DRiWaterstone Human Capital

About Us

DRiWaterstone Human Capital is a culture-centric retained executive search firm helping nonprofit and social impact organizations build high performance teams and cultures.

We are dedicated to matching purpose-driven leaders with mission and purpose-driven roles.  We help ensure our clients have the right leaders in place – leaders who will lead in alignment with the organization’s unique values and goals, who will magnify the organization’s impacts, and who will help the business grow.

DRiWaterstone has built one of the largest networks in the country of leaders qualified for nonprofit and social impact organizations. We serve a diverse group of clients in the nonprofit, foundation, social impact enterprise, and corporate citizenship space who are looking to have a greater impact locally, nationally, and globally.

And we know that when it comes to leadership, building doesn’t stop with hiring: we offer a range of programs and tools that focus on the behaviors and practices proven to make the biggest difference to leadership, team and organizational success.

Our Commitment to DE&I
DRiWaterstone Human Capital’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) dates to its founding, and has been recognized in the latest Hunt Scanlon HR/Diversity Power 65 Rankings.

We believe that it is only through DE&I that communities can reach their full potential. It’s also an essential component for organizations that want to build a high-performance culture. That’s why we make it a priority to recruit diverse talent for every search.

Achievements

Representative Clients

We’re honored to work with forward-thinking organizations, foundations, and associations making expansive changes for their communities. Our distinguished portfolio represents a diverse tapestry of clients spanning industries and sectors. For a list of clients, visit the DRiWaterstone website.

DRiWaterstone Human Capital

Find a Recruiter

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After decades of leading purpose and mission-driven organizations, DRiWaterstone’s founders set out to create an executive search firm designed especially for this sector.

We are deliberately structured to ensure that one of our leaders plays a hands-on role in every search we conduct. This rare, high-caliber approach to executive search allows us to align our searches with our clients’ most important strategic goals. Our leaders are supported by a carefully structured team of specialists that works together on every assignment. Drawing on our experience with purpose and mission-driven organizations, our staff includes a dedicated Candidate Stewardship Associate who ensures that candidates have positive impressions of our clients—no matter the outcome of their own candidacies.

DRiWaterstone Human Capital

Solutions And Expertise

DRiWaterstone works with mission and purpose-driven organizations in both the public and private sectors to provide executive search services for Chief Executives, Vice Presidents, and Director-level staff in all facets of organizational management.

We also have a successful history of working with Boards of Governors at a wide variety of organizations – from supporting strategic planning work to helping organizations recruit top talent to fill Board seats and help them reach their impact, performance and reputation goals.

Solutions
  • Board Services
  • Executive Coaching
  • Executive Search
  • Onboarding
  • Succession Planning
Industries
  • Associations
  • Cultural Arts
  • Education
  • Faith Based
  • Foundations
  • Non-Profit
Functions
  • All Functions
  • Board/Governance
  • C-Level Leaders
  • C-Suite
  • CEO/President
  • Communications/PR
  • Development
  • Fundraising
  • Human Resources
  • Non-Profit
  • Program Management

DRiWaterstone Human Capital

News Briefings

DRiWaterstone Human Capital Seeking Chief People Officer for Step Up For Students

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

DRiWaterstone Human Capital Tapped by WJCT Public Media to Lead CEO Search

VA-based 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

DRiWaterstone Assists MOST Policy Initiative with Executive Director Search

VA-based DRiWaterstone Human Capital has 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

Navigating Uncertainty: How Non-Profit Executive Search is Evolving in 2025

The non-profit sector is entering a pivotal moment in 2025, marked by financial volatility, leadership transitions, and heightened expectations around organizational performance and equity. As federal funding cuts ripple through social services, education, the arts, and environmental initiatives, many non-profits have paused executive hiring or slowed decision-making, creating an environment of deep uncertainty. As expectations

DRiWaterstone Human Capital

Press Releases

Association of Fundraising Professionals Selects DRiWaterstone as Executive Search Firm for President & CEO Search

(Arlington, VA) The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) has selected executive search firm, DRiWaterstone Human Capital, to assist in identifying its next president & CEO. DRi will be partnering with AFP Global Board Chair, Birgit Smith Burton, who is leading the CEO search effort, as well as the 2024 President & CEO Search Committee, to

DRiWaterstone Announces a New Strategic Alliance with Bryan & Jordan Consulting, LLC

DRiWaterstone Human Capital (DRiWaterstone) is pleased to announce its strategic alliance with Bryan & Jordan Consulting LLC (Bryan & Jordan), a Virginia-based consulting firm focused on historical organizations, museums, libraries, and educational institutions. “With this collaboration, we can better serve public history and education clients through our partnership with specialized consultants with deep, industry-specific networks,”

DRiWaterstone Adds DEI Consultant to Deepen Service Options to Clients

DRiWaterstone Human Capital (DRiWaterstone), a nationally ranked and recognized executive search firm is pleased to welcome Stephanie Fillyaw, as consultant and executive trainer with a focus on DEI workplace strategy. “Stephanie’s certified, empathy-first approach aligns perfectly with DRiWaterstone’s commitment to providing equal opportunity for employment, participation, and advancement, and to identifying and recruiting diverse professionals

DRiWaterstone Human Capital Launches Chief Executive Search for the San Diego Workforce Partnership

DRiWaterstone Human Capital (DRiW) is pleased to announce the launch of the search for San Diego Workforce Partnerships’ (SDWP) next permanent Chief Executive Officer. Following a competitive RFP process this spring, SDWP’s Joint Personnel Committee selected DRiWaterstone Human Capital to lead the search due to the firm’s outstanding record of placing long-term CEOs, local presence

DRiWaterstone Human Capital Places Johnathan Board as Executive Director at the West Virginia First Foundation

ARLINGTON, VA (March 15, 2024) – DRiWaterstone Human Capital has successfully placed Jonathan Board as the inaugural Executive Director at the West Virginia First Foundation. In this role, Board will play a pivotal role in establishing the Foundation, developing its operational structure, overseeing its programs and initiatives, and spearheading partnership efforts. Jonathan Board is a