Navigate campus compliance
with confidence and empathy.
Helping Education Leaders Navigate Complexity with Confidence
Practical guidance. Trusted expertise. Stronger institutions.
Ballast partners with colleges, universities, and secondary schools to navigate Title IX, Title VI, civil rights, employment, and institutional compliance matters with clarity, responsiveness, and practical expertise. Whether supporting a single investigation, providing interim leadership, strengthening campus policies, or delivering professional development, we work alongside institutional leaders to help them make informed decisions with confidence.
“Ballast seamlessly combines strategic guidance with genuine care. Working with Ballast as our Interim Title IX Coordinator was a privilege—they earned my trust right away by navigating sensitive situations with extraordinary grace and expertise, providing insights that fundamentally strengthened our community.”
How We Support Institutions
Every institution has its own culture, priorities, and challenges. That's why our services are never one-size-fits-all. We tailor our approach to each engagement, working alongside institutional leaders to provide the support that best fits their goals, circumstances, and community.
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Title IX, Title VI, and other civil rights training, Title IX investigator certification, hearing officer education, and customized professional development designed specifically for education professionals.
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Review, develop, and update institutional policies and procedures that reflect evolving guidance, court decisions, and regulations while supporting effective and practical campus operations.
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Independent, trauma-informed investigations involving Title IX, Title VI, ADA/504, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, employee misconduct, and other institutional complaints.
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Experienced facilitation of voluntary, equitable, and institutionally appropriate informal or alternative resolution processes.
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Independent and unbiased hearing officers, decision-makers, and appellate reviewers with extensive higher education experience.
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Experienced Title IX Coordinators, investigators, hearing officers, compliance professionals, and institutional leaders available during staffing transitions or periods of organizational change.
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On-demand practical guidance for Title IX Coordinators, Student Affairs leaders, Human Resources professionals, and other institutional leaders navigating complex situations.
Guidance Grounded in Higher Education Experience
Higher education is unlike any other environment. Every institution has its own unique mission, culture, governance, and community. Decisions are rarely made in isolation, and the work of one office often touches many others. Student affairs, academic leadership, human resources, athletics, faculty governance, and institutional compliance all play a role in creating a healthy campus environment.
Understanding those connections takes experience. The Ballast team brings decades of education leadership and consulting experience to every engagement. We've served institutions of varying sizes, missions, affiliations, and organizational structures, giving us firsthand insight into how high schools, colleges, and universities operate—not just how regulations are written.
That perspective shapes everything we do. Whether conducting a high-stakes investigation, reviewing institutional policies, serving in an interim leadership role, or delivering professional development, we begin by understanding the institution itself. We know that successful solutions aren't simply compliant—they're practical, sustainable, and appropriate for the people responsible for carrying them forward.
Our goal is simple: to help institutions make thoughtful decisions that support their mission, strengthen their communities, and build confidence in the work they do every day.
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Sean Somermeyer
Sean Somermeyer helps colleges and universities navigate complex institutional challenges with practical guidance, sound judgment, and a clear understanding of how decisions affect the broader campus community.
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Carl Crosby Lehmann
Carl has nearly 30 years of experience advising institutions in all aspects of higher education legal services, including complex transactional, regulatory, and litigation matters. Carl has served as the General Counsel to St. Olaf College for the past eight years.
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Mary Dunnewold
Mary Dunnewold brings extensive practical experience in higher education to her work as a campus investigator, advisor, and trainer. Her work is grounded in over twenty years of experience as a law school teacher and administrator.
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Kari Hohn
As a former Title IX Coordinator and Equal Opportunity Director, Kari has extensive real-world experience in a higher education setting. Kari prides herself on being a problem-solver, a deep listener, and an excellent communicator.
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Nina Harris
Nina Harris brings more than a decade of experience managing complex matters and investigations to her work with Ballast. As a Director, she supports educational institutions through investigations, fact-finding, project management, and other matters that require careful organization, thoughtful communication, and close attention to detail.
What Sets Ballast Apart?
Our role is not simply to help institutions navigate today's challenges, but to help them do so in ways that reinforce their mission, strengthen their communities, and build confidence for the future.
✔ Higher Education Perspective
Our consultants have served in leadership roles within colleges and universities and have advised institutions of every stripe, bringing firsthand understanding of the challenges schools face.
✔ Compassionate Approach
We recognize that every matter affects real people. Our work is grounded in empathy, fairness, respect, and trauma-informed practices that support both institutional integrity and individual dignity.
✔ Trusted Partnership
We build lasting relationships by working alongside institutional leaders as responsive advisors, collaborative problem-solvers, and dependable resources when difficult situations arise.
✔ Practical Judgment
Our recommendations are thoughtful, actionable, and tailored to each institution's unique culture, goals, and circumstances—not one-size-fits-all solutions.
✔ Long-Term Impact
Beyond resolving immediate issues, we help institutions strengthen policies, processes, and leadership practices that support healthier campus communities over time.
Resources for Education Leaders
Our work doesn't end when an engagement concludes. We believe stronger institutions are built through continuous learning, which is why we invest in sharing knowledge with the education community. Through timely insights, professional development, and practical resources, we support colleges, universities, and secondary schools as they build internal capacity, strengthen institutional knowledge, and stay informed as regulations, expectations, and best practices continue to evolve.
Whether you're seeking guidance on emerging issues, training for your team, or practical perspectives from experienced higher education professionals, our resources are created to serve higher education and the professionals who lead it.
Newsletter
Curated insights, practical resources, and updates on emerging issues that support continuous learning across the higher education community. Subscribe →
Office Hours
A recurring opportunity for higher education professionals to ask questions, discuss emerging issues, and learn from peers in an informal setting. View Upcoming Sessions →
Frequently Asked Questions
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Ballast primarily partners with colleges, universities, and secondary schools in the Midwest and beyond, providing practical guidance rooted in a deep understanding of higher education.
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Yes. We understand that difficult situations rarely happen on a predictable schedule. Whether you're responding to a complex complaint, navigating a staffing transition, or addressing an emerging compliance issue, we're prepared to provide timely guidance and support.
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Yes. Ballast conducts impartial, thorough investigations involving Title IX, Title VI, employee misconduct, discrimination, harassment, and other institutional matters. We approach every investigation with professionalism, objectivity, and respect for everyone involved.
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Absolutely. Every training is designed around your institution's policies, responsibilities, culture, and goals. We offer professional development for Title IX personnel, investigators, hearing officers, administrators, HR professionals, student affairs staff, and other campus stakeholders.
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Yes. We regularly serve in interim leadership positions during staffing transitions, providing experienced guidance while helping institutions maintain continuity, meet compliance obligations, and prepare for long-term success.