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Author: McCormack+Kristel

RECRUITER.COM: When Recruiters and Clients Share a Common Goal, Everyone Does a Happy Dance

by McCormack+Kristelon 5 January 2021in Articles

By Joe McCormack

A successful search for an executive director requires an effective partnership between a search consultant and the client. That’s a statement so obviously true it hardly seems worth saying.

The problem is that such partnerships seldom work out successfully.

I know this from experience. I’m Joe McCormack, founding partner of McCormack+Kristel, the first openly gay-owned retained search firm in the US. We’ve been assisting our clients for almost 30 years, and in that time, we’ve been fortunate to be involved with a wide range of searches.

Some clients think the search consultant should shoulder the entire burden of the search, from the identification of sources and prospects through final reference checks. In their minds, that is what we are paid to do.

Other clients lack confidence in the partnership. They often compete with the search firm and conduct their own independent outreach efforts to identify and evaluate candidates. This leads to unnecessary confusion on the part of all prospects.

What follows, however, is a story about a partnership that did work — and why.

Gearing Up for a Challenging Search

A year ago, we were retained by TransForm, a progressive advocacy organization in the San Francisco Bay Area, to recruit an executive director. We were excited to work with TransForm; we loved its mission and its long history of impact in advocating for walkable communities with excellent transportation choices for people of all incomes. But we also recognized the search for a new executive director posed several challenges.

First, we were seeking a successor to the organization’s long-serving and beloved founder. The organization was being led at the time by interim co-directors, which could add some complexity to the process if adopted as a permanent leadership structure (some organizations do that). The organization was in its last year of several multi-year grants that would have to be renewed or replaced, which would be a daunting task for the new executive director. The client, which views its mission through an equity and inclusion lens, was determined to hire an executive director (or directors) with a deep commitment to those values. Add to these factors the regional cost of living — among the highest in the country — and this was not going to be easy search.

However, what distinguished this partnership from other client relationships was the wholehearted involvement of TransForm’s board and staff — including the staff representative on the search committee — in leveraging their relationships to provide valuable sources and possible candidates for us. There were no hidden agendas, nor was there any distrust of our capabilities — only the desire to achieve a common goal of finding the best person for the job, without regard for who would get the credit for success.

When Recruiters and Clients Work Together, Everyone Wins

A mentor once told me a search consultant’s experience is “a mile wide and an inch deep,” meaning we know what to look for in a candidate, but we also know the client is the expert in its program area and strategic goals. We recognized that TransForm’s board and executive team had long-lasting relationships with funders, advocates, and sector leaders, whose recommendations were worth countless hours of the data mining we could engage in for a search. Indeed, some candidates could only be persuaded to apply with a direct approach from TansForm’s leadership, which they were happy to supply. When we needed a quick informal reference, our client could speak candidly and confidentially to a trusted source, who would likely be more open with them than with us. As a result, we decided the best course of action was to initiate open weekly communications with the client that helped us refine our focus at every stage of the process.

With the arrival of COVID-19, the work-from-home directives, and the racial justice uprisings, TransForm experienced financial and morale challenges, like many organizations. Could TransForm’s work be continued remotely? Was the organization effectively serving low-income communities? Was it practicing equity and inclusion internally? These pressing questions weighed on the client and threw a wrench into the process.

We were also being outbid for talent by wealthier organizations, like consulting firms. Our client drafted talking points to respond to the issue and distributed them to everyone on the board and staff and those involved in the search. This enabled all of us as a team to deliver a consistent and credible message to prospects and candidates. When we worked as one, we all worked more effectively.

Everyone on the board and staff played an important and constructive role in the recruiting and evaluation process. Once we were able to narrow the search down to five very capable candidate, the final round of assessment was conducted via several Zoom interviews: one with each of three staff teams, one with the board of directors, and one “ask me anything” session with the outgoing interim executive director. I was happy to see that the extra time and effort it took to set up multiple meetings with each of the finalists ensured buy-in from everyone before reaching a final decision.

When the final candidate was selected and the offer accepted, TransForm’s staff made a video recording, which they shared with us, where they cheered the hard-working search committee and welcomed their new leader with a happy dance.

It is rare to see such a joyous outcome to a lengthy search. We always do our best to add value to the search process for our clients, and we are well paid for our work. But the happy dance was a heart-warming reward and a tribute to the success of one of the best executive search partnerships I’ve experienced.

What made this partnership so different from the rest? If I had to summarize, I’d say there was a healthy distribution of work, enormous patience, acknowledgement of expertise on behalf of both partners, and an approach to problem-solving that was never finger-pointing and only constructive.

If you want to do your own happy dance the next time you hire, take a lesson from TransForm: Be clear about your intentions and goals, trust the search consultants working with you, create a collaborative environment that draws on the strengths of all parties, regularly and openly communicate with the entire search team, and welcome your new hire warmly.

Oh, and feel free to dance!

Joe McCormack is the founding partner of McCormack+Kristel.

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LGBTQ Center Long Beach, Executive Director

by McCormack+Kristelon 9 November 2020in Current Searches

The Client

The LGBTQ Center Long Beach began in 1977 as living room gatherings to discuss issues important to the LGBTQ community. The Center was officially incorporated in 1980 and has been providing a variety of health, social, advocacy, legal, and service programs to the LGBTQ community in the Greater Long Beach area for four decades. As a result of the AIDS epidemic, in 1984, The Center established Project Ahead, the first case management service in Southern Los Angeles. In many instances, The Center was the only safe haven where people of all sexual orientations, genders, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and socioeconomic levels could receive HIV information, testing and counseling, healthcare referrals, and other support services. In 1987, the center held the first AIDS Walk Long Beach, which lives on today as a separate foundation.

The Center strives to advance LGBTQ+ social justice and to create an environment where all LGBTQ people feel safe and supported. Providing services to 25,000 people annually, The Center provides a dynamic range of LGBTQ+ health, social, advocacy, legal, and service programs. The Center offers an array of programs and services including support groups, youth services, legal assistance, employment referrals, mental health referrals, cultural and social activities, and HIV prevention/testing, STI testing and support. The Center serves as a vital and integral part of Long Beach’s diverse LGBTQ+ community.

The Center’s 2020 operating budget is in excess of $2 million, it employs a 25-person staff, and is governed by a nine-person Board of Directors. Approximately 62% of the organization’s revenue is from government contracts, 18% from special events, 9% from grants, 7% from individual donors, and the remaining balance is from earned income, including service and tenant rental revenue.

2020 Strategic Plan: After a decade of consistent organizational growth, The Center has undergone an ambitious strategic planning process to guide the organization through another long-term period of measured and sustainable growth. For the first time in history, The Center’s revenues are anticipated to cross the $2 million threshold, a milestone for the organization. As the City of Long Beach continues to grow, the diverse need for programs and services for the LGBTQ community grows as well. The time has come for The Center to dream big. Approved by the Board, an action plan is in place and is informed by a measured, strategic, and achievable roadmap to shepherd the organization into the next chapter of service in the community. Over the next five years, The Center is making a commitment to the community to ensure the right staff are in place, the best programs are offered, the practices are inclusive, and enough space is available to ensure that each and every person walking through the doors is afforded the opportunity to authentically thrive. The LGBTQ Center Long Beach Strategic Plan         

The Position

The Executive Director provides executive leadership, vision, motivation, inspiration, and direction to the organization’s staff and volunteers. Reporting to a nine-member Board of Directors, the Executive Director is responsible for ensuring the efficient and successful operation of the Center including execution of Board of Directors’ strategic vision, the fulfillment of contractual obligations, and the practice of sound fiscal management. This position is responsible for proposing policy direction and furthering the strategic direction, goals, and mission of the Center.

The Executive Director will advise and make recommendations to the Board of Directors with respect to Center programs and policies and facilitate the implementation of Center programs and projects. The Executive Director is the Center’s senior representative and must exhibit excellent communication and highly developed interpersonal skills. The successful candidate for this position will be a self-motivated, visionary leader desirous of creating services, opportunities, and community for the LGBTQ people of the greater Long Beach and surrounding areas. The Executive Director makes independent operating decisions and develops procedures within policy guidelines set by the Board.

  • Increasing organizational inclusivity and program evaluation
  • Increasing fundraising capacity and diversity
  • Expanding physical space and geographic footprint to meet the Center’s current and future growth need
  • Increase and adjust staffing to support and sustain organizational growth

Functional Responsibilities are as follows:

Organizational Leadership

  • Work in close partnership with the Board of Directors to develop and execute the Board’s strategic goals.
  • Supervise Center staff and ensure compliance with Center policies and procedures.
  • Create an equitable, inclusive, and diverse environment and ensure staff exhibits these values in all interactions with fellow staff members, volunteers, clients, partners, and donors.
  • Establish The Center as a major voice for the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion as demonstrated through our programs, services, and actions.
  • Provide a safe, respectful space for diverse voices and perspectives
  • Manage all programs and ensure compliance with contractual obligations related to successful program execution.
  • Plan, supervise, develop, and coordinate the activities of management staff to meet the Center’s strategic goals and objectives.
  • Provide for necessary management development, succession, and contingency planning of all key management positions.
  • Provide Executive Director Reports for monthly Board of Directors meetings, annual strategic planning sessions, annual State of the Center events, and other occasions, as necessary.
  • Ensure strict adherence to Center financial policies and procedures in conjunction with the Center Board of Directors and Chief Financial Officer.
  • Assume responsibility for the maintenance and appearance of all Center facilities including, but not limited to, interior and exterior of all buildings, adjacent parking lots, landscaping, trash collection, litter removal, graffiti removal, and janitorial services.
  • Assure that all risk mitigation techniques/policies are developed and instituted on an ongoing basis to protect the assets of the organization (i.e.: proper property insurance, property director’s insurance, proper copy righting of materials etc.).

Communications and Public Relations

  • Effectively communicate the Center’s vision, organizational mission and needs to the community.
  • Work effectively with federal, state, and local agencies and community-based organizations.
  • Serve as liaison to public and private funding sources, the media, and the public.
  • Actively build, maintain, and nurture collaborative relationships with other service organizations dedicated to LGBTQ issues.
  • Ensure community members, donors and stakeholders are engaged and updated on Center programs, services, feedback processes.
  • Represent the Center at all events where the Center is a partner, or the Center is the recipient of an award, recognition, or other such honor.
  • Continually raise the profile of the Center in the community through Center signage, advertising, collaboration, and other similar opportunities to maximize the Center’s exposure.

Fundraising

  • Work in partnership with the Board of Directors to provide strategic vision and develop workable models for financial support to meet current and future funding needs.
  • Oversee the planning, execution, and review of all fundraising efforts including all campaigns, events, and solicitations.
  • Actively identify, solicit, and cultivate relationships with major donors and corporate and foundation funders.
  • Ensure that proper procedures are in place and followed to recognize and acknowledge donors on an ongoing basis.
  • Ensure that overall funding goals and budget are in line with the mission of the Center and meet the needs of the organization; and
  • Develop and execute an annual fund development plan.
  • With the Development Manager and the Director of Finance, develop an annual operating budget to be presented to the Board of the Directors no later than October 1st proceeding the next fiscal year for review/approval and to meet established annual financial objectives.

Professional Qualifications

  • A minimum of five years of successful organizational management, preferably in a non-profit environment.
  • Ability to effectively convey the Center’s mission, objectives, and needs to a broad audience.
  • Successful track record of nonprofit revenue development encompassing individual giving programs, foundation and corporate gifts/grants, fee for service contracts, planned giving, and capital campaigns.
  • Experience developing and implementing short- and long-term strategic planning.
  • Ability to evaluate program effectiveness, fund development goals and financial procedures and to make appropriate recommendations for improvement.
  • Experience with federal, state, county, and city contract compliance issues.
  • Familiarity with federal, state, county, and city laws and regulations governing non-profit organizations.
  • Ability to autonomously visualize and execute strategic and progressive initiatives.
  • Understanding of the issues facing the LGBTQ community.
  • Experience creating development plans to further management staff’s vocational expertise and filling gap areas for the betterment of the management and organization.
  • Willingness to develop upward feedback semi-annually from direct reports, key stakeholders, and community members to evaluate Executive Director’s performance and opportunity areas.
  • Ability to develop bi-annual review of The Center’s human resources policies and practice by an outside firm specializing around equity, inclusion, and diversity in the workplace.

Personal Characteristics

The ideal candidate will be a collaborative leader and skillful  manager who exudes passion for The Center’s work and mission. They will be empathetic, people-centered, and will bring the professional skills and rigor to lead the organization to new levels of growth and success.

The ideal candidate will have exceptional interpersonal skills and will understand the intersectionality of racial equity, gender equity, and economic justice issues and their impact on LGBTQ affected communities. This person will have a strong commitment to the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and a commitment to advancing social justice.

Compensation

The target compensation for this position is $150,000 with an excellent benefits package including health, dental and vision insurance, and an employee contribution retirement plan. The client is willing to negotiate basic relocation expenses for the exceptional individual they are seeking.

Contact

Please submit cover letter and résumé as attachments via e-mail to:

Catie DiFelice, Senior Associate or Joseph McCormack, Founding Partner

McCormack+Kristel

1740 Broadway, 15th Floor

New York, NY 10019

Phone: 212.531.5003 | Fax: 212.203.9599

Email: search@mccormackkristel.com | Website: www.mccormackkristel.com

All inquiries will be held in strict confidence.  Please note that your education, dates of employment and other information will be verified prior to an offer.

McCormack+Kristel works only with equal opportunity employers. People of color, people with disabilities and people of diverse sexual orientation, gender expressions and identities are encouraged to apply.

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THE STANDARD: The Era of Saints and Martyrs is Over, by Joe McCormack

by McCormack+Kristelon 6 November 2020in Articles

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Announcing TransForm’s New Leader

by McCormack+Kristelon 21 October 2020in Press Releases

By Paolo Cosulich-Schwartz

This is a joint announcement from the Co-Chairs of TransForm’s Board of Directors, Alice Chen and Paolo Cosulich-Schwartz.

We are so excited to announce that after a thorough and competitive search, TransForm will welcome Darnell Grisby as our new Executive Director beginning October 26. Darnell spent the last nine years as Director of Policy Development and Research at the American Public Transportation Association, where he has become a national thought leader pushing for more equitable and innovative transportation policy.

This is a huge moment for TransForm. We were looking for a leader who could help us meet the urgent transit and housing challenges we face with a strong anti-racist policy agenda. Darnell is ready to lead that effort with his deep knowledge of progressive transportation policy and a bold vision for TransForm’s role in making change. Staff and board alike are looking forward to having Darnell’s leadership and experience for the next steps in our journey.

The urgency has never been stronger for the bold solutions we’re known for — 2020 has made the need for systemic change painfully clear. Our core issues are on the line, yet with vision and determination, we have an opening to transform our communities for the better.

In fact, Darnell said it well in a CityLab piece he wrote in July titled, “To Fight Racism, Transit has a Key Role.”

“We have an opportunity to address the discriminatory systems endemic to our built environment, infrastructure investment decisions, organizations and industries. Our best shot to make progress on these challenges is right now.”

Darnell’s career and his lived experience have prepared him well for this opportunity. He grew up in Southern California, where limited transportation options, under-investment, and over-policing of Black and brown communities shaped his perspectives and centered his life-path. He went on to UCLA and Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. He served as a legislative director in California’s legislature, and a lobbyist in Sacramento, before working at a think tank devoted to smart growth, and then spending nine years at APTA, where he became a leading transportation industry expert.

At TransForm, Darnell will be able to apply his varied experience and collaborative leadership skills to advancing an intersectional, anti-racist vision and strategy for creating more just, healthy, connected communities.

“TransForm is well-positioned to chart a path towards anti-racist transportation, housing, and land use policies. Together, we can remake our built environment, protect our health, and confront the climate crisis before us. I can’t wait to get to work.”

– Darnell Grisby

We hope you will join us for All Aboard at Home on Wednesday, October 21 at 4pm, where Darnell will share a message with attendees and you’ll get a chance to meet him. After he formally starts on October 26, he’ll be reaching out to many supporters and partners of TransForm to introduce himself, listen and learn about our work in the past, and strategize for the future. He’ll be moving from Washington D.C. to the Bay Area shortly after starting the job.

Lastly, we’d like to extend our deepest gratitude to the many TransForm staff members who have stepped up in amazing ways over the course of a leadership transition that has been longer than we expected. That includes Jo Ann Prompongsatorn Farrant and Ann Cheng, who served as Interim Co-Executive Directors in 2019, and Jeff Hobson, who has been Interim Executive Director in 2020, as well as quite a few others who have taken on new responsibilities and leadership roles during this time. Thank you for keeping TransForm strong through it all. And thank you to Stuart Cohen for building this incredible organization that is now ready for a leader like Darnell!

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Dr. Susan Love Foundation for Breast Cancer Research Welcomes New Medical Advisor, Stephanie Graff, MD

by McCormack+Kristelon 16 October 2020in Press Releases

Los Angeles, California — Dr. Susan Love Foundation for Breast Cancer Research is thrilled to announce the appointment of a new Medical Advisor joining the Foundation’s team this October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Joining is Stephanie Graff, MD, an accomplished physician who is board certified in Medical Oncology, Hematology and Internal Medicine. Dr. Graff has a strong background in cancer treatment. She is a director of both Clinical Research and the Breast Program at Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute at HCA Midwest, Associate Director of the Breast Cancer Research Program at Sarah Cannon Research Institute, and National Breast Lead for the Sarah Cannon

Cancer Network’s clinical programs. Dr. Graff received a Graduate Degree from the University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine and completed a breast oncology sub-fellowship from the University of Kansas Medical Center.

Dr. Graff plays an integral part in numerous programs committed to ending breast cancer and breast cancer treatment. She leads the BE AWARE & Breast Cancer Prevention Clinics at Sarah Cannon HCA Midwest Health, as well as the High-Risk Women’s Program both at Sarah Cannon HCA Midwest Health and for the Sarah Cannon Cancer Network. She serves on the American Cancer Society Kansas/Kansas City Area Board and The Research Foundation Board. She is active in the American Society of Clinical Oncology, serving on several committees, and is currently participating in the prestigious ASCO Leadership Development Program. She also writes as a contributor of KevinMD, and is a sought-after public speaker. Her clear dedication and success led her to receive the Frist Humanitarian Award for her extensive work in the community.

Dr. Graff is well known for passionately connecting with patients to provide personalized, comprehensive oncology care, advancing breast cancer research, and breast cancer prevention.

“The time that I spend with my patients is my time away from my family, and just like their family is what is most important to them, my family is what is most important to me. They become my family. I know the names of their grandchildren, I know where they’re going on vacation next month, I know when their daughter is getting married… being a part of that and sharing those memories and stories with my patients, and seeing them blossom in their life after cancer, is so powerful. I am thankful every day that that’s what I get to do for a living,” says Dr. Stephanie Graff.

“We’re thrilled to have Dr. Stephanie Graff join the Foundation as a Medical Advisor. With her invaluable experience as a leading national expert on oncology care and breast cancer research, Dr. Graff will play an integral role in continuing to expand our global research programs and getting us closer to discovering an end to breast cancer,” says Susan Love, MD, MBA, Founder & Chief Visionary Officer at Dr. Susan Love Foundation for Breast Cancer Research.

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Dr. Susan Love Foundation for Breast Cancer Research Welcomes New Medical Advisor, Lina Romero, MD

by McCormack+Kristelon 16 October 2020in Press Releases

Dr. Susan Love Foundation for Breast Cancer Research  
Welcomes New Medical Advisor, Lina Romero, MD  

Los Angeles, California — Dr. Susan Love Foundation for Breast Cancer Research is pleased to announce the appointment of a new medical advisor joining the Foundation’s team this October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Lina Romero, MD, is a dedicated and collaborative oncoplastic breast surgeon and leader with extensive experience as a clinician, researcher, and medical educator. Dr. Romero is passionate about strategic breast cancer research and optimizing not only patient outcomes, but also the patient care experience.

Lina Romero was born in Michigan and grew up in a multicultural household in the Dominican Republic where she became fluent in Spanish and French. She earned her Medical Doctorate from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine in 1997, where she was honored with the Calvin Fentress Research Fellowship Award. Dr. Romero then went on to complete the General Surgery residency at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center followed by the Breast Surgical Oncology Fellowship at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center.

In 2004, Dr. Romero was recruited to the Southern California Permanente Medical Group in Los Angeles. Appointed Director of the Breast Center, she quickly established herself as a leader and was adept at identifying the needs of the programs she worked with and finding opportunities for innovation and improvement. She opened the first dedicated Breast Center in the Southern California Kaiser Permanente medical system, where breast surgeons, breast radiologists and social workers delivered empathic, patient-centered care together under one roof.  Unsatisfied with the fragmented care that her patients requiring radiologic wire localization of non-palpable lesions received on the day of surgical excision, Dr. Romero validated and incorporated intraoperative ultrasound into her surgical practice, precluding the need for wire placement. She also developed a biopsy notification system that significantly decreased the wait time from biopsy to notification of results with 100% patient satisfaction. Another important contribution was the development of the high-risk multidisciplinary clinic for patients at increased risk for breast cancer in an effort to better engage and empower these patients.  Dr. Romero was also involved in numerous clinical research projects that culminated in published contributions to the medical literature and played an important role in patient care algorithms at her institution.

After practicing breast surgical oncology for over a decade, Dr. Romero was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014. Unfortunately, sequelae from her treatment prevented her from resuming her surgical practice. As she recovered from treatment, she dedicated her time to her two young children while remaining engaged with the breast cancer community. The recent social unrest unfolding during the pandemic inspired Dr. Romero to look for ways to apply her skills and experience as a provider and survivor to advance health equity in people of color. Her goals are to eliminate barriers in our health care system to ensure access to quality breast cancer care and support for diverse populations. This brought her to the Foundation, which she is eager to join in prioritizing inclusivity in research as we work towards a future without breast cancer.

“Dr. Lina Romero brings her years of clinical experience, and a level of compassion as a breast cancer survivor herself to the Foundation in her role as Medical Advisor. Joining us during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Dr. Romero will make her Foundation debut at our Virtual Afternoon Tea at the Langham Huntington, Pasadena,” says Susan Love, MD, MBA, Founder & Chief Visionary Officer at Dr. Susan Love Foundation for Breast Cancer Research.

Dr. Lina Romero will be joining Dr. Stephanie Graff, the Foundation’s other newly appointed Medical Advisor. The Foundation is pleased about the addition of Dr. Romero to the team.

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Linda McFarlane Appointed as the Next Executive Director of Just Detention International

by McCormack+Kristelon 24 September 2020in Press Releases

SEPTEMBER 15, 2020

Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., September 15, 2020 — Linda McFarlane, a veteran advocate and JDI’s longtime Deputy Executive Director, will take over next month as the organization’s new Executive Director. McFarlane brings to the role her extensive experience leading JDI’s pathbreaking initiatives to prevent and respond to sexual abuse inside detention facilities, and her expertise from more than three decades of working with survivors of sexual assault.

“I am thrilled to announce that JDI’s Board of Directors has appointed Linda McFarlane as the organization’s next Executive Director,” said Russell Robinson, JDI’s Board Chair. “Linda has a nuanced understanding of JDI’s mission, an unrivaled track record of advocating for incarcerated survivors, and a clear-eyed vision for building on our many accomplishments. I have no doubt that our movement will continue to thrive, and grow even stronger, with her at the helm.”

“It is the honor of a lifetime to be named Executive Director of JDI, an organization that is at the forefront of the movement to end sexual abuse in detention and has long been a bedrock of support for incarcerated survivors,” said McFarlane. “As Executive Director, I look forward to building on JDI’s legacy, which includes human rights legislation, survivor-led awareness-raising campaigns, and policy initiatives to bring trauma-informed programs behind bars.”

McFarlane takes over as JDI celebrates 40 years since its founding as the world’s only organization dedicated exclusively to ending prisoner rape — a distinction that it still holds. JDI has secured many impressive wins for prisoners’ rights, including the landmark Prison Rape Elimination Act standards, which Linda helped shape as one of the experts relied upon by the bipartisan commission that drafted them. At the same time, sexual abuse is still widespread in detention facilities, and prisoners are especially vulnerable right now.

“People in detention are so often ignored and forgotten — a trend that has continued during the coronavirus pandemic. The pandemic, and the systemic, state-sanctioned racism that our nation is now reckoning with, affect prisoners acutely. These crises underscore the urgency of our work to protect the dignity and safety of all people in detention, and to ensure that when the government takes away a person’s freedom, it upholds its absolute responsibility to keep that person safe,” said McFarlane.

McFarlane succeeds Lovisa Stannow, who announced in February that she was stepping down after 16 years as Executive Director. When Stannow became Executive Director, JDI had one office with a small handful of part-time staff; today, JDI has 25 staff and offices in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Johannesburg.

Linda and Lovisa have worked together since 2005, when Linda was hired to run JDI’s then-new project to bring direct services to prisoners in California. In 2008, she was named a Deputy Executive Director, overseeing the organization’s domestic programs. “Linda is fearless, compassionate, and a true visionary,” said Stannow. “She pioneered programs addressing sexual abuse inside prisons that many thought would be impossible: confidential rape crisis counseling, inmate-led sexual abuse peer education programs, and human rights training for prison staff, to name a few — all of which have become national models. Linda has also led JDI’s collaboration with corrections officials inside some of the nation’s most troubled facilities, proving that culture change is possible. I can’t wait to cheer Linda and the entire JDI team on from afar as the organization reaches new heights.”

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Just Detention International is a health and human rights organization that seeks to end sexual abuse in all forms of detention.

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The Attic Youth Center, Executive Director

by McCormack+Kristelon 2 September 2020in Current Searches

The Client

In 1993, two graduate students launched an eight-week “pilot” project to provide a weekly after-school support group for LGBTQ youth. Meetings were held in the attic of a local social service agency and The Attic Youth Center was born. During the late 1990’s, The Attic grew its programming, services, and staffing. In 2000, The Attic incorporated as a nonprofit organization and received a gift from an anonymous donor to purchase its current home on 16th Street, in Center City Philadelphia.

Today, The Attic is a nationally recognized, multi-service youth organization, and one of the largest community centers in the U.S. committed exclusively to serving LGBTQ youth and allies. The Attic’s youth programming focuses on assisting youth and young adults to develop essential life skills in the areas of job readiness, educational enrichment, leadership, arts and culture, and health and wellness. Services include HIV prevention, support groups, and case management. Counseling includes Comprehensive Risk Counseling Services (CRCS) and clinical mental health counseling. Additionally, the Bryson Institute provides training and education to build inclusive environments that recognize and promote the value of diversity. Since 2001, the Institute has been working with educational systems, social service agencies, workplaces, faith-based organizations, and communities to improve the support systems for LGBTQ youth and young adults.

Headquartered in Philadelphia, PA, The Attic Youth Center is governed by a nine-person Board of Directors and operates with a $1.6 million annual budget and 22 staff.

The Mission

The Attic Youth Center creates opportunities for LGBTQ youth to develop into healthy, independent, civic-minded adults within a safe and supportive community and promotes the acceptance of LGBTQ youth in society.

The Opportunity

This is an extraordinary opportunity for an experienced change agent to provide transformational leadership to a dynamic organization that provides vital services to Philadelphia’s LGBTQ youth.  The new Executive Director will play an integral role in reducing the isolation felt by LGBTQ youth; counteracting the prejudice and oppression they often face; and developing healthy, independent, thriving adults.

The Position

The Executive Director will provide strategic leadership to advance the agency’s vision, mission, goals, and objectives. Reporting to a nine-member Board of Directors, comprised of prominent Philadelphia business and community leaders, the Executive Director is responsible for all agency programs, operations, and fiscal oversight. They will lead by example and set clear strategies and performance expectations developed in collaboration with the staff and board. The Executive Director is the primary representative of the agency and is directly responsible for engaging stakeholders and securing funds to enhance its services and ensure its financial health. The Executive Director supervises a five-person leadership team responsible for programs, development, finance, and operations. Essential responsibilities of the position include:

Leadership

  • Inspire, motivate, and lead a team of committed and engaged staff to realize the organization’s mission, vision, and strategic goals;
  • Lead by example to enhance a culture of transparency and accountability and ensure organizational cohesion;
  • Champion a culture of inclusion throughout the organization by fostering diversity and implementing robust equity policies;
  • Recruit, retain, and develop a competent, qualified team to manage programming, counseling, and business functions;
  • Establish organizational policies and procedures and ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.

Programs

  • Oversee senior staff responsible for designing and delivering programming and counseling services;
  • Ensure ongoing programmatic excellence, rigorous program evaluation, and consistent quality of services;
  • Implement systems to track scaling progress and regularly evaluate program components to measure and effectively communicate successes to the board, funders and other constituents.

Fundraising and Fiscal Stewardship

  • Lead the development of budgets and related program and staffing plans that advance the organization’s mission and strategic goals;
  • Manage the organization’s financial resources, building on its foundation of fiscal stability and ensuring its long-term viability;
  • Develop the overall fundraising strategy and maintain relationships with key stakeholders including individual, foundation, corporate, and government funders;
  • Partner with the board to identify, solicit, and acquire new sources of funding, to encourage board giving, and to build sustainable sources of income for the organization.

Communications

  • Serve as the organization’s primary spokesperson representing the Attic Youth Center in public, in the media, and at events;
  • Foster strong relationships with other professional, civic, and private organizations and utilize those relationships to strategically enhance AYC’s Mission;
  • Oversee marketing and communications efforts with goal of enhancing AYC’s brand.

Professional Requirements

The Attic Youth Center is seeking an entrepreneurial executive with fundraising and social services experience. The successful candidate will have a deep understanding of LGBTQ youth and proven leadership, coaching, and relationship management experience. The ideal candidate will have the following:

  • A minimum of 10 years’ progressive management and organizational leadership experience in a social services agency. Prior experience as a CEO or Executive Director is strongly preferred;
  • A dedication to and understanding of systemic oppression particularly as it relates to gender, sexual orientation, race, and adultism;
  • Experience delivering programs and counseling services to youth, ideally LGBTQ youth;
  • Demonstrable success leading and scaling a performance- and outcomes-based organization and a firm commitment to data-driven program evaluation;
  • An understanding of case management services, ideally case management for homeless youth;
  • A track-record of success developing donor relationships and generating new revenue streams;
  • In-depth knowledge of nonprofit management and board governance best practices;
  • Prior experience developing and implementing strategic plans;
  • An undergraduate degree in a related field is desired, a graduate degree is preferred;
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite is essential.

Personal Characteristics

We are seeking a visionary leader who passionately believes LGBTQ youth deserve a safe space to express their identity, talk with a caring adult, participate in after-school activities, and receive assistance finding housing or a job. They will lead by example to create a culture of transparency and accountability. They will have exceptional interpersonal skills to engage and inspire donors and stakeholders and the business acumen to foster an innovative approach to fiscal planning and reporting. The ideal candidate will have:

  • Knowledge of the history and issues affecting LGBTQ and gender non-conforming/non-binary (GNCNB) youth;
  • An understanding of the intersectionality of racial equity, gender equity, and economic justice issues and their impact on LGBTQ, GNCNB youth;
  • Strong relationship-building skills including a track record of success in fostering collaboration and strengthening networks;
  • An approachable, collaborative, and transparent leadership style;
  • A strong commitment to the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and a commitment to advancing social justice;
  • Strong written and verbal communications skills, including persuasive and passionate interpersonal communication and public speaking ability.

Compensation

Our client is offering a competitive salary, commensurate with the experience and qualifications of the selected candidate, and an excellent benefits package including 100% employer paid health and dental insurance, a 401k retirement plan with annual budget-based employer matching (2% in FY20) contributions, and generous PTO and paid holiday policies.

Reimbursement toward basic relocation expenses will be considered for the exceptional individual they are seeking.

Location

When public health guidance in response to the COVID-19 pandemic permits, the Attic Youth Center’s new Executive Director will work in the agency’s 16th Street, Center City offices. Currently, all staff are working remotely.

Contact

Please submit cover letter and résumé as attachments via e-mail to:

Michelle Kristel, Managing Partner

McCormack+Kristel

1740 Broadway, 15th Floor

New York, NY 10019

Phone: 212.531.5003 | Fax: 212.203.9599

Email: search@mccormackkristel.com | Website www.mccormackkristel.com

All inquiries will be held in strict confidence.  Please note that your education, dates of employment and other information will be verified prior to an offer.

The Attic is an equal opportunity employer. The Attic does not discriminate on the basis of religion, creed, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.

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Lambda Legal, Board of Directors

by McCormack+Kristelon 27 August 2020in Current Searches

History of Lambda Legal

Founded in 1973, Lambda Legal is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender, queer/questioning (LGBTQ) people and everyone living with HIV through impact litigation, education, and public policy work. Lambda’s team of over 90 advocates work out of its national headquarters in New York City and five regional offices throughout the United States: Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC.

For a half of a century, Lambda Legal has been a trailblazer toward ending inequality against the LGBTQ community and those living with HIV. The organization was its own first client, taking on the New York State government when it refused incorporation as a charitable organization, and winning in the state’s highest court. Other notable accomplishments include:

  • a successful challenge to a ban on school activity by a gay student group at the University of New Hampshire in 1974;
  • winning the nation’s first HIV/AIDS discrimination case in 1983;
  • establishing the legal precedent that school officials violate the U.S. Constitution when they fail to protect students from anti-gay bullying by fellow students in 1997;
  • persuading the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn all remaining sodomy laws in 2003;
  • obtaining a historic, unanimous decision in Iowa Supreme Court that denying marriage to same-sex couple is unconstitutional in 2009, setting the stage for;
  • serving as co-counsel in the historic 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges case at the U.S. Supreme Court that made marriage equality the law of the land;
  • winning a national first federal appellate ruling in 2011 that employment discrimination against a transgender public employee in Georgia was unlawful sex discrimination;
  • in 2017, in an Indiana case, obtaining the breakthrough federal appellate ruling that employment discrimination against a lesbian, gay or bisexual worker is unlawful sex discrimination, setting the stage of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Bostock decision in 2020.

Current Context for Lambda’s Work

Today, Lambda Legal serves as a firewall against the escalating attacks on the LGBTQ+ community and people living with HIV while continuing to push forward towards a world where LGBTQ people and those living with HIV are respected, protected, and celebrated. Lambda’s mission is advanced through both impact litigation and public policy advocacy in four areas:

  1. Continuing to protect LGBTQ+ identities and relationships by, among other things, protecting the freedom to marry and the benefits of marriage for same-sex couples; safeguarding other, significant relationships; and ensuring access to official government-issued identity documents that accurately reflect one’s gender identity.
  1. Continuing efforts to expand and defend protections against anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination within existing laws and developing and supporting efforts to enact new protections at the federal, state, and local level through the passage of new legislation and other policies.
  1. Continuing to challenge policies and practices harming the health and well-being of LGBTQ+ people and individuals living with HIV, such as by reforming antiquated laws that impose disproportionate penalties on people living with HIV or that restrict access to medically necessary transition-related care for trans people.
  1. Continuing to challenge anti-LGBTQ+ bias in the justice system by challenging judicial nominees with track records of bias against LGBTQ+ people or people living with HIV, by defending vulnerable LGBTQ+ people in government custody (including youth in child welfare and juvenile justice systems), and by developing and distributing anti-bias training for judges, court personnel, and attorneys.

Responding to a mercurial and demonstrably anti-LGBTQ+ administration has presented specific challenges since 2016. Lambda can no longer count on a receptive federal administration and they have had to respond forcefully and quickly to numerous instances of policy changes that overtly threaten LGBTQ+ people of all ages and people living with HIV. Under newly-appointed CEO Kevin Jennings, who took the helm of Lambda Legal in December 2019, the organization is working to develop a new strategic plan, with pro bono help from Bain Consulting, to help guide it as it prepares for its 50th anniversary in 2023.

For more information about Lambda Legal, visit https://www.lambdalegal.org/

Lambda’s Board of Directors

Lambda Legal’s Board of Directors guides the work of the organization by setting its strategic direction, evaluating its CEO and monitoring the CEO’s progress towards the fulfillment of the organization’s strategic goals, setting and monitoring the organization’s budget, and helping secure the financial resources the organization needs to carry out its work. Members come from a variety of professional backgrounds as well as from across the nation and reflect the diversity of the communities Lambda Legal serves. Members attend three in-person meetings a year as well as one virtual one, and agree to the following roles:

  1. Advancement: Members seek to identify and secure sources of financial support to help Lambda Legal advance its work, and each member agrees to fulfill a $25,000 annual “give-get” for the organization. Members have an assigned development staffer who will work with them to develop a plan to fulfill their “give-get” obligation and support them in their efforts to do so throughout the course of the year.
  1. Advice: Members leverage their own professional expertise as well as that of their networks to bring important perspectives and skills to help advance Lambda Legal’s work.
  1. Ambassadorship: Members seek to represent Lambda in the community to raise its visibility.

 

Lambda Legal’s Board is very much a “hands-on” board where members work actively with each other and with staff to help the organization fulfill its mission. Each member serves on at least one committee (Administrations & Finance, Audit, Development, Diversity & Inclusion, Investment, Nominating, and Strategic Planning), with select other members serving on an Executive Committee which leads the Board under the guidance of its Chair, John Stafstrom of Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Opportunity

For more than 45 years, Lambda Legal has been leading the march toward full lived equality for LGBTQ+ people and everyone living with HIV. Throughout its history, but most profoundly today, the hard-fought progress that Lambda Legal has made is being eroded by powerful and well-resourced foes. At a critical time in history, this is an extraordinary opportunity to join the effort to defend and continue the expansion of rights for LGBTQ+ people and everyone living with HIV.

Contact

If you are interested in exploring board service with Lambda Legal, please submit a brief cover letter and résumé or biography as attachments via e-mail to:

Michelle Kristel, Managing Partner

Soladé Rowe, Senior Consultant

McCormack+Kristel

1740 Broadway, 15th Floor

New York, NY 10019

Phone: 212.531.5003 | Fax: 212.203.9599

Email: search@mccormackkristel.com | Website www.mccormackkristel.com

All inquiries will be held in strict confidence. 

McCormack+Kristel works only with equal opportunity employers. People of color, people of all gender identities and gender expressions, people with HIV, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

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SAAF’s Next CEO: Dr. Ravi Grivois-Shah Named Next Chief Executive Officer of SAAF

by McCormack+Kristelon 29 June 2020in Press Releases

June 25, 2020

The SAAF Board of Directors is pleased to share with you that Dr. Ravi Grivois-Shah has been selected and hired to be the next Chief Executive Officer for SAAF. Our search firm reached out to hundreds of candidates nationwide, and received fifty-four applications; six candidates proceeded to interviews. Ravi distinguished himself from this impressive field of strong leaders. He is clearly the right person at the right time to lead SAAF into our future. ​We all look forward to working with him.

Ravi has worked alongside SAAF for years in his current role as the medical director for Banner’s Alvernon Family Medicine Center and their Mobile Health Program. In 2019, Ravi received the SAAF Godat award for community innovator. As a health care provider, Ravi focused on expanding health care access for LGBTQ+ individuals and he has provided critical knowledge and compassion in his work. Ravi was also a leader and advocate in the process of banning conversion therapy of LGBTQ+ youth in Pima County. Moreover, Ravi is bilingual in Spanish and English. You can take a look at his resume here.

In accepting the position of SAAF CEO, Ravi stated, “SAAF is essential to our community here in Tucson and Southern Arizona. I’m excited about joining SAAF as its CEO so that, together, we can ensure that our family, friends and neighbors living with HIV; members of the LBGTQ+ community; or otherwise in need of help, have SAAF on their side.”

Ravi’s first day with SAAF will be Monday, September 28th. Patti Caldwell has agreed to continue serving as Interim Executive Director until Ravi starts.

We hope you share our excitement and anticipation in welcoming Ravi as SAAF’s next CEO!

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McCormack+Kristel

1740 Broadway, 15th Floor
New York, NY 10019
Phone: 212.531.5003
Fax: 212.203.9599

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Suite 110-202
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Phone: 323.549.9200
Fax: 323.549.9222

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Washington, DC 20015
Phone: 212.531.5003
Fax: 212.203.9599

Email: search@mccormackkristel.com

All inquiries or referrals will be held in strict confidence.

McCormack+Kristel works only with equal opportunity employers.

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