Fenway Health Picks Lindauer to Assist in Chief People Officer Search

Faith Eutsay is leading the search for this top HR post, which calls for a leader who can inspire a dedicated team of professionals focused on a full spectrum of human resources and organization development services and practices. Let’s go inside the search.

October 7, 2021 – With the coronavirus crisis disrupting the world economy, chief people officers are stepping up at businesses across the country, playing a vital role in helping organizations navigate what is looking to be an even greater challenge than the Great Recession. As a recent article in The Economist put it, chief people officers “keep employees healthy; maintain their morale; and oversee a vast remote-working experiment.” As companies retrench, these leaders are also considering whether, when and how to lay workers off or to retain them through hybrid work options. Executive recruiters across the business landscape report that searches for these C-suite executives will only continue to rise as the workplace transitions.

Lindauer was recently retained by Fenway Health in Boston to lead its search for a chief people officer. Faith Eutsay is spearheading the assignment. Fenway Health is seeking a forward-thinking leader to serve in the role.

This position, in close partnership with Fenway Health’s leadership committee and reporting directly to CEO Ellen LaPointe, will lead and inspire a dedicated team of professionals focused on a full spectrum of human resources and organization development services and practices. The individual will be expected to advocate for and cultivate individuals who flourish at work, and workplace communities that thrive with purpose, agency, and capacity.

The successful candidate should a lifelong student and leader of organizational change, energized by the complexities entailed in that change, said the search firm. The role requires a proven HR leader with a creative spark, strong execution skills and strong interpersonal skills, Fenway Health wants candidates who have worked in a regulated healthcare environment and/or research settings and have lived or professional experience with organizations serving BIPOC and/or LGBTQIA+ communities.

Since 1971, Fenway Health has been working to make life healthier for the people in the Boston neighborhoods in which its health centers are located: the LGBTQIA+ community of Boston and beyond, people living with HIV/AIDS and the broader population. Approaching its 50th year in 2021, Fenway Health has a budget of $131 million, a staff of more than 600 and a patient base of over 30,000.

This past spring, Lindauer recruited Mark Brimhall-Vargas as executive vice president of racial equity and social justice for Fenway Health. Ms. Eutsay also led that assignment. “Mark has the perfect combination of professional background, knowledge and lived experience to shape this inaugural role into a force for change at Fenway Health,” said Ms. LaPointe. “Throughout his career, Mark has woven vision, strategy, thoughtfulness, and humility together to drive meaningful and measurable change in large, complex institutions. Mark will play a key role in helping Fenway Health navigate a transformative process that will enable us to reach and serve everyone who stands to benefit from the care, services, research, education, and advocacy we provide.” Dr. Brimhall-Vargas brings 25 years of experience in change management, organizational development, and training and programming around systemic inequities, most recently at Brandeis University, where he was chief diversity officer and vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion.

Lindauer also recently led the searches for Fenway Health’s vice president of resource development and donor engagement and vice president of communications. Senior consultant Terri Rutter and Ms. Eutsay led those assignments, respectively.

Serving Non-Profits

Lindauer serves higher and secondary education, hospitals, and academic research centers, think tanks, research facilities and foundations, as well as advocacy, public service, social justice and other mission-driven non-profits. It has led searches for the Boston YMCA, Center for Applied Special Technology, Healthy Minds Innovations/Center for Healthy Minds, the University of Texas at Austin, and the Cockrell School of Engineering, among others.

Lindauer Seeks New CEO for Solar One

Lindauer has been retained by Solar One to lead its search for a new chief executive officer. CEO Deb Taft is leading the search along with senior consultant Terri Rutter. Solar One’s mission is to advance energy justice through the design and delivery of innovative education, training and technical assistance that foster sustainability and resilience in diverse urban environments.

Deb Taft leads Lindauer with over 25 years of executive and senior-level experience across the non-profit sector, from education to healthcare/academic medicine to the youth service and voluntary sectors. Her expertise includes governance, strategic planning, fundraising, program and staff management, strategic marketing, analytics, and constituent engagement, as well as talent recruitment, retention, and development.

Ms. Eutsay has 20 years of development experience to help her meet client needs. A self-described “generalist,” she brings both frontline fundraising and management expertise to the Lindauer team. She has placed chief development officers, or the equivalent position, at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Babson College, Western Connecticut Health Network Foundation, Society for Science & the Public, and Whitinsville Christian School.

Chief People Officer Recruiting

Executive search firms have been stepping up their efforts to assist companies across the nation to find new chief people officers. Here are a look at few recent searches from the Hunt Scanlon Media archives:

San Diego, CA-headquartered executive search firm Bespoke Partners recently placed Kerry Unflat as chief people officer of Zipari, a modern consumer experience solution. Alex Bossetta led the assignment. “In this moment of continued growth and expansion, it’s more important than ever that we ensure our employees have what they need to succeed, inside and outside the office,” said Mark Nathan, CEO of Zipari. “With over 20 years of human resources and talent management experience – much of it with a fast-growing software company – Kerry is the perfect person for the job. We’re delighted to welcome her to the team.”

Global HR search firm Frederickson Partners has placed Estrella Parker as chief people officer at Cupertino Electric Inc. (CEI), a 67-year-old electrical engineering and construction company based in San Jose, CA. “Estrella brings to CEI the best of both worlds: a track-record of impressive business results and the ability to connect with employees in a way that drives performance and culture,” said Tom Schott, president and chief executive officer at CEI. “We can’t wait to see her broaden CEI’s employer brand to attract more people who are looking for a challenge by building – or supporting – first-of-their-kind projects across the U.S.”

Diversified Search Group | Koya Partners has been retained by the Museum of Science in Boston to lead its search for a chief people officer. Spearheading the assignment are managing director Beth Schaefer and senior search associate Josyanne Roche. “At this critical time in its history, the Museum of Science is seeking a dynamic, mission-driven leader to serve as the next chief people officer,” said Koya Partners. “The CPO comes to the Museum of Science at an exciting time under new leadership and a renewed commitment to the great opportunity for impact that institutions like the Museum of Science can have in their community and in the world.”

WGNinHR Consulting was recently retained by venture-backed Arena to fills its chief people officer role. Reporting to the CEO, the chief people officer will play a critical partnership role in the company’s growth stages and beyond. The successful candidate will be able to quickly link the business strategy to a newly developed people strategy. She or he will lead major initiatives while ensuring that the company values remain as touchstones that continuously reinforce the desired culture.