Buffkin / Baker

About Us

Buffkin / Baker is a partner-led executive search firm specializing in Healthcare, Higher Education, Private Equity, Technology/Digital, Consumer, and Non-Profit sectors. Each partner, a leader in their field, brings over a decade of retained search experience, contributing to a collective total of more than 300 years in search and over 400 years in industry and operational expertise. The firm operates from multiple locations, including Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Charlotte, Chattanooga, Cleveland, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Nashville, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Simons Island, Tampa, Washington, DC, and Winston-Salem. Buffkin / Baker is a member of Panorama, a global community of over 400 leadership experts working together in 70+ office locations to promote a diverse perspective on leadership, embracing creative thinking, and sharing our expertise and experience to bring our clients the very best results.

Achievements

RECENT PLACEMENTS

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At Buffkin/Baker, its partners are experts in the verticals in which they specialize. This is one secret to their success in finding the right talent for clients’ organizations. The firm possess firsthand knowledge and understanding of the industries in which they work, and know what it takes to be successful in each of its domains. This understanding, partnered with their extensive network and proven process, allows the firm to effectively help clients with their important hiring decisions.

For them, success means not just finding a leader for our client companies but finding the right leader. The firm carefully evaluates clients’ company culture, specific organizational needs, and leadership talent to ensure they place an individual who is not only capable of excelling at the position, but who also is an ideal fit for that specific company culture and environment. At the end of the day, their 99% completion rate for their searches speaks for itself.

Buffkin / Baker

Solutions And Expertise

Buffkin / Baker is a retained, specialty boutique search firm composed of industry leaders. Each partner in the firm has been a leader in their respective fields and each has over a decade of retained search experience.

Combined, its partners have more than 300 years in search and over 400 years in industry and operational expertise.

Solutions
  • Assessment
  • Board Services
  • Executive Search
  • Succession Planning
Industries
Functions
  • Board/Governance
  • CEO/President
  • Data/Analytics
  • Finance/Accounting
  • GM/Operations
  • Information/Digital
  • Legal/Compliance
  • Marketing & Sales
  • Medical/Clinical

Buffkin / Baker

News Briefings

Buffkin / Baker Assists Princeton Theological Seminary with CFO Search

Following a comprehensive national search, partner-led executive search firm Buffkin / Baker assisted in the recruitment of Jean Hall as the new CFO of the Princeton Theological Seminary. Leading the assignment were Martin M. Baker, managing partner, and Pelema Ellis, associate partner. “Jean Hall’s appointment as chief financial officer represents a continuation of her excellent work to

Buffkin / Baker Recruits Director of Athletics for Middle Georgia State University

Partner-led executive search firm Buffkin / Baker has placed Michael Brown as the director of athletics for Middle Georgia State University (MGA) in Macon. Partner Kenn Carrick and principal Janny DeLoache led the assignment. “The goal of transition to NCAA Division II is to provide student-athletes with enhanced opportunities for competition, as well as greater access to

Buffkin / Baker Recruits Chief Growth Officer for aptihealth

Partner-led executive search firm Buffkin / Baker has assisted in the recruitment of Amanda Conway as the new chief growth officer of aptihealth in Boston, MA. The search was led by Jackson Ross, partner, and Ryan Baggett, associate partner. “We are delighted to welcome Amanda Conway to the aptihealth family as our new chief growth officer,” said Tim Koehler,

Princeton Theological Seminary Selects Buffkin / Baker to Find New CFO

Partner-led executive search firm Buffkin / Baker has been retained by the Princeton Theological Seminary to lead in its search for a new chief financial officer. Leading the assignment is Martin M. Baker, managing partner, and Pelema Ellis, associate partner. The search appears to be in its final stages as the firm recently stopped taking new applications. The CFO

Buffkin / Baker

Press Releases

Amanda Conway, MS, RDN Named Chief Growth Officer for aptihealth

aptihealth, a leading provider of mental health services, proudly announces the appointment of Amanda Conway as their new Chief Growth Officer. This announcement follows a comprehensive search led by Jackson Ross, Partner, and Ryan Baggett, Associate Partner. A seasoned executive, Amanda previously served as Chief Growth Officer at Aduro, bringing transformative changes through her visionary

Walter Chistoni Named as Senior Vice President, Sales, for Alliant

Alliant, the leading data-driven audience company, has hired Walter Chistoni as Senior Vice President, Sales, overseeing two key groups, New Business and Client Engagement. This announcement follows a comprehensive search led by Raj Das and Jeannine Centanni of the Buffkin / Baker Digital Transformation Practice. Chistoni previously served as the Vice President, Enterprise Solutions at

Kotaro Nakamura Named As Chair of the Iowa State University Department of Interior Design

Kotaro Nakamura on recently being named the Chair of the Iowa State University Department of Interior Design. This announcement comes following an international search led by Martin Baker and Pelema Ellis of our Higher Education Practice. A licensed architect in California and a LEED Accredited Professional, Nakamura has won multiple awards from the American Institute

Mike O’Donnell Named as New Director for the Center for Industrial Research & Service at Iowa State University

Iowa State University has named Mike O’Donnell as the Director for The Center for Industrial Research and Service (CIRAS), where he will lead the overall strategic direction. This announcement follows a comprehensive search led Martin Baker and Dr. Pelema Ellis. With a distinguished background in manufacturing and engineering, he brings over two decades of experience

Dr. James Payne Named as Dean, Spears School of Business at Oklahoma State University

Oklahoma State University has named Dr. James Payne as Dean of the Spears School of Business, following a comprehensive national search led by Martin Baker and Chelsie Whitelock of the Buffkin/Baker Higher Education Practice. Payne has served as dean of the Woody L. Hunt College of Business at the University of Texas at El Paso

Buffkin / Baker

Multimedia

Videos

Women in Leadership
Women in Private Equity
Bufkin / Baker and Panorama
Bufkin / Baker and the History of Our Firm
Buffkin / Baker and Why We Keep Going
Bufkin / Baker and the Traits of Our Firm
Buffkin / Baker and the Vision for the Future
Buffkin / Baker: Empathy in the Workplace

Insights:

Good Governance, Succession, and Why External Validation Matters—Even for Internal Candidates
Private Equity Compensation Trends for 2026: Precision, Performance, and Pay for Value Creation
Relationship‑Driven Executive Search in the Age of AI: Insights from Partner Tom Wilson
Introducing our New Series: The Modern CHRO
Challenge: PE Investment in Founder-Led Healthcare Businesses
“Junior” Executives—Executive Search at the Director Level
Remote Work vs On-Site Work. Which is the right direction?
The Critical Role of HR Leadership During Private Equity Transitions
Enhancing Business Outcomes: The CHRO & CFO Alliance
Start Ups & Unicorns
Interim HR Consulting: A New Strategy for Agile Leadership
What is Talent Acquisition?
What is Total Rewards?
Expand Your Network Today for Tomorrow’s Opportunities
Creating A Relationship With A Retained Executive Search Firm
Strengthening Your Hiring Process: Why Building Company Brand Matters
Partnering with an Executive Search Firm to Recruit Higher Education Leaders
Recruiting And The Love Language
Rising Importance Of Chief Data Officer In Tomorrow’s Successful Enterprises
The Impact of a Down Market on Executive Placements
Finding a Signal, In a World Full of Noise
Leveraging The Chief Data Officer In Healthcare Organizations
2020 Trends for Higher Education Institutions
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