About Us
Kraft Consultants
We want your organization to thrive. With over 30 years of experience, we bring expertise in strategic planning, project management, board development, and cannabis compliance to help you tackle challenges, plan for growth, and manage key initiatives. Our approach is about creating practical strategies that set you up for long-term success.
Meet the Team
Michael Kraft
Michael Kraft holds an MBA with concentrations in strategic management and finance from Claremont Graduate University and a bachelor’s degree from UC Riverside. With over 30 years of experience in both for-profit and nonprofit sectors—and 18 years rooted in Humboldt County—he brings a blend of expertise and local insight.
Throughout his career, Michael has served as Executive Director of the North Coast Small Business Development Center, overseeing numerous training programs and hundreds of business counseling sessions led by expert counselors. He’s also worked as a Special Projects & Consulting Manager at Cardinal Services and more recently as a Compliance/Government Affairs Officer at Papa & Barkley.
Since launching his own consulting practice in 2023, he’s been helping clients tackle organizational development challenges, compliance needs, and strategic planning with straightforward, hands-on support.
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Boards & Commissions
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North Edge: Business Financing and Community Development Program Committee (current)
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Local Chambers: served on the Arcata chamber board and several Eureka chamber committees
Hands-on Consulting Clients
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Northcoast Children’s Services: employer & workforce needs in child care
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Headwaters Fund: startup food businesses mentorship
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McLean Foundation/City of Fortuna: citizens’ readiness and attitudes concerning economic development
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Greenway Partners: workforce aspects and business models of cold storage facilities
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County Department of Health & Human Services: CalFresh outreach to low-wage employees
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Ink People Center for the Arts: strategic planning
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Humboldt Domestic Violence Services: strategic planning
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Petrusha Law Firm: strategic planning
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Humboldt County: comprehensive economic development strategy (CEDS/subcontracted to TPMA/current)
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California Fishermen’s Resiliency Association: grant & financial management (current)
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California Center for Rural Policy: organizational development for Redwood Region Resilient Inclusive Sustainable Economy (RISE) project (current)
Editing & Writing
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Editor of the Business Sense column in the Eureka Times-Standard
Letitia Kraft
Letitia is a law school graduate with a diverse professional background. She has authored several complete software manuals and taught at three levels: public elementary school, private high school social studies, and junior college recreation. She takes on smaller consulting projects and assists Michael with projects as time permits, as she is currently otherwise employed. Letitia's skills include legal research, writing and editing to match a specific purpose, making writing concise and copy editing.
Letitia and Michael Kraft, Consultants