BoardWalk Consulting

About Us

At BoardWalk Consulting, finding 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.

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

BoardWalk Consulting

News Briefings

BoardWalk Consulting Assists Trust for Public Land with CFO Search

Crystal Stephens and Terri Kohan of BoardWalk Consulting have assisted in the recruitment of Keysha Bailey as the new CFO of Trust for Public Land (TPL). “Keysha brings a rare combination of financial expertise, strategic vision, and a deep understanding of how to align resources with impact,” said Carrie Besnette Hauser, president and CEO of Trust for Public

BoardWalk Consulting Tapped By Greenpeace USA for Chief Financial and Operations Officer

Executive recruitment firm BoardWalk Consulting has been retained by Greenpeace USA to lead in its search for a chief financial and operations officer (CFOO). Director Michelle Hall, senior associate Terri Kohan, and director of research Patti Kish are leading the assignment. Greenpeace USA requires an executive who is an experienced, adaptive leader with a passion for environmental justice to lead in

BoardWalk Consulting Recruits COO for Deep South Today

Executive recruitment firm BoardWalk Consulting has assisted in the recruitment of Hollis R. Towns as the first chief operating officer of Deep South Today. Founder Sam Pettway, director Cynthia Moreland, and senior research associate Lysondra Somerville led the assignment. His appointment is the result of a national search conducted over the last six months by BoardWalk Consulting. “Hollis Towns is bringing precisely

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

Press Releases

BoardWalk Consulting Welcomes Sarah Gaines as Director, Expanding National Reach and Deepening Nonprofit Leadership Expertise

January 21, 2026 BoardWalk Consulting, a national executive search firm exclusively focused on nonprofit and foundation leadership, is proud to announce that Sarah Gaines has joined the firm as Director. Her arrival marks the integration of her boutique search practice, JUNE Partners, into the BoardWalk platform, bringing together two values-driven firms with a shared commitment to excellence,

BoardWalk Consulting Names Crystal Stephens CEO, Marking a New Chapter of Growth and Impact

OCTOBER 1, 2025 – ATLANTA, GA – October 1, 2025 – BoardWalk Consulting, the national executive search firm devoted exclusively to the leadership of nonprofits and foundations, today announced that longtime colleague Crystal Stephens has been appointed Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, effective October 1, 2025. Stephens succeeds Sam Pettway, who founded BoardWalk in 2002 and will continue to

Cyril Turner named President of Year Up

MARCH 27, 2019 – After an extensive nationwide search, Year Up has named Cyril Turner as its next President. Turner will succeed Garett Moran, who led the organization’s growth and expansion for more than 5 years. Turner comes to Year Up from Delta Air Lines, Inc., where he was President of Delta Global Services and Delta Private

Leslie Gordon Announced As Executive Director of Breman Museum

JANUARY 28, 2019 – Concluding a wide-ranging national search, the Board of Directors of the William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum has unanimously voted to appoint Leslie Gordon, a native of Savannah and an acclaimed Atlanta cultural leader, as its new Executive Director. She will start on February 4, 2019. Ms. Gordon has served as Director of the

Covenant House Names New Executive Director

ATLANTA, GA, March 29, 2018 – The Board of Directors of Covenant House Georgia, a place of refuge, hope and healing for homeless and trafficked youth, has appointed Alieizoria “Alie” Redd as executive director, according to a press release. Redd joins Covenant House Georgia from CHRIS 180, where she has served as vice president of Placement Services

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