Diversified Search Group | Koya Partners Recruits Chief Development Officer for the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy
November 5, 2024 – Koya Partners, a part of Diversified Search Group, has assisted in the recruitment of Elliott Gaskins as the new chief development officer for the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. The assignment was led by Gerard F. Cattie Jr. “Over the course of his mission-driven career, Elliott has worked with national nonprofits to address some of today’s most pressing problems, from equity and environmental issues to public health and childhood hunger,” said Andrew Roberts, president of the Barbara Bush Foundation. “We’re so pleased that he will now channel his wealth of expertise and deep passion for improving lives into advancing our work to build a more literate America.”
Prior to joining the Barbara Bush Foundation, Mr. Gaskins worked to impact the lives of children and families through his service at some of the nation’s premier non-profit institutions, including Share Our Strength, the Aspen Institute, the Alzheimer’s Association, the Nature Conservancy, and America’s Promise Alliance. During his tenure at these organizations, he raised more than $250 million dollars; executed multiyear fundraising campaigns; led national special events; and created, designed, and implemented comprehensive strategic plans.
Mr. Gaskins’ commitment to volunteerism includes past service on numerous boards, including the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, College and Career Connections, and the Campagna Center, as well as service as a mentor and advisor for organizations including the Dwelling Place, the Manna House, Mentors, Inc., and Clean & Pure Kids.
Reporting directly to the president and serving on the executive leadership team, Mr. Gaskins will be responsible for creating and implementing the foundation’s fundraising strategy and leading a major-gifts-focused, comprehensive development program. He will be a key visioning and thought partner to the president for fundraising and organization-wide strategy, also serving as proxy for the president or other senior foundation leaders when necessary.
“Few issues are as important and urgently critical as ensuring that more children and families acquire the essential literacy skills needed to embrace all that life has to offer,” said Mr. Gaskins. “I am honored to have the opportunity to help make a transformative impact and bring us that much closer to a country where low literacy rates are a thing of the past.”
A national public charity based in Washington, D.C., the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy is dedicated to building a stronger, more equitable America through literacy. Since the Foundation’s establishment in 1989 by First Lady Barbara Bush, it has supported evidence-based family literacy programs in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Family of Firms
Diversified Search Group is a family of firms serving specialized sectors. The firm was founded almost five decades ago for the express purpose of placing diverse candidates in client organizations. Koya Partners is a part of the Diversified Search Group and is dedicated to mission-driven leadership. Koya works broadly at the senior-most levels of the mission-driven field in philanthropy, social services, arts and culture, and social justice, among others.
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Koya Partners has been retained by Americans for the Arts (AFTA) to lead in its search for a new CEO. Managing director Anne McCarthy, vice president Chartise Clark, senior search associate Nikki Lynch, and senior search coordinator Kaley Blaszinski are leading the assignment. The well-publicized departure of its long-serving CEO in 2021 was followed by the appointment of an interim leader. This leadership change, coupled with external economic, social, and cultural shifts affecting all nonprofits, required AFTA to plot a new trajectory. This includes the need to facilitate strategic cohesion between the board, staff and the field at large. Additionally, like many organizations today, technology and infrastructure issues have also hindered efficiency.
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.
Mr. Cattie is managing director and practice leader, DSG fundraising and advancement, based in New York. His practice focuses on searches for senior leadership positions within prominent higher education institutions, non-profit organizations, global NGOs, foundations, associations and membership societies, healthcare providers, as well as arts and cultural entities. He serves as the leader of the firm’s development and philanthropy practice, along with the arts and culture sector of the firm’s education, nonprofit, and arts and culture practice.
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
