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 Adds to Higher Education Practice

Partner-led executive search firm Buffkin / Baker has expanded with the addition of Ann Yates as a partner in its higher education practice area. “We are delighted to welcome Ann to the Buffkin / Baker team. Her demonstrated success in recruiting diverse and talented candidates will bring substantial value to our clients across the country,” said

Buffkin / Baker Recruits Sixth President for Christopher Newport University

Executive search firm Buffkin / Baker has recruited Rear Admiral William G. Kelly as the sixth president of Christopher Newport University (CNU). Leading the assignment were Martin M. Baker, managing partner and Chelsie Whitelock, principal. Mr. Kelly was selected after a year-long rigorous, inclusive nationwide search. The board was unanimous in its decision, noting that Mr. Kelly’s life of public

Buffkin / Baker Recruits President and COO for aptihealth

Executive search firm Buffkin / Baker has recruited Tim Koehler as president and chief operating officer of aptihealth, a Saratoga Springs, NY-based tech-driven behavioral healthcare provider. Partner Jackson Ross led the assignment. “I am grateful to our entire aptihealth team for their dedication and hard work in helping us build a powerful, high-impact behavioral healthcare company,”

Buffkin / Baker Names Chief Clinical Officer

Executive search firm Buffkin / Baker has added David Ballard as chief clinical officer in its healthcare practice. “David is a welcome addition to the Buffkin / Baker team,” said Craig Buffkin, managing partner. “His extensive healthcare experience provides us with a strong foundation to provide quality service for our clients seeking today’s leading physician, nursing, and

Buffkin / Baker

Press Releases

Christopher Newport University appoints Rear Admiral William G. Kelly as the sixth President

Rear Admiral William G. Kelly has been appointed as the sixth President of Christopher Newport University. Buffkin / Baker was honored to partner with the University for the inclusive nationwide search led by Martin Baker and Chelsie Whitelock, CDR. A nationally respected educator and military leader, Kelly serves as the Superintendent (President) of the U.S.

Johnson & Wales University (JWU) – Charlotte Appoints Richard G. Mathieu, Ph.D. As President

Buffkin / Baker recently placed Richard G. Mathieu, Ph.D., as President of the Charlotte Campus of Johnson & Wales University (JWU) – Charlotte. Dr. Mathieu recently served as Dean of the McColl College of Business and the Interim Dean of the Blair College of Health. Prior to moving to Charlotte in 2015, Dr. Mathieu spent 10

Aptihealth Appoints Tim Koehler As President & Chief Operating Officer

Tim Koehler has been been appointed as the new President and Chief Operating Officer at aptihealth, the leading tech-driven behavioral healthcare provider built for higher acuity care. Jackson Ross, Partner in the Healthcare Practice led this comprehensive search. “Tim’s background, skill set, and passion are uniquely aligned with the current and future needs at aptihealth. The

Nashville Entrepreneur Center appoints Rebekah Carroll as SVP of Strategy & Operations

Rebekah Carroll has been named Senior Vice President of Strategy & Operations at the Nashville Entrepreneur Center (EC), a non-profit organization with a vision to be the best place in America to start and grow a business. This announcement comes after Buffkin/Baker and the EC partnered in a comprehensive search led by Mark Farrington, Partner and Ben Williams, Associate. In

Buffkin / Baker Names Megan Berlinger Associate Partner

BRENTWOOD, Tenn., Sept. 1, 2022– Buffkin / Baker, a partner-led executive search firm, is pleased to announce the addition of Megan Shepherd Berlinger as associate partner in its health care practice. Berlinger will join the health care delivery vertical, leading our academic medicine searches with a focus on serving AAMC institutions and health systems.  With

Buffkin / Baker

Multimedia

Videos

Talent Acquisition from an In-House Perspective
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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