Cooper Coleman Recruits Executive Director for San Diego Pride
January 21, 2026 – Chicago-based Cooper Coleman LLC has assisted in the recruitment of KishaLynn Elliott as executive director of San Diego Pride. She becomes the first Black lesbian to serve as permanent executive director in the organization’s more than 50-year history. The national search was led by J. Michael Durnil, director of executive search at Cooper Coleman, in close partnership with the San Diego Pride board of directors, engaging staff, volunteers, and community stakeholders to ensure alignment with the organization’s values, culture, and the needs of the community as Pride looks to the future.
“KishaLynn Elliott is the kind of leader organizations wait for—grounded in community, unapologetically values-driven, and ready to lead San Diego Pride into its next chapter with clarity and courage,” said Dr. Durnil. “Her appointment marks both a historic milestone and a powerful affirmation of Pride’s future. At Cooper Coleman, we approach every executive search with care, integrity, and accountability to the communities our clients serve. San Diego Pride entrusted us with a critically important moment in its history, and we are honored to have helped guide that process.”
“We couldn’t have asked for a better partner in this very important search than Michael and Cooper Coleman,” said Martha Henderson, chair of the San Diego Pride search committee. “They took this search to heart and spent a ton of time just listening to us and our community to find us the perfect person to meet the moment. We are very thankful for the care and initiative Cooper Coleman took to help us move the organization forward.”
“KishaLynn Elliott’s appointment represents both a powerful milestone and a clear statement of values,” said Paris Quion, board co-chair. “Her leadership reflects the lived experiences, professional expertise, and clarity needed to guide San Diego Pride forward during this critical moment. She is the leader our organization and community need.”
“After a rigorous national search, it was clear that KishaLynn possessed the rare combination of visionary heart and operational mind that this organization deserves,” added Joshua Dunn, board co-chair. “We are thrilled to welcome a leader who not only understands our history but has the strategic discipline to secure our future.”
A San Diego-based strategist and restorative leader, Ms. Elliott brings more than 20 years of executive experience to the role. Most recently, she served as chief operating officer of the Monarch School Project, where she led complex operations and advanced equity for unhoused youth while guiding the organization through periods of significant transition.
“It is the honor of a lifetime to be called on to lead this legacy organization,” Ms. Elliott said. “San Diego Pride is a powerful civic institution and a beacon of hope for our region. At this pivotal moment together, we have the opportunity to redefine what community leadership looks like. To me, this work is about creating a sanctuary of belonging — not only in July, but every single day, here in San Diego and worldwide.”
“My leadership style is rooted in restorative justice, radical transparency, and human dignity,” Ms. Elliott continued. “I believe that joy is our greatest renewable resource. When we heal and strengthen our internal community, our external impact becomes unstoppable. I am honored to walk this path alongside our staff, volunteers, board, and the entire San Diego community as this exciting new era of connection and growth unfolds.”
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San Diego Pride has grown from a small grassroots march in 1974 into one of the most respected and philanthropic Pride organizations in the world. Originally formed as a sponsored program of The Center for Social Services to produce San Diego’s first Lesbian and Gay Parade commemorating the Stonewall Rebellion, the organization incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit in 1994. Today, it is a year-round LGBTQ+ education, advocacy, and cultural institution with a global footprint.
Finding Non-Profit Leaders
Founded in 2020, Cooper Coleman is a full-service executive search and consulting firm partnering exclusively with non-profit organizations, foundations, and research and academic institutions to drive meaningful growth. Its team moves organizations forward by placing “the right leaders in the right roles at the right time” and helps to strengthen their management and fundraising capacity to amplify their mission and impact.
Bill Coleman is principal and co-founder of Cooper Coleman. He has more than 16 years of leadership experience throughout the social sector. He partnered with his father-in-law, William B. Coleman, to establish Cooper Coleman as a firm that “prioritizes making the essential services of executive search accessible to organizations across the social sector, knowing the transformational impact having the right leaders in the right roles can have on an organization and its mission,” the firm said. Mr. Coleman has more than 25 years’ experience in retained executive search, including leading his own firm, Coleman Search Consulting LLC, for more than 10 years until its sale in 2018.
Johnny Cooper has worked with publicly and privately held corporations in the recruitment of C-level operating, finance, human resources, sales/marketing, supply chain, and technology executives. Prior to Cooper Coleman, he founded and led Coleman Search Consulting LLC, for more than 10 years before selling the firm.
Dr. Durnil has over 30 years of experience in K-16 education, foundations, corporate philanthropy, and not-for-profit leadership to the Cooper Coleman team. He has a track record in systems integration, program expansion, board development, fundraising, and stakeholder engagement. Before joining Cooper Coleman, Dr. Durnil held numerous executive leadership positions, including executive director at Scripps National Spelling Bee, campus president for Roosevelt University in Schaumburg, IL, and interim president and senior vice president/chief operating officer at GLAAD.
Related: Cooper Coleman Recruits CEO for Family Equality
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
