DRiWaterstone Human Capital Tapped by MOST Policy Initiative to Find New Leader
June 23, 2025 – VA-based DRiWaterstone Human Capital has been called in by MOST Policy Initiative to lead in its search for a new executive director. MOST strives to ensure outstanding academic services and products. The executive director demonstrates a continual commitment to accurate, high-quality content and stakeholder satisfaction through in-depth research results provided by the MOST team.
The executive director at MOST holds a strategic, public-facing leadership position and also manages the organization’s team, overseeing internal, day-to-day research initiatives and comprehensive deliverables. This leader is responsible for directing operations with effective management of employees while establishing professional relationships with executive agencies, national and regional groups, content experts, and local legislative representatives. The executive director is tasked with ensuring the accuracy and soundness, and excellence of all science note request deliverables provided by the MOST team.
The ideal candidate should possess outstanding organizational and leadership abilities, a strong aptitude in reasoning, decision-making, and problem-solving, and demonstrable competency in written communication. They should have a working knowledge of data analysis and performance/operations metrics, as well as a comprehensive understanding of business functions. A strong knowledge of grant writing requirements is essential, along with the knowledge and ability to expertly use all MS Office suite applications. A working knowledge of Missouri state government is preferred. A minimum of an advanced degree is required, along with a minimum of two years of academic research experience or similar work experience. Finally, the candidate should have an entrepreneurial spirit, with the desire and drive to grow the organization.
MOST Policy Initiative is a non-profit corporation aimed at bringing scientists and policymakers together to improve livelihoods for people and communities in Missouri. The Missouri Science & Technology Policy Fellows program is the core, inaugural program under the umbrella of the MOST Policy Initiative. In 2016, MOST Policy Initiative was founded by three PhD students at the University of Missouri – Hallie Thompson, Mike Hendricks, and Rachel Owen. In 2019, MOST hired one of the co-founders, Rachel Owen, to be the full-time executive director and later transitioned the organization from the University to a standalone 501(c)(3). Since its founding, MOST has served as a consistent resource for policymakers when developing and voting on legislation that will impact their constituents.
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.
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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.
National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Search
DRiWaterstone was recently retained by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) to lead in its search for a chief development officer. The firm seeks a motivated, dynamic, and driven chief development officer who is compelled by the idea of growing a historically successful fundraising program through an expanded fundraising strategy. Successful candidates will view themselves as “out-the-door” fundraisers who possess the unique ability to both think strategically and act tactically and efficiently. This executive role will serve as a strategic partner to the CEO and collaborate with leaders across the organization to drive a new era of fundraising.
This position requires a proactive approach to building and maintaining relationships, securing resources, enhancing fundraising strategies, and leading a motivated team. This individual will fearlessly and confidently implement a comprehensive fundraising strategic plan that includes major gifts, corporate and foundation giving, planned giving, and special events.
The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation is a non-profit created by an act of Congress in 1992 to lead a nationwide effort to honor America’s fallen firefighters. NFFF fulfills this mandate by honoring and remembering America’s fallen fire heroes, providing resources to assist the families of the lost firefighters in rebuilding their lives, and through work within the fire service community to reduce firefighter deaths and injuries.
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
