KEES Seeks Executive Director for Bay Area Urban Debate League

September 7, 2022 – Executive search and non-profit consulting firm KEES has been enlisted to find an executive director for the Bay Area Urban Debate League (BAUDL), an Oakland CA non-profit that partners with schools in the San Francisco Bay Area to found debate teams that help to transform the lives of their student participants. The assignment is led by Laura Weinman, vice president, and Stacy Harker, consultant. “BAUDL is a strong and stable program that weathered the last two years remarkably well and is now at a key point in its lifecycle,” said KEES. “The new executive director will be stepping in at this key point when educators, students, volunteers, and the world as a whole find their ‘new normal’ with the unique opportunity to reignite passion around the mission, vision, and values that defines BAUDL’s purpose. The board expects the executive director to navigate BAUDL through its next phase by reinvigorating the program in the school districts, expanding an overall presence in the educational sector, and increasing funding to reach more students and more schools, especially those serving underrepresented groups.”

The new leader will be charged with building and nurturing strong relationships with key stakeholders, tracking relevant initiatives and trends related to education, mentorship and youth achievement, and implementing best practices in realizing mission priorities.

A key component of the new executive director’s success will be in growing the organization’s budget by identifying new revenue streams, both earned and contributed, that support the next phase of BAUDL’s growth, said KEES. The leader must maintain and strengthen relationships with BAUDL’s primary partners, including the four Bay Area school districts it serves, and other community partners, funders, and stakeholders.

Key Qualifications

BAUDL is searching for a leader with a strong appreciation and respect for policy debate who is driven to advance enrichment, educational, and growth opportunities for young people, said KEES. The executive director must be able to attract and maintain the commitment of educational leaders in order for students and teachers to realize the full benefits of BAUDL’s programs. The organization’s success also depends upon the executive director’s leadership in ensuring consistent financial support from institutional and individual donors, foundations, and public funds.

Related: KEES Recruits CEO for NeighborHealth Center

“Candidates who relish the opportunity to advance solid programmatic offerings and secure new funding opportunities will find this role exciting and engaging,” said KEES. “Candidates with history in leading small organizations through significant growth are encouraged to apply. The executive director must be adept with community partnerships, board relations, staff leadership, fundraising, and fiscal management. A flexible, optimistic and proactive outlook is essential.”

Prospects must have at least five years of experience at an organizational leadership level, particularly in a non-profit organization, educational, or related field; at least two years managing a team of professionals is also required.

Experience with and commitment to the communities that BAUDL serves, including Bay Area public schools and students who have experienced educational inequities is essential. Candidates must also have a strong drive to work with youth, specifically in supporting their personal growth, academic development, and future achievement.

Founded in 2008, the Bay Area Urban Debate League is dedicated to expanding opportunities for high school students in the San Francisco Bay Area to participate in rigorous academic competition and to become articulate and informed leaders in their schools and communities.

Non-Profit Recruiters

KEES, based in Naperville, IL, focuses on building transformative teams and leaders in the non-profit sector. The firm was founded in 2013 as an expansion of Alford Executive Search. It is women-owned and operated, and provides a wide variety of services, including executive search, specialty and interim staffingHR consulting, and leadership development.

Ms. Weinman has more than 20 years of association/nonprofit leadership experience, including seven as a development/ marketing consultant for over 30 organizations. She has extensive experience with development, staff recruitment, staff management, career coaching, major gifts, planned giving, prospect research, strategic development planning, grant writing, event management, sponsorship, volunteer management and annual fund raising. Ms. Weinman has been a member of the KEES/Alford executive search team since 2012.

Ms. Harker serves clients in search and specialty staffing roles. She has more than two decades of non-profit experience in education, performing arts, media, consulting, interim staffing, and executive search, as well as private sector logistics expertise. Ms. Harker brings expertise in annual communications strategy, data selection and segmentation processes, data health and integrity, donor-specific CRM training, donor appeals, marketing/public relations, event planning and execution, major donor moves management, and special campaign direction.

Related: KEES Recruits CEO for Youth Job Center

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media

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