DRiWaterstone Human Capital Seeking Chief People Officer for Step Up For Students
February 2, 2026 – DRiWaterstone Human Capital has been selected by Step Up For Students to lead in its search for a chief people officer. This executive plays a critical role in supporting the transformation and growth of Step Up For Students. Reporting directly to the CEO, the CPO will provide strategic leadership across human resources, workforce planning, coaching and culture, and internal communications. This role requires a collaborative, forward-thinking leader who can align people strategies with the organization’s mission and long-term goals.
The CPO will work closely with executive leadership to shape a high-performing, inclusive culture that supports both employee well-being and organizational success. In addition to overseeing core HR operations, the CPO will lead efforts to attract, develop, and retain top talent while embedding a strong leadership and performance development framework across the organization. The role will also guide initiatives that drive employee engagement, cultural alignment, internal communications, and workforce planning. As both a strategic advisor and operational leader, the CPO will ensure that people and culture remain central to Step Up For Students’ continued impact and innovation.
Candidates must have a minimum 15 years of leadership experience in talent management, including hiring, onboarding, upskilling, performance tracking, and contractor management. SPHR (Senior Professional in Human Resources) certification is required for this role.
Those applying must have demonstrated strategic leadership capabilities and strong policy development proficiency. They should have a minimum seven years of experience working within non-profit organizations, especially those serving diverse socio-economic populations and individuals with a broad range of abilities as well as a minimum seven years of experience in fast-paced, process-critical sectors such as large enterprises, banking, payments, or retail is an asset, especially with experience supporting timely and efficient operations.
Step Up For Students is a state-approved, nonprofit scholarship funding organization that helps administer scholarships for Florida schoolchildren. It is a partner of public schools, and these scholarships strengthen public education by offering options to all families so they can choose the learning environment that best meets their children’s individual needs.
Created through a recent merger between DRi and Waterstone Human Capital, DRiWaterstone Human Capital is a culture-centric executive search, leadership advisory, and human capital firm focused on helping mission and purpose-driven organizations across the U.S. build high performance teams and cultures. The firm’s team of talent management professionals has placed over 1,000 exceptional executives since it opened in 2001.
Related: DRiWaterstone Human Capital Seeking Chief Development Officer for the U.S. Naval Institute
The firm offers executive search services focused on helping clients achieve sustainable organizational and cultural growth by finding leaders who align to the organization’s purpose, and who can help take the organization and its culture to the next level. DRiWaterstone Human Capital also offers a full portfolio of cultural talent management and leadership advisory services (including culture assessment, culture measurement, and culture curation) – to help organizations put culture at the center of strategy and drive success.
MOST Policy Initiative Search
DRiWaterstone Human Capital recently assisted in the recruitment of Allison R. Davis as the new executive director of MOST Policy Initiative. “We are excited to welcome Allison as our next executive director,” said board president Katie Steen-James on behalf of the MOST executive committee. “Her experience at the intersection of research and policy is uniquely suited to meet MOST’s mission of promoting long-term health, sustainability, and economic growth for people and communities in the state. I know she will bring her passion for rural communities in Missouri and beyond to her work as well as her enthusiasm for supporting early-career researchers.”
DRiWaterstone Human Capital Tapped by WJCT Public Media to Lead CEO Search
DRiWaterstone Human Capital has been retained by WJCT Public Media to lead in its search for a new president and CEO. The president and CEO of WJCT Public Media serves as the organization’s chief executive, responsible for ensuring the effective operation, sustainability, and growth of the organization. This leader guides the strategic vision, champions innovation, and represents WJCT Public Media within the community and industry. Acting as the principal fundraiser and a visible public figure, the president and CEO advances the organization’s mission while building trust and strong relationships with staff, boards, donors, and stakeholders.
A native Missourian, Ms. Davis brings a background in public service, research, and mentorship of early-career researchers. Most recently, she served as the executive director of the cultural property advisory committee at the U.S. Department of State. At the Department, she led a team of experts working to protect cultural property from around the world. Before the State Department, Ms. Davis carried out archaeological research in Peru for 15 years overseeing a team of archaeologists, researchers, and students. Her work in government and field research give her a unique perspective on translating skills learned in academia to the real world. Ms. Davis’ extensive experience in public sector budget and personnel management will make her an asset to MOST’s small but mighty team.
Related: DRiWaterstone Human Capital Recruits CEO for the San Diego Workforce Partnership
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
