Spring is a time of new beginnings, and we are proud to be a facilitator of many this first quarter! Our clients and candidates taught us new things, deepened our passion for this work, and broadened our circle of friends across the country, stretching all the way north to Alaska.

We are proud to continue the important mission of 

Finding leaders that matter for missions that matter. ®

Recent Placements:

We celebrate these incredible leaders who were appointed or who started their tenures since January 1, 2024.

Virginia Kase Solomón

CEO

Common Cause

Washington, DC

Charlita Stephens-Walker

VP, Corporate Partnerships

Habitat for Humanity International

Atlanta, GA

Dedrick Asante-Muhammad

President

Joint Center

Washington, DC

Melanie Hart

SVP of Community, Justice & Impact

Earthjustice

San Francisco, CA

Tim Bresnahan

VP of Advancement & Philanthropic Services

Community Foundation for Greater ATL

Atlanta, GA

Ashley Hufft

CEO

Unbound

Kansas City, KS

Judy Fitzgerald

Executive Director

Voices for Georgia's Children

Atlanta, GA

Connor Fournier

CFO & VP of Finance

Earthjustice

San Francisco, CA

Alex McKay

CEO

Alaska Community Foundation

Anchorage, AK

Debbyn Milligan

Chief Operating Officer

BDI (Bobby Dodd Institute)

Atlanta, GA

Kim Ford

CEO

Girl Scouts Nation's Capital

Washington, DC

Eric DeWald

CEO

Health Foundation of La Porte

La Porte, IN

Among Our Current Searches:

Trust for Public Land: CEO Leadership Profile

League of Women Voters USA: CEO Leadership Profile

Year Up: COO Leadership Profile available soon

Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation: Director of Advancement Leadership Profile

Brain Tumor Network: Executive Director Leadership Profile

Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA: CEO Leadership Profile

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast: CEO Leadership Profile available soon

Earthjustice: Controller Leadership Profile available soon

In Memoriam

A remembrance of two great leaders.

Janine Lee, President & CEO, Philanthropy Southeast

It was with profound sadness that we said goodbye to one of our dear friends last month, Janine Lee. Janine had been President & CEO of Philanthropy Southeast (formerly Southeastern Council of Foundations) since September 2011. As one eulogist put it at her service, she was “an active participant in the joy of life.” She had an outsized influence on philanthropy well beyond PSE’s formal footprint, prompting another speaker to offer thanks “from those whom Janine served in anonymity.” 

As part of the 2011 executive search, we asked Janine to prepare a short essay for the search committee. A quote she included from Horace Mann leapt off the page when we revisited it after her death: “Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity.” By that standard, Janine should have been very proud indeed.

You can read the full announcement of Janine’s passing here.

Jeffrey Vega, President & CEO, Princeton Area Community Foundation

Jeffrey Vega, President & CEO of the Princeton Area Community Foundation since January 2015, passed away in January 2024 after a battling a rare and aggressive form of cancer. We had the pleasure of recruiting Jeffrey to PACF, where his visionary, collaborative style excelled. 

Jeff was an inspiring leader. “He led with intelligence, but he also led with passion,” noted a former board chair. “Charismatic, candid and confident,” he was a caring leader who dedicated his career to making a positive impact on communities, bringing his best to those he served at PACF and, earlier, New Brunswick Tomorrow. 

You can read the full announcement of Jeffrey’s passing here. Click here to contribute to The Jeffrey M. Vega Memorial Endowment at The Princeton Area Community Foundation.

Article: Five Questions Every Search Committee Should Ask -- of Itself

BoardWalk has partnered with several hundred search committees in our 22 years of finding leaders that matter for missions that matter ®. Based on the fascinating mix of extraordinarily diverse missions, personalities, recruitment challenges, and interview styles, we’ve developed questions for search committee discussion.

These five questions help deepen search committee alignment, clarify the needs of your organization, and ensure a successful transition.

You can read the full article here.

New Researcher: Terri Kohan!

Terri, our new Senior Research Associate, is a seasoned recruiter with over three decades of executive search experience. Her background includes broad coverage working on senior executive assignments partnering with both corporate and nonprofit organizations across a variety of industries. Prior to executive search, Terri spent several years working in the wholesale travel industry in management, operations, and marketing roles.

Terri earned a BFA from Pratt Institute. Terri and her husband, Shahram reside in Rhode Island along with her vast orchid and tropical plant collection. She loves spending time with family, cooking and traveling. 

Welcome, Terri! 

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