About - Blue Tree Data Consulting

About the Company

Founded in 2017, Blue Tree started as a data and analytics consulting company doing projects for businesses needing help with combining data sources, creating dashboards, and doing predictive analytics projects. Blue Tree has always been unique — being able to dive deep into the technology and data world with the best coders, architects, and analysts AND being able to set strategy, solve real-world problems, and communicate to those in leadership or executive positions.

Being able to translate between leadership and technologists, we started to have more and more conversations with non profit leaders and entrepreneurs who needed someone to stand in the gap for them because they felt like they didn’t know what to do next, even though they knew ultimately what they wanted to achieve. We saw way too many people over-paying for services, over-complicating projects, wasting time and money, setting strategy in a conflicting direction to their technology capabilities, and we wanted to help.

Now, Blue Tree helps non-profit leaders make sense of how data and technology can build their organization’s capacity for doing good. We specialize in working with small to medium sized non-profits who don’t speak fluent tech and data, simplifying the complex and providing clarity, confidence, and calm. Our work focuses on right-sized solutions that fit the needs of the organizations we serve.

Melanie Smith

Founder

Melanie founded Blue Tree in 2017 after falling out of love with the academic and corporate worlds and in love with the start-up culture at 36 Degrees North in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She has a doctorate in computer science and experience across many industries: healthcare, marketing, academia, research, financial, oil, government contracting, non-profits, and engineering. In 2019, she found herself in San Antonio, Texas, where she realized her specific skill set, giftings, and passions didn’t have to be separate. Since then, she has shifted Blue Tree’s focus to primarily work with non-profit organizations and small businesses.

Outside of work, Melanie loves giving back to the community, finding new trails to bike or walk, and hanging out with her two dogs, Peter and Lulu. She has been called foster parent, respite home, leader, volunteer, board member, advisor, teacher, trainer, triathlete, cyclist, and running coach over the years. Throughout her personal and professional life, what drives her is being a champion for transformation.

Leslie Gilmore

Director of Operations

Leslie Gilmore joined Blue Tree when she returned to Tulsa in September 2019 after spending several years in Alaska working for the US Army as first a Paralegal and then in Plan and Operations. Leslie grew up in Wyoming and honorably served our country for 7 years in the US Air Force before moving into the oil and gas industry as a Geological and Engineering Technical Assistant.

Leslie has degrees in Pre-Law and Secondary Education; and through her military appointments has developed a passion for children in poverty and is trying to leave the world a better place. She has served the Tulsa community as a Couch-to-5k and Marathon Coach, helping hundreds of folks cross their first finish line (including Melanie!). In her downtime, you can find her on Riverside walking her dogs or riding her bike.

Nicole Barr

Integrator

As an ambitious young woman, Niki toured over 30 countries, performed on some of the world’s biggest stages with her band, and hung out with her rock idols, like Joan Jett. She gained real world experience in project management, product development, marketing, audio & video production, graphic and web design, and budget and finance. Niki eventually burned out and transitioned fully to a nonprofit, where after leading many successful projects and programs, she was promoted to Center Director.

Niki is a nonprofit leader and a visionary, but also loves performing in a supportive role and with a team. Her ideal job is one where she can be creative, plan and strategize, and make an impact for the greater good. Niki has a very strong technology and software background, making her the perfect fit for the Blue Tree team. She recently returned to school to complete an associate degree in Business Administration. She enjoys listening to podcasts and participating in online communities that expand her knowledge and network. Her future plans include moving to Portugal, where she will likely work in some reduced capacity, while also enjoying the simple things in life, like time with friends, the beautiful outdoors, good food, a glass of wine, warm weather, and live music.

Olivia Gorgas

Intern

Olivia Gorgas joined Blue Tree in early 2019 as an student intern and after graduating from high school, she has focused her work with Blue Tree on all things social media. Olivia's home base is in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but she currently is dancing in Columbus, Ohio. As is appropriate, you can get to know Olivia by following her on social media: