Diversified Search Group (DSG Global) | Koya Partners Leading Executive Director Search for the John Paul Stevens Foundation
June 2, 2025 – Diversified Search Group (DSG Global) | Koya Partners was recently retained by the John Paul Stevens Foundation to lead in its search for a new executive director. Molly Brennan, global managing partner and non-profit and social impact practice leader, and Gina Wrolstad Kueber, senior associate, are leading the assignment. This is an exciting opportunity help guide the foundation into its next phase of impact. The executive director will oversee all aspects of the foundation’s operations, including fundraising, program development, and strategic planning, with a particular emphasis on expanding the impact and sustainability of its fellowship program.
Two key focuses for the incoming executive director will be stabilizing the foundation’s operations infrastructure, including staffing of its finance management and administration, as well as strengthening the foundation’s fundraising capacity by recognizing and deepening relationships with current donors while also expanding its network of supporters. They will play a vital role in cultivating partnerships with fellows, law firms, law schools, and philanthropic organizations to create a robust pipeline of funding, ensuring the Foundation’s long-term sustainability and continued influence.
The role will require a hands-on leader who can collaborate closely with the board to refine the foundation’s strategic direction and solidify its messaging, mission, and objectives within the public interest law community. The executive director will help define the foundation’s standing in the field and work to establish a lasting alumni network that continues to support and grow the next generation of public interest advocates.
As a small non-profit, this organization requires a leader ready to roll up their sleeves, wear many hats, and thrive in a dynamic, evolving environment. The ideal candidate will have a passion for public interest law, experience managing organizational operations, a strong ability to manage relationships with diverse stakeholders (including law schools, law firms, fellows, and donors), and a track record of fundraising success. The executive director will be a collaborative partner to the program director, providing mentorship and guiding leadership whilst effectively empowering them to thrive, and ensuring that the Foundation remains responsive and innovative in its programming.
The John Paul Stevens Foundation is dedicated to advancing public interest and social justice values in the next generation of American lawyers. Through its leading initiative, the Justice John Paul Stevens Public Interest Fellowship Program, the foundation empowers law students to pursue impactful summer internships with governmental agencies and nonprofit organizations committed to the public good. Established in 2010 by a group of Justice Stevens’ former clerks, the foundation serves as a vital, independent nonprofit organization based in Berkeley, CA.
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Diversified Search Group (DSG Global) is a family of recruiting firms serving specialized sectors. The firm was founded almost five decades ago by Judith M. von Seldeneck for the express purpose of placing diverse candidates in client organizations. It is today the largest U.S. female-owned and founded firm in the executive recruitment industry. It is comprised of a combination of specialty practices with deep industry expertise under industry recognized brands, including Alta Associates, BioQuest, Koya Partners, Grant Cooper, and Storbeck Search.
A Combination of Resources
In 2019, Koya was acquired by Diversified Search. With the combination of revenues and resources, Diversified Search and Koya now represent one of the largest non-profit and higher education practices in the executive search industry. Koya’s specialization in mission-driven search, primarily with non-profit and higher education clients, complements Diversified’s own major education, non-profit, and arts and culture practices, as well as the firm’s healthcare services, board of directors, life sciences, industrial, and digital, media, entertainment, and sports practices.
As practice leader, Ms. Brennan works to marshal DSG’s deep experience in the non-profit sector to deliver exceptional results for clients. She joined Koya Partners in its early years and today leads a portfolio of CEO, president, executive director, and other senior executive searches for mission-driven clients across the country and around the world. Her clients have included Amnesty International USA, Southern Poverty Law Center, Sierra Club, Women Moving Millions, Leadership Conference for Civil and Human Rights, ACLU, and Natural Resources Defense Council, among many others. Ms. Brennan’s particular areas of focus include leadership, retention, and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
Ms. Wrolstad Kueber executes C-suite and executive-level recruitments for non-profit and mission-driven clients. In close partnership with client stakeholders and internal teams, she facilitates the full cycle search process — from conducting in-depth needs assessments, to developing candidate profiles and evaluation materials aligning with clients’ unique goals. Ms. Wrolstad Kueber also leads all aspects of candidate engagement, including targeted outreach, interviews, and guiding finalists through the selection process. Her experience spans sectors such as legal and social justice, philanthropy, arts and culture, and higher education.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
