Our Story
Summit & Shore Advisors began with a simple realization: organizations often become exceptionally good at planning for growth, but far fewer are prepared for moments of profound transition.
Through our experiences in leadership, we witnessed organizations and communities carrying enormous responsibility while trying to protect people, maintain trust, preserve mission, and make difficult decisions under significant pressure.
We saw leaders trying to answer questions that often had no playbook.
How do we move forward responsibly?
How do we preserve what matters most?
How do we care for people while navigating change?
We started Summit & Shore because we believe organizations deserve support during those moments.
Our Philosophy
We believe...
Leadership is rarely tested when everything is going well.
It's tested when information is incomplete.
When competing priorities collide.
When every path carries uncertainty.
Our role isn't to make decisions for our clients.
It's to help them think more clearly, communicate more effectively, and lead with integrity.
Who We Are
We’ve learned that success comes from steady planning, clear communication, and adapting to change. By matching stakeholder expectations, using careful analysis, and adjusting solutions based on real feedback, we’ve repeatedly improved efficiency and results.
Kim Johnson
Founding Partner
Kim Johnson is a finance and operations leader, organizational strategist, and co-founder of Summit & Shore Advisors. With extensive leadership experience spanning both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors, she helps mission-driven organizations build financial resilience, optimize complex operations, and navigate critical transitions.
Most recently, Kim served as the Director of Finance & Operations at St. Elizabeth’s School. During her decade-long tenure, she directed strategic financial planning, human resources, and operational management. She successfully guided the institution through major milestones, including a campus relocation, a comprehensive tuition scale restructuring, and the school's closure. Her career also includes a substantial background managing commercial property portfolios in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, California.
A dedicated civic leader, Kim concluded ten years of service on the Jefferson County Public Library Board of Trustees (Colorado) in June 2026. Her five years as Board Chair highlight her ability to anchor complex community organizations with sound financial oversight and steady governance through critical transitions.
Adriana Murphy
Founding Partner
Adriana Murphy is an organizational advisor, educational leader, and co-founder of Summit & Shore Advisors. With more than 20 years of executive leadership experience, she helps schools, nonprofits, and mission-driven organizations navigate growth, change, crisis, and transition with clarity, confidence, and care. Known for combining strategic insight with a deeply human approach, Adriana helps leaders make consequential decisions while strengthening the people and cultures that make organizations thrive.
As Head of School at St. Elizabeth's School in Denver, Adriana led a campus relocation, earned full K–8 accreditation, introduced an innovative compensation model, strengthened academic programs, and helped cultivate more than $10 million in philanthropic support. She also led the school's year-long closure process with transparency and dignity, maintaining academic excellence, retaining every faculty and staff member through the final day, and preserving trust across the community. That experience inspired the founding of Summit & Shore Advisors.
Nationally, Adriana serves as a Trustee for the National Association of Independent Schools and as faculty for the NAIS Aspiring Heads Institute. She is a frequent speaker and facilitator on leadership, governance, organizational change, and culture. Whether helping organizations prepare for what's next or navigate the unexpected, Adriana partners with leaders to make thoughtful decisions that strengthen both their organizations and the people they serve.
Why Clients Trust Us
Experience
Leadership
Governance
Organizational strategy
Change Management
Financial Agility
Communications
