BoardWalk Consulting Seeking Chief People Officer for Year Up United
April 22, 2025 – Executive recruitment firm BoardWalk Consulting was recently retained by Year Up United to lead in its search for a new chief people officer. Senior director Crystal Stephens and senior associate Terri Kohan are leading the assignment. The organization seeks a visionary chief people officer who will architect the essential processes and frameworks needed to deliver consistent, world-class HR services. They will partner and collaborate with the CEO and accomplished executive team as a trusted strategic advisor.
The CPO will drive organizational excellence and build an excellent HR department. They will lead change in a collaborative and decisive manner. This role offers the rare opportunity to shape the skills-first people strategy of a dynamic organization at a critical inflection point in its growth journey. The successful candidate will have the canvas to create a lasting impact while working alongside passionate leaders committed to excellence.
The chief people officer will be an experienced human resources executive who has led organizations through change. The CPO will be grounded in the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, with evidence of embracing, developing, and growing a diverse workforce. Candidates should have 15+ years of progressive HR leadership experience, including significant experience as the lead human resources executive in organizations of similar or greater complexity. They must have a proven track record in leading through significant organizational change as well as demonstrated success in policy development and implementation.
Founded in 2000, Year Up United is a social enterprise focused on economic mobility in the U.S. Its foundational program is a tuition-free job training program that includes wrap-around support, a corporate internship with a respected company, and the ability to earn money while learning with regular stipends during training and internships. Year Up United offers several different areas of training, including information technology, software development, business and financial operations, banking, and customer success.
BoardWalk Consulting, based in Atlanta, is a national executive search firm that recruits CEOs and senior leadership for mission-driven non-profit organizations. Founded in 2002, the firm leads executive searches for clients from across the non-profit sector with global, national, regional, and local missions. Many of the firm’s team members have previously served as non-profit executives, grant makers, and board leaders. BoardWalk Consulting is also an active partner in Panorama, the global network of independent executive search firms.
BoardWalk Consulting was founded by Sam Pettway, a 30-year search veteran. Over his career in executive search, he has worked with hundreds of board members and leadership teams with entities ranging from start-ups to mature multinationals in both the corporate and non-profit sectors. Since founding BoardWalk in 2002, Mr. Pettway has served clients as varied as international relief agencies, national foundations, regional trade associations, and local agencies in dozens of markets.
Ms. Stephens joined BoardWalk in 2012 after extensive experience working with top-tier organizations in sales, marketing, and recruiting. She spent most of her corporate career with IBM in senior sales and marketing positions. As executive vice president at Monster.com, she managed a global sales team. Ms. Stephens has led mission-critical searches for clients such as Year Up, Communities in Schools, and the Anti-Defamation League.
Finding Chief People Officers
A number of search firms have been called in to find chief people officers. Here is a sampling from the Hunt Scanlon Media archives.
NU Advisory Partners has placed Deborah DeVerna as the new chief people officer of Allvue Systems. “With your wealth of expertise in organizational development and talent strategy, we’re confident your leadership will elevate team cohesion and drive impactful results as the organization grows,” said Nada Usina, co-founder and CEO of NU Advisory Partners. Thank you to Marc Scheipe, Deborah Mason Lefkowitz, Alana Zell, Alexandra Millett, and Vista Equity Partners for your continued partnership.” With over 20 years of experience as a strategic human resources leader, Ms. DeVerna brings a robust track record of enhancing organizational effectiveness through collaborative partnership with global leadership teams. Her expertise spans talent development, culture building, and change management, making her a fantastic addition to Allvue’s executive team. Previously, she served as chief people officer at Qontigo and Octave Group, where she led impactful initiatives that fostered dynamic, people-centered workplaces.
Arlington, VA-based DRiWaterstone Human Capital was recently retained by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) to lead in its search for a chief people officer. Doug Trout, CEO of DRiWaterstone, is leading the assignment. The chief people officer is responsible for developing and executing human capital strategy in support of the organization’s plan and strategic direction, specifically in employee relations, talent management, change management, performance management, training and development, compensation, and succession planning. In collaboration with the Union of Concerned Scientists’ leadership, the chief people officer will implement policies and practices to build and maintain a unified work culture that exemplifies UCS values, thereby positioning the organization to effectively carry out its mission.
CarterBaldwin Executive Search has assisted in the recruitment of Arturo Towns as the chief people officer of Central States, a provider of metal building components, roofing, and building systems. The search was led by partner Andrea McDaniel Smith and search consultant Ted Wieber. “Arturo’s appointment marks a pivotal moment for Central States Inc. as we reinforce our commitment to fostering an inclusive, high-performing culture,” said Jim Sliker, CEO of Central States. “He brings an exceptional blend of strategic vision and a genuine people-first approach to Central States. We are thrilled to welcome him to our leadership team and look forward to the positive impact he will make.” With a career spanning more than 25 years in human resources, Mr. Towns brings a wealth of experience in strategy, talent acquisition, and development to Central States as the 100 percent employee-owned company focuses on engaging employee-owners and advancing success.
Related: The Christopher Group Recruits Chief People Officer for Mintz Group
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
