Notable Clients

Recent Searches

  • ACLU of Missouri – Executive Director

    ACLU of Southern California – Executive Director, Chief Financial/Administrative Officer

    AIDS United – President & CEO

    Amnesty International – Executive Director

    Arcus Center for Social Justice – Executive Director

    Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice – Executive Director, Vice President of Programs, Vice President of Operations, Vice President of Strategic Engagement, Vice President of Finance

    Baby2Baby – Chief Financial Officer

    CASA-NYC – Board of Directors

    CenterLink – Chief Executive Officer

    Compassion & Choices – Chief Program Officer, Chief Development Officer

    East Bay Community Law Center – Executive Director

    Equality Illinois - Chief Executive Officer

    Identity, Inc. – Executive Director

    Just Detention International – Executive Director

    Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund – Chief Executive Officer

    Local Progress – Executive Director

    Muslim Public Affairs Council – Chief Operating Officer

    National LGBTQ+ Bar Association and Foundation – Executive Director

    Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) – Senior Director, Oceans Program

    New York City Anti-Violence Project – Executive Director

    Out for Undergrad- Executive Director, Chief of Staff

    OutRight Action International – Director of Development

    PEN America – Director of Free Expression Programs, Director of Finance & Administration

    PFLAG – Executive Director

    Rainbow Railroad – Board of Directors

    Secular Coalition for America – Executive Director

    Secular Student Alliance – Executive Director

    The Funders Network – President & Chief Executive Officer

    The Partnership To End Homelessness - Vice President of Operations, Special Advisor to the CEO on Strategy and Community Partnerships

    TransForm – Executive Director

    Trevor Project – Senior Director, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging

  • Kalamazoo College – Executive Director, Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership

    Los Angeles Team Mentoring – Executive Director

    Out for Undergrad – Executive Director, Chief of Staff

    One Network for Regional Advanced Manufacturing Partnerships (ON RAMP) - Chief Executive Officer

    PENCIL – Vice President, Resource Development

    Pomona College – Director, Queer Resource Center

    PUENTE Learning Center – Chief Executive Officer

    Secular Student Alliance – Executive Director

    Westside Children’s Center – Board of Directors

    Youth Emerging Stronger – Executive Director, Director of Development

  • 4CS of Passaic County – Board of Directors

    Attic Youth Center – Executive Director

    Bailey House – Chief Executive Officer

    Bronx Parent Housing Network – Chief Executive Officer

    Center on Halsted – Chief Operating Officer

    Desert AIDS Project – Chief Program Officer, Chief Development Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Director of Institutional Giving, Director of Community Health

    Desert Healthcare District – Chief Executive Officer

    Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services – Division Director, Quality Improvement, Division Director, Suicide Prevention

    Funders Concerned About AIDS – Executive Director

    Guide Dogs of the Desert – Executive Director

    LGBT Life Center – Chief Program Officer, Chief of Client Services

    Los Angeles LGBT Center – Chief Financial Officer (2), Director of Planned Giving, Director of Senior Services, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, Chief People Officer

    Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) – Chief Executive Officer (3), Chief Financial Officer (2), Chief Program Officer (2)

    Metro Inclusive Health – Vice President of HIV Programs

    Midnight Mission – Chief Financial Officer

    Openhouse – Director for Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

    Planned Parenthood of the Gulf Coast – Senior Vice President for Medical Services

    Planned Parenthood Los Angeles – Senior Director, Health Center Operations. Senior Director, Clinical Operations. Controller

    Planned Parenthood of Orange & San Bernardino Counties – Vice President of Human Resources

    Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest – Director of Development

    Point Source Youth – SVP Programs, Policy & People, SVP Development, Director of Policy, Deputy Executive Director

    Project HOME – Chief Executive Officer

    PUENTE Learning Center – Chief Executive Officer

    Sacramento LGBT Community Center - Chief Operating Officer, Chief Program Officer

    San Diego LGBT Community Center – Chief Executive Officer

    San Francisco AIDS Foundation – AIDS/LifeCycle Director (2)

    Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) – Chief Operating Officer, Board of Directors

    Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation – Chief Executive Officer

    The LGBTQ Center, Long Beach – Executive Director

    The Partnership To End Homelessness - Vice President of Operations, Special Advisor to the CEO on Strategy and Community Partnerships

    The Planning Council – Chief Executive Officer

    Westside Children’s Center – Board of Directors

    YWCA of the City of New York – Chief Executive Officer

  • AIDS Foundation of Chicago – President & CEO

    Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice – Executive Director, Vice President of Programs, Vice President of Operations, Vice President of Strategic Engagement

    Dr. Susan Love Foundation for Breast Cancer Research – Medical Advisor, Medical Director

    Hispanic Federation – Vice President of Development

    Liberty Hill Foundation – Chief Advancement Officer, Chief Financial Officer (2)

    Lili’uokalani Trust – Executive Director, Lili’uokalani Center

    National LGBTQ+ Bar Association and Foundation - Executive Director

    San Francisco AIDS Foundation – AIDS/LifeCycle Director

    Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation – Chief Executive Officer

    Tides – Board of Directors

    Weingart Foundation – Program Officer

What Our Clients Are Saying

Featured

McCormack+Kristel brought exactly the kind of judgment, transparency, and steadiness that a complex leadership transition demands. From the outset, they approached our CEO search with clarity, rigor, and a deep understanding of both the organization and the industry it serves. Long-tenured leadership transitions are never simple, but Michelle and her team navigated the process with professionalism, discretion, and a clear focus on long-term success. I would not hesitate to recommend McCormack+Kristel to any organization seeking a thoughtful, high-caliber executive search partner.

-Brian Beckman

Independent Film & Television Alliance CEO Search Committee

McCormack + Kristel led a well-informed and integrity-driven search process for Equality Illinois’ CEO. They shepherded the committee thoughtfully, kept candidates well informed, and aligned their timing to our needs, especially given how quickly we were moving. Under those constraints, they really delivered. Overall, M+K's work was highly professional, values-aligned, and critical to the success of this search. Thank you so much!

- Kelly Emery

Board Chair, Equality Illinois Institute

Michelle Kristel, I appreciate you and your team. The care that you provide your clients is first-class. Thank you for welcoming me. I look forward to the transformative journey! Anyone interested in executive search is recommended to secure the services of McCormack + Kristel. They truly have a people-first mindset.

— Dr. Carlene Lacey

Inaugural Chief Executive Officer, ON-RAMP Syracuse

Thank you for placing me in the job of my dreams! I am doing everything my whole career has prepared me to do.

— Carlo Giovanni
Chief People Officer, Los Angeles LGBT Center

“The Funders Network brings together funders and partners from diverse backgrounds and wide-ranging expertise, and provides a wide range of opportunities to share knowledge and deepen engagement across the philanthropic sector.  It was critical for us to surface candidates for our President & CEO position that had career-long emersion in racial equity, economic justice and environmental sustainability, and McCormack+Kristel exceeded our expectations; serving a robust roster of qualified candidates with a wide range of skills and expertise that helped us find clarity in what we needed, and ultimately find the strongest individual.”

— Don Hickman
Board of Directors, The Funders Network

“We engaged McCormack + Kristel to fill a critical new role. The team guided us through a thorough and equitable process that resulted in an exceptional hire. Working with M+K was an absolute pleasure every step of the way.”

— Peggy Rajski
Co-Founder and Interim CEO, The Trevor Project

“After nearly a year of unsuccessfully recruiting for the leader of our Marketing and Communications department, I called Michelle, and by the time that conversation ended, I regretted not reaching out to McCormack + Kristel sooner! Michelle and her team drafted a dynamic job description that was grounded in the input collected by stakeholders throughout the organization within a few weeks of the engagement starting and shortly thereafter I was presented with an exciting slate of candidates for the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer role. McCormack + Kristel facilitated a thoughtful and inclusive interview process that ultimately resulted in the selection of an exceptional candidate who the Center likely would have never found if we continued to recruit for the role on our own. While I was highly satisfied throughout my working with McCormack + Kristel, what stands out most about the experience was the genuine thought partner I had in Michelle. She asked all the right questions, wasn’t afraid to offer constructive feedback, and was open to shifting the process when it became necessary. I would absolutely partner with McCormack + Kristel again!”

— Joe Hollendoner
Chief Executive Officer, Los Angeles LGBT Center

“I want to express my deep gratitude to McCormack + Kristel for guiding us through our most recent executive search to a very positive and welcome conclusion. This was my first time playing such a close role in an executive search and I thought I would feel overwhelmed by the process. However, Joe and his team were so professional, organized, helpful and patient that any worry I had melted away. I very much appreciate their commitment to ensuring we had a good pool of candidates. In fact, they were excellent and I cannot thank M+K enough for their time and expertise in getting us to our final choice. We are thrilled. THANK YOU!!!”

— Michele Beasley
Chair of Executive Search Task Group, TransForm

“Just a brief note to recognize your work related to the CEO recruitment process. The process was beautifully and professionally managed. The candidates presented exceeded expectations. As we move now to the final stages of the process, I wanted to thank you and your team for all you did to support staff and the ad hoc committee throughout. Please know how much it is appreciated.”

— Kay Hazen
Board of Directors, Desert Healthcare District

“I’ve been using the services of McCormack + Kristel for a decade. Over the years, I’ve tried many search firms but none have provided the consistent level of service that I get from Joe and his team. The most recent search was a terrific example. I was looking for a new Development Director—in my experience one of the most difficult positions for which to find stellar candidates. To add to my worries, several organizations in our sector were looking to fill the same position. Thus, I was very concerned about how the candidate pool would develop. As it turned out, we ended up with a small group of finalists, any of whom could have done the job. Instead of having only one finalist, I had several really good ones to choose from! The person we hired had not been looking for a job. He applied because Joe called him and talked to him about the position. McCormack + Kristel excels at that kind of strategic recruitment.”

— Lorri Jean
Chief Executive Officer, Los Angeles LGBT Center

“We hired McCormack + Kristel to fill a critical position with our health and mental health services. The search resulted in the hire of an exceptional candidate from another HIV/AIDS services agency. We were so pleased with the attentive service and thoroughly vetted candidates, that when a second important position became available, we reached out to McCormack + Kristel again. We are so thankful to Joe and the entire team for making the process smooth and enjoyable start to finish.”

— David Brinkman
Chief Executive Officer, Desert AIDS Project

“I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for assisting me in my search for a new position at Compassion & Choices. I appreciated your professionalism and support during the search phase. I have been in the fundraising business for over twenty years and have used many search firms, but this was by far my best experience. I think for me, what stands out the most, was the constant communications and that I always had an awareness of where I stood in my candidacy. The conversations were honest and always helpful. A special thank you to Joe and Michelle. Your support was very much appreciated! As I’ve said before, what a long strange trip it’s been…but the results are fantastic!”

— Ken Mintzer
Chief Development Officer, Compassion & Choices

“Just a quick note to let you know that the Division Director of our Suicide Prevention Center, just hit her 90 days with us and she is AMAZING! I really feel like we made the right decision and she is beyond what we had ever hoped for. She is a gem and I just wanted to say thank you for finding her for us!”

— Lyn Morris
Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations, Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services

“Our search for a new Executive Director for PFLAG National was handled efficiently, thoroughly, and with grace by Michelle Kristel. Her excellent communication, her vast network of contacts which enabled a large pool of qualified applicants, her sensitivity to issues of diversity and her skill and expertise in interviewing top candidates were all critical to keeping the process moving on a well-paced timeline. Best of all was the wonderful result in hiring exactly the right person for the job.”

— Jean Hodges
President & Board Chair, National PFLAG

“When our Executive Director of eight years decided to retire, we knew we would have a tall order of replacing our exceptional leader. Our Board of Directors retained McCormack + Kristel because they knew the Coachella Valley Community and they came highly recommended by trusted sources. They brought us a talented group of candidates, delivered as scheduled, and we hired a seasoned executive who can take Guide Dogs of the Desert to the next level. The process was thorough, well managed and satisfying for all concerned. The Board of Directors from Guide Dogs of the Desert would highly recommend them.”

— Gary Jeandron
Chairman of the Board of Directors, Guide Dogs of the Desert

“McCormack + Kristel was instrumental in helping us expand our pool of passionate and enthusiastic potential trustees from which to draw, as we engaged in board expansion. The firm was very attentive to our requests and tried to get candidates whose characteristics best fit the needs of our agency. They listened carefully and got the work done very quickly and well. After they identified potential candidates, they diligently screened them to ensure that their background was appropriate to 4CS’s needs. They were easy to work with and the process took less time than anticipated. They have created a sound bench of board candidates who will serve as board committee members before being formally asked to serve on the full board. We are deeply grateful.”

— Coleen Stevens Porcher
4CS of Passaic County

“When TransForm considered recruiting firms for our Executive Director search, we were determined to find a consultant who understood our commitment to diversity and inclusion and could reflect that in the search process, as well as its outcome. McCormack + Kristel came highly recommended by progressive organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area, and the firm lived up to its reputation. After a long and challenging search in which McCormack + Kristel was indispensable, we hired a highly qualified candidate with extensive experience in our sector who also reflects the communities we aim to serve. The McCormack + Kristel team was knowledgeable, organized, offered wise counsel and was a pleasure to work with.”

— Paolo Cosulich-Schwartz
Co-Chair Board of Directors, TransForm

“By sourcing top talent, McCormack + Kristel has been a key component in our dynamic growth strategy. In 2020, we engaged McCormack + Kristel to fill a newly created position. The firm shares our values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Their expertise in helping define the position, understanding of the unique considerations in finding a successor to a founder, and flexibility throughout the process was extraordinary. McCormack + Kristel is distinguished by its effective processes, support, and results. I look forward to continuing to utilize their world-class services into the future!”

— Christopher Clinton Conway
Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Susan Love Foundation

“After the feature on Rainbow Railroad on 60 Minutes, we had a large presence but behind the scenes we were still a small start-up organization. We wanted to capitalize on the huge interest and support for our work but still lacked a professional process for recruiting board members who could help us and had difficulty reaching beyond our networks and typical board candidates. Joe and the McCormack + Kristel team helped us create a structured process that would give prospective members confidence and a real assessment of fit between their needs and ours. The result was phenomenal candidates that hit all our objectives and resulted in members who were immediate contributors, people of national prominence and a pipeline of potential candidates for the future.”

— Michael Murphy
President, Rainbow Railroad USA

“Diversity and an understanding of intersectionality were among our top objectives in seeking a new Executive Director for PFLAG, and McCormack + Kristel delivered on both counts. As a national organization with members across the political spectrum, it was important for us to attract a leader who could work with parents of all political persuasions but who are united in their support for LGBTQ equality. In Brian Bond, a widely respected Washington veteran, we have such a leader. Throughout the search process, we had a productive partnership and collaboration with our recruiter, who kept us informed on a weekly basis of the challenges, milestones and successes of our search efforts. McCormack + Kristel continually addressed our concerns and the needs of our stakeholders to achieve a successful result.”

— Chuck Middleton
Search Committee Chair, PFLAG