Executive Search
Offering a high-touch, human-centered executive search experience for clients and candidates.
Meet our executive search experts.
The right leader can take your vision, impact, and culture to new heights. But those people don’t just appear. Finding them depends on an equitable, thorough search that leads you to the right match: a qualified and passionate nonprofit leader ready to help you change the world.
We are an award-winning Executive Search firm in Chicago and Seattle, and our team has been doing just that for more than 20 years.—building lasting connections, discovering talent in unexpected places, and understanding each organization’s unique needs and moment.
What our clients are saying about us.
Ashley Jordan, Ph.D.
President and CEO
African American Museum in Philadelphia
“Campbell & Company is more than just a search firm, but a company that advocates well beyond the placement of the candidates. This additional support that Campbell provides is professionalism with care. They are an organization committed to the success of their clients and their accessibility to be a resource is unmatched.”
Doug Mitchell
Executive Director
Glacier National Park Conservancy
“Until I met the Campbell & Company Executive Search team, my experience over a long career with executive search firms had, frankly, been mixed at best. From my first interaction with them, I knew this was a different kind of firm. They are truly interested in finding the best candidate for the organization they are representing, and they go about it by developing authentic, supportive, and meaningful relationships with candidates. For me, too many search firms come across as purely transactional. Campbell & Company is different. They are truly special and I am a better executive thanks to their involvement with me and my organization.”
Elias Rosario
Chief Administrative and Financial Officer
Heartland Alliance
“The Campbell & Company Executive Search team met every metric and requirement outlined within the written search strategy and we were quickly presented with a highly qualified and impressive candidate pool to fill the CHRO position. Thank you, for successfully filling one of our most challenging positions with an excellent candidate, in record time, It was a very helpful and pleasant experience.”
Paul Bessire
Chief Advancement Officer
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
“Campbell & Company has made a significant contribution to our fundraising success in the years of our work together. We value them as true partners who contribute to and enhance our ongoing efforts in a comprehensive, highly strategic manner. Campbell & Company has deep experience in all aspects of an innovative development program, from annual fund execution, executive search, database management, to principal giving strategy. Their expertise has brought us new revenue streams, helped us plan and launch campaigns, and brought top-notch development professionals to our team – including me!”
Marie Trzupek Lynch
Former CEO and President
Skills for Chicagoland Future
“Our Chief Program Officer is amazing. She’s one of the best hires we’ve made, and I would never have found her without Campbell & Company. We are so lucky to have her at Skills!”
Diane Regas
President and CEO
Trust for Public Land
“We partnered with Campbell & Company’s Executive Search team to recruit our first Chief People and Culture Officer. I was thrilled with their support throughout the search, the quality of candidates presented, and the team’s ability to understand and respond to our needs for this role. I would recommend Campbell & Company without hesitation.”
Open Space Institute client story
With more than 50 years of experience in conservation, restoration, advocacy, and community engagement, the Open Space Institute (OSI) stands as a national leader in the environmental sector.
Watch how OSI engaged Campbell & Company for expertise in structuring and expanding their development team.
Our executive search process.
Uniquely tailored to meet your organization’s specific needs, ensuring a seamless alignment of leadership talent with your mission and goals.
Discovery &
Strategy
We begin by learning everything we can about your organization, crafting a compelling position guide, and creating a strategy to find the most promising candidates.
Research, Outreach & Screening
We conduct fresh research and reach out with personalized engagement to our network of nonprofit leaders, reaching both active and passive candidates who may be open to a new opportunity.
Interviewing
& Assessment
We use behavioral-based interview techniques and dig deep into each candidate’s capabilities, experiences, and readiness to make an impact.
Selection, Offer
& Onboarding
We serve as trusted advisors through the final selection process, including conducting in-depth reference checks, guiding offers and negotiations, and providing onboarding support for a successful transition.
Recently placed leaders.
Leaders placed through our Executive Search practice are making an impact across the nonprofit sector.
Alli Lambert
Vice President of Advancement
Alli Lambert joins National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) in September 2024 as their new Vice President of Advancement, providing strategic leadership and vision to elevate fundraising efforts across the school. Alli brings over two decades of advancement experience from leading small liberal arts colleges to working in large public universities to meet or exceed their fundraising goals. Most recently, Alli served as Chief Development Officer at Colby College, where she led giving strategy and operations of a large, high-performing, advancement team of 54. Alli also provided strategic leadership as part of Colby’s $1B Dare Northward campaign. Prior to Colby College, Alli served as Vice President and Assistant Vice President of the University of Vermont Foundation where she led a team to raise $120 million for a mix of capital and funding needs, one of the foundation’s most successful fundraising years. She also has held previous senior leadership roles at the University of California, Riverside and Bates College in Lewiston, Maine. We are thrilled for Alli to embark on this adventure to combine her motivation to build capable leaders for the future, passion for the natural world, and relational approach to fundraising.
Rich Majerus
Vice President of Expeditions
Rich Majerus joined National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) in August 2024 as their Vice President of Expeditions, leading a global team and 13 campus locations and several support departments. Rich brings years of experience in college and university operations, from enrollment and advancement to strategic planning and capital projects. Most recently, Rich served as the Vice President of Planning and Strategy at Queens University of Charlotte, where he led the university’s strategic planning efforts in addition to overseeing other operational areas, including campus safety, human resources, and technology. Prior to his work at Queens, Rich led an advancement strategy at Colby College as Assistant Vice President for Advancement Strategy and Donor Relations that helped increase the college’s fundraising from $21.8 million in 2015 to $203.1 million in 2018. For five years, prior to its acquisition in 2016, Rich led a higher education start-up, Third Coast Analytics, that developed predictive modeling platforms for higher education clients. We’re thrilled for Rich to embark on this adventure, and impressed he plans to jump right in with a NOLS course his first month as Vice President.
Sherry Shaffer
Director of Development
Sherry Shaffer has joined Yerkes Observatory in July 2024 as their Director of Development. She brings development and marketing experience spanning for-profit and nonprofit sectors, with a focus on museums and culture. Sherry has significant expertise in individual giving and capital campaigns, and most recently served as the Senior Philanthropy manager for Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona where she supported a $53.6M capital campaign for The Marley Foundation Astronomy Discovery Center. Drawn to Yerkes for its blend of science, arts, culture, and history, we’re thrilled for Sherry to support the landmark institution and contribute to the growth of the organization, its impact, and community.
Lindsey McClenahan
Vice President of Advancement and Communications
Lindsey McClenahan brings her 15 years of experience in nonprofit and higher education fundraising to Samuel Merritt University as their Vice President of Advancement and Communications. Most recently, as the Vice President of Development at University of San Francisco, she oversaw the strategic direction and execution of fundraising initiatives that support the university’s mission and vision. Prior to USF, Lindsey fundraised for organizations such as the American Red Cross and San Francisco Symphony. She is passionate about building resilient relationships between donors and organizations, and engaging and empowering volunteer leaders, staff, and faculty. She has successfully led and revitalized major giving programs, crafted and closed comprehensive asks, and increased donor retention and satisfaction rates. In addition to her professional work, Lindsey’s academic studies in History and International Studies inform her strong interest in social justice and human rights issues.
Chris Jasculca
Director of marketing and Communications
This January, Chris Jasculca begins his new role as Latin School of Chicago’s Director of Marketing & Communications. Chris brings 26 years of comprehensive experience, with the past 20 years focused primarily on leading marketing and communications teams within public schools and higher education. He most recently served as the Director of Communications at Hinsdale Township High School District 86, where he identified and strengthened new opportunities to connect with stakeholders and led internal and external communications. Chris brings great experience collaborating across teams, developing organization-wide marketing and communications strategy, and most importantly, he has a deep passion for education. We are thrilled to see him step into this leadership role at Latin and look forward to the amazing work their team will accomplish!
Holly Gulden
Vice President, Foundation
This coming January, Holly Gulden will be stepping into CentraCare’s Vice President, Foundation role. Holly most recently led Tulane University’s School of Medicine as their Associate Vice President for Advancement and Executive Director, Medicine, while also serving as the Interim Vice President for Advancement, Major Gifts. She brings over twenty years of extensive fundraising experience with a specific focus on Health Sciences and Medicine within a Higher Education landscape. We look forward to Holly’s new leadership at CentraCare Foundation as they continue to advance healthcare for rural Minnesota and take on new sights with their $50M Medical School campaign in partnership with the University of Minnesota!
Emily Hansen
Director of Development
Emily joined Chicago Shakespeare Theater as their Director of Development in September 2023. She brings twenty years of experience in nonprofit fundraising and leadership for cultural and social service institutions, with significant expertise in principal giving at the seven- and eight-figure level. Emily most recently served as the Associate Vice President of Transformational Giving for the Museum of Science and Industry, after spending six years fundraising for low-income housing initiatives as Senior Director of Development for Enterprise Community Partners. We are thrilled that she will bring her combined passions for philanthropy and the arts to her role at Chicago Shakes.
People matter. Results matter.
Diverse pool of candidates for consideration.
AIRS Certified Diversity and Inclusion recruiters.
Average placement tenure.
Of our placements are executives of color.
Ranked a top 10 executive search firm for women of color by Women of Color in Fundraising and Philanthropy.
The results of Campbell & Company searches reflect our commitment to diversity and equity.
Industry Insights
Read the latest from the sharp minds of our team members, where they combine real experience, fresh data, leading practices, and thoughtful reflection on the biggest challenges facing the sector today.