BoardWalk Consulting

About Us

At BoardWalk Consultingfinding leaders that matter for missions that matter® is not just our tagline, it is our very reason for being.

A national firm specializing in CEO recruitment, we have been privileged to work with boards and senior leaders of an eclectic array of foundations and nonprofits in every region of the country. Many of our clients are national or even global in scope; others may focus on a specific community, issue or constituency. All deserve first-rate leaders who can build on past successes and lead their organizations to even greater impact.

Our commitment to excellence is supported by a tenacious process that combines the reach of monolithic firms with the intimacy and adaptability of a boutique. Each of our clients is unique, but our approach is consistent, delivering professionally and demographically diverse slates from which compelling contenders evolve, committed to the impact our clients’ missions deserve.

Like our clients, we draw strength from our mission—elevating impact through leadership—and we know both the promise and the pitfalls of recruiting a new leader. Whether your organization’s transition is planned or sudden, we have the people, the passion, the process, and the persistence to ensure a successful outcome.

ACHIEVEMENTS

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At BoardWalk Consulting, our own team members model the power of diversity in leadership. Our individual journeys to executive search were very different, but we share a commitment to better lives and a better world, and we feel privileged to engage in such meaningful work.

As a team, our multifaceted experience contributes to our ability to identify the mission-critical strengths, trajectory and sense of purpose our clients expect in their leaders. Our own experience, expertise and empathy give us a competitive edge in finding leaders that matter for missions that matter. ®

BoardWalk Consulting

Solutions And Expertise

Since 2002, BoardWalk Consulting has conducted hundreds of leadership searches for foundations and nonprofits in every region of the country. Recruiting CEOs is our primary work, but we are pleased to recruit board members and other senior leaders who can add exceptional value to a client’s mission, whatever the stage of the organization.

Functions
  • Board/Governance
  • CEO/President
  • Development
  • Finance/Accounting
  • GM/Operations
  • Marketing & Sales

BoardWalk Consulting

News Briefings

BoardWalk Consulting Appoints CEO

Executive search firm BoardWalk Consulting has named Crystal Stephens as managing director and CEO. She succeeds Sam Pettway, who founded BoardWalk in 2002 and will continue to serve as founding director. Mr. Pettway will remain active in market development, select client engagements, and the continued growth of the firm’s reputation. “For 23 years, BoardWalk’s focus has been simple but

BoardWalk Consulting Assists the Lumpkin Family Foundation with Executive Director Search

Executive recruitment firm BoardWalk Consulting has assisted in the placement of Heidi Dusek as executive director of the Lumpkin Family Foundation. Founder Sam Pettway and senior research associate Lysondra Somerville led the assignment. Bruce Karmazin, the foundation’s executive director since 2001, told the board of his intention to retire this summer. “Deep appreciation is also given to the search committee, chair Steve Shirar,

The Wilderness Land Trust Taps BoardWalk Consulting to Find New Leader

The Wilderness Land Trust has retained executive recruitment firm BoardWalk Consulting to lead in its search for a new executive director. Senior director Crystal Stephens and senior associate Terri Kohan are leading the assignment. The ideal candidate will join a mission-driven organization with deep roots and proven impact, leading strategic initiatives that balance conservation urgency with practical partnership development. The role

BoardWalk Consulting Seeking COO for Deep South Today

Executive recruitment firm BoardWalk Consulting has been retained to lead the chief operating officer search for Deep South Today, a networked hub of non-profit newsrooms. Founder Sam Pettway, director Cynthia Moreland, and senior research associate Lysondra Somerville are leading the assignment. The inaugural COO will be a future-forward leader who can focus on the organization’s strategic priorities of geographic expansion,

BoardWalk Consulting

Press Releases

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta names CEO

ATLANTA, GA, February 13, 2018 – The board of directors of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta, a nonprofit that leverages the power of mentors on behalf of metro Atlanta’s youth, Feb. 13 announced the appointment of Kwame Johnson as its new CEO. Johnson, the executive director of the greater Atlanta region for PowerMyLearning, succeeds

Kanuga Conferences Appoints Organization’s 10th President

ATLANTA, GA, September 3, 2016 — Kanuga Conferences has appointed the Rev. Michael Radford Sullivan as president effective early November. Most recently, Sullivan served as rector of Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Parish in Atlanta, where he has been since 2009. Sullivan brought stability to finances of the 2,500-member parish and has extensive strategic planning and fundraising experience, including a

Former US Congressman Ben Chandler Named President and CEO of Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky

LOUISVILLE, KY, July 18, 2016 — The Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky Board of Directors unanimously selected Ben Chandler as the new president and CEO of the Foundation, effective in September. Chandler is currently the Executive Director of the Kentucky Humanities Council but is most notably recognized for his work as Kentucky U.S. Congressman from the 6th Congressional

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