, MBA, PMP
Amber is a results-driven Project Management Professional (PMP) with extensive experience leading cross-functional initiatives across financial services, operations, and technology. Proven track record of delivering large-scale system implementations, process automation, and operational improvements. Adept at stakeholder management, risk mitigation, and driving efficiency through data analytics and continuous improvement methodologies (Six Sigma).
Past Performance
The Butterfly Effect (TBE) supports visionary leaders managing multimillion-dollar, complex operations with strategic planning and implementation. We specialize in project/program management (budgets up to $20M), stakeholder engagement, and data analytics.
We are a great fit for time-constrained leaders who don’t have much time for onboarding and need someone to come in and hit the ground running... we can help. Jumping in quickly is our speciality.
By integrating data-driven insights, forward-thinking strategies, and a deep understanding of economics, public policy, and management, The Butterfly Effect offers more than just solutions—we have become trusted advisors who guide and equip clients to thrive in a constantly evolving landscape.