PRESS RELEASES

Cooper Coleman Retained to Lead Chief Executive Officer Search for the National Association for Interpretation

CHICAGO, IL – Cooper Coleman LLC has been retained to conduct the national search for the next Chief Executive Officer of the National Association for Interpretation (NAI), a 501(c)(3) professional association dedicated to advancing the field of heritage interpretation.

The position is fully remote, and the search is national in scope.

Founded in 1988 through the merger of the Association of Interpretive Naturalists and the Western Interpreters Association, NAI serves approximately 5,000 members across the United States and more than thirty countries. Its membership spans parks, museums, nature centers, zoos, aquariums, historic sites, and cultural institutions, and its core offerings include training and certification programs, conferences, publications, and digital resources that advance the profession of heritage interpretation.

NAI is at a meaningful inflection point, entering its next chapter with a strong mission and respected reputation while also recognizing the need for greater operational clarity, financial resilience, and long-term strategic focus. The next CEO will be a hands-on leader responsible for stabilizing and strengthening the organization, advancing its training and certification portfolio as NAI’s primary value driver, and positioning the association for sustained relevance and impact across the field.

“NAI is a respected organization with a committed community and an important mission, and this is a pivotal moment for the association,” said Johnny Cooper, Founder and CEO of Cooper Coleman LLC. “We’re proud to partner with the Board as they identify the leader who will carry it forward.”

The search seeks candidates with senior leadership experience in a nonprofit, association, or similarly complex organization, along with demonstrated success in financial and operational management, program strategy, board partnership, and leading through organizational change. Experience in membership-based or association environments is preferred.

Additional details regarding the role, qualifications, and application process are available at www.coopercoleman.com/current-searches.

---

# # #

---

About the National Association for Interpretation

The National Association for Interpretation (NAI) is a 501(c)(3) professional association dedicated to advancing the field of heritage interpretation. Formed in 1988, NAI serves approximately 5,000 members across the United States and more than thirty countries, representing interpreters, naturalists, historians, rangers, educators, guides, academics, and the institutions that support them. NAI’s offerings include training and certification programs, conferences, regional workshops, publications, and digital resources, including The Journal of Interpretation Research and the InterpPress publishing imprint.

For more information, visit www.nai-us.org.

---

About Cooper Coleman LLC

Cooper Coleman is a leading national executive search firm serving mission-driven organizations across the nonprofit and social impact sector. The firm partners with arts and cultural institutions, museums, zoos and aquariums, public health organizations, educational and research institutions, associations, and social service organizations nationwide. A member of The Giving Institute and the Network of Nonprofit Search Consultants, Cooper Coleman is ranked by Forbes among America’s Best Recruiting Firms, and Hunt Scanlon Media among the Top 250 recruiting firms and the Top 75 nonprofit executive search firms in the United States.

Founded by nonprofit leaders and executive search professionals, Cooper Coleman brings decades of firsthand sector experience to every engagement. The firm approaches executive search as stewardship, representing organizations and their missions with care, rigor, and integrity. Cooper Coleman is often selected by boards and senior leaders when the stakes are unusually high, and leadership decisions carry lasting organizational consequence.

For more information about Cooper Coleman LLC, visit www.coopercoleman.com or connect on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/coopercoleman.