Cook Silverman Search Tapped by EPACANDO to Help Find New Executive Director
September 10, 2026 – Greenbrae, CA-based Cook Silverman Search was recently retained by East Palo Alto Community Alliance and Neighborhood Development Organization (EPACANDO) to lead in its search for a new executive director. Current executive director Duane Bay is planning to retire. The non-profit seeks an experienced, community-centered executive director to lead the organization into its next chapter: Building the capacity of the organization through internal growth, partnerships, and community relationships in order to sustain long-term stewardship of our existing real-estate portfolio and complete another 200 homes in our development pipeline.
Reporting to the board of directors, the executive director provides vision, operational leadership, and strategic direction across all aspects of the organization—from affordable housing development and homeownership programs to housing policy advocacy, fundraising, staff management, board development, and community engagement. This is a deeply place-based role as the executive will be a visible, trusted presence in East Palo Alto and a credible partner to the city, county, funders, co-developers, and community members who rely on EPACANDO’s work.
The search firm is seeking candidates who are a leader deeply rooted in or connected to East Palo Alto (or a comparable place-based community), with a genuine commitment to the people, history, and future of EPA. A skilled generalist with financial acumen, housing development knowledge, and the political savvy to navigate a complex and shifting landscape—building coalitions and advancing the mission even in challenging political terrain. The organization is looking to attract a relationship builder with the ability to earn the trust of staff, board, community members, partners, funders, and elected officials alike. A leader who is passionate about developing and building staff capacity and supporting their professional growth is preferred.
The East Palo Alto Community Alliance and Neighborhood Development Organization is a non-profit, community-based organization focused on affordable housing and economic and community development in East Palo Alto, CA. The organization works with residents, government agencies, and community partners on initiatives designed to expand and preserve affordable housing, address displacement, support homeownership, and improve quality of life for local residents.
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.
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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.
Welcoming Home Search
Cook Silverman Search recently assisted in the recruitment of Michael Cushing as the first executive director of Welcoming Home, marking a step in the organization’s growth and continued service to formerly homeless families in need across Marin and Sonoma counties. The organization’s founders, Marsha Roberts and Greg Hansen, will work closely with Mr. Cushing during the leadership transition. Both will remain active on the Welcoming Home board — Ms. Roberts as president and Mr. Hansen as chairman — and will continue supporting volunteer engagement and donor outreach.
“Michael brings more than 20 years of nonprofit leadership experience to the role,” Welcoming Home said in a LinkedIn post. “He has a strong operations background, guiding organizations through growth, change, and community impact. He also brings extensive development experience, having led fundraising efforts across major gifts, annual campaigns, and institutional grants. He is excited to bring that combined experience to Welcoming Home’s mission of furnishing homes for individuals and families transitioning out of homelessness and poverty in Marin and Sonoma County.”
Mr. Cushing brings more than 20 years of non-profit leadership experience, with a background in operations, organizational development and fundraising. He has led efforts across major gifts, annual campaigns and institutional grant programs and has guided organizations through periods of expansion and change while building teams and sustainable systems. Most recently, Mr. Cushing served as executive director of San Francisco City Guides, where he led a community of more than 300 volunteer guides.
Related: Cook Silverman Search Retained by the California Academy of Sciences
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
