Cook Silverman Search Recruits Chief Development Officer for Common Sense Media
October 2, 2026 – Greenbrae, CA-based Cook Silverman Search has assisted in the recruitment of Alicia Chang as chief development officer of Common Sense Media to lead in its search for a chief development officer.
Ms. Chang joins Common Sense Media after spending a decade with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, where she most recently served as deputy chief development officer and vice president of the Berkeley Lab Foundation. She joined Berkeley Lab in 2016 and previously served as executive director of biosciences for the foundation. Earlier in her career, Ms. Chang held development and philanthropy roles with WWF and the Asian Pacific Fund and also worked as a management consultant with Mercer Management Consulting, Edgar, Dunn & Company, and KPMG.
In her new role with Common Sense Media, Ms. Chang provides strategic leadership and guidance for the development department, while supporting the president and board chair. She is responsible for building a multi-year sustainability strategy to deepen, diversify, and support the organization’s $35 million annual budget.
“Thrilled to start my next chapter at Common Sense Media,” Ms. Chang said in a LinkedIn post. “I’m proud to be working toward a safer, healthier online world for kids.”
Common Sense Media is the leading non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the research-backed information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the age of apps, algorithms, and AI. They rate, educate, and advocate for policies to protect and prepare kids online. Their ratings, research, and resources reach more than 150 million users globally, over 1.4 million educators, and more than 100,000 schools worldwide every year.
Cook Silverman Search focuses on many senior positions include but not limited to: development, CEO/COO/executive director and CFO’s for non-profit organizations, predominantly in Northern California. Its client base represents a broad span of organizations, including social service, museums, science. independent schools, universities, conservation, health care, and culture. The firm has placed advancement executives for Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health, Children’s Council of San Francisco, Eviction Defense Collaborative, The Unity Council, Earth Island Institute, among others.
Victoria L. Silverman is managing founder of the search firm. She has more than 30 years of experience in the philanthropic sector. Throughout her career, Ms. Silverman has worked in senior fundraising, advancement, and management positions at Stanford University, Washington University in St. Louis, the University of California, the American Film Institute, and the Buck Institute for Age Research, among others. Her search work focuses on higher education, the arts, biotech and environment sectors. She has been speaker for the Council for Advancement and Support of Education and has served on fundraising advisory committees for several non-profit organizations.
Chief Development Officers
Virtually every industry needs top-drawer chief development officers. CDOs play a key role in planning, coordinating, and administering capital campaigns, corporate giving, and galvanizing new donors while keeping previous funders content. Implementing funding strategies that “keep the lights on,” according to recruiters specializing in the function, is job No. 1. Here is a sampling of recent searches for chief development officers from the Hunt Scanlon Media archives.
Lindauer has been retained by C-SPAN to lead in its search for a chief development officer. The search is being led by Lindauer vice president Maureen Huminik, senior vice president Bob Giannino, and senior consultant Taylor Beard. Working in partnership with the CEO and senior management team, the CDO will design, launch, and lead a comprehensive philanthropic strategy capable of securing transformational support — including six, seven- and eight-figure gifts — while upholding C-SPAN’s core values of nonpartisanship, independence, and public trust. This is an exceptional opportunity for a seasoned non-profit fundraising leader who brings a strong track record of securing major and principal gifts.
After a national search, TM² Executive Search (TM²) has assisted in the recruitment of Jonathan Sandville as chief development officer of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF). “After a comprehensive nationwide search, I’m delighted to welcome Jonathan as our chief development officer,” said Harry L. Williams, president and CEO of TMCF. “We’re excited to utilize his background in development to elevate our impact to higher levels. Jonathan is an excellent addition to our development team and I look forward to their results under his leadership.” Mr. Sandville, who most recently served as a commissioner of the Legal Services Trust Fund Commission at the State Bar of California, will lead development activities at TMCF. In his role at the Legal Services Trust Fund Commission, he helped to oversee and administer over $210 million in grants annually for nonprofit civil legal aid organizations throughout the State of California.
DRiWaterstone Human Capital is currently seeking a chief development officer for the U.S. Naval Institute. The U.S. Naval Institute seeks a development leader of presence and confidence with an authentic passion for the Naval Institute’s mission. The chief development officer will oversee a comprehensive development program, building strong relationships with individual, corporate, and foundation supporters to secure unrestricted, specific, endowment, and planned gifts that advance the organization’s mission. Candidates should have non-profit fundraising experience, with a deep understanding of strategic comprehensive development. Those applying should be a relationship builder who is comfortable working with high-level individuals and making subsequent six and seven-figure asks.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
