Common Ground is led by Heidi Esbensen and Eric Polgar.

Heidi brings expertise in accessibility, education, and lived experience navigating disability and inclusion.

Eric brings expertise in nonprofit leadership, finance, and organizational strategy.

Together, we help organizations move from intention to implementation.

Heidi Esbensen

Heidi Esbensen is the Founder of Common Ground Accessibility and Systems Consulting, where she helps organizations align access, systems, and impact in meaningful, sustainable ways. With a background spanning education, leadership, and organizational systems, Heidi brings both strategic insight and lived experience to her work. She holds a Master’s degree in Sociology and a Master’s degree in Education, grounding her work in both critical systems analysis and applied practice.

Heidi is a licensed special education teacher who has worked with diverse populations, including individuals with multiple and complex disabilities. She has supported students across both K–12 and higher education settings and currently teaches at Portland Community College, where she has been a part-time faculty member for over a decade. This work has given her a deep understanding of how systems can either create access or reinforce barriers.

In addition to her work in education, Heidi has served in long-term nonprofit engagement and leadership, including serving in board positions up to being a board chair, where she gained extensive experience in governance, organizational dynamics, and the challenges that arise when systems are not built with equity and access in mind. She acknowledges that many barriers are not intentional and that each individual and each organization has the ability to learn and grow. 

Heidi’s work is rooted in the belief that accessibility is not an add-on, but a foundation. She partners with organizations to identify barriers, strengthen internal systems, and create environments where people can fully participate and thrive. Her approach is collaborative, practical, and grounded in real-world application—bridging the gap between intention and implementation.

Through Common Ground, Heidi is committed to helping organizations move beyond simple compliance toward meaningful, lasting change.

Eric Polgar

Eric Polgar is the Managing Partner of Common Ground Consulting and an accomplished nonprofit executive with more than 20 years of experience strengthening mission-driven organizations. He specializes in disciplined financial management, strategic fundraising, and continuous improvement, helping organizations build the infrastructure and resilience needed for long-term impact.

In his concurrent role as an Executive Director, Eric leads initiatives that expand access to youth development programs while ensuring financial sustainability and operational effectiveness. He brings deep expertise in financial oversight, budgeting, and resource allocation, along with a proven ability to design and support high-performing fundraising strategies.

Eric has successfully guided organizations in aligning financial performance with mission-driven goals, improving operational efficiency, and implementing systems that enable scalable, sustainable growth. His work is grounded in data-driven decision-making and a commitment to continuous improvement across all aspects of an organization.

Over the course of his career, Eric has worked across education, social services, and nonprofit management, partnering with people and organizations to optimize processes, strengthen teams, improve systems and deliver measurable results for the communities they serve.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and an MBA, equipping him with a unique perspective on both the human and business dynamics of organizational success. Eric is known for his analytical mindset, collaborative leadership style, and ability to translate complex challenges into practical, results-oriented solutions.