Kevin Chase Executive Search Group Seeks New Leader for LYRIC: Center for LGBTQQ Youth
May 20, 2021 – Los Angeles-based Kevin Chase Executive Search Group has been enlisted to find a new executive director for LYRIC: Center for LGBTQQ Youth in San Francisco. Leading the assignment are Kevin Chase, managing partner, and Catie DiFelice, senior associate. The non-profit organization is currently being led by interim executive director Toni Newman, who is expected to be with the organization through the completion of the search and onboarding of the new executive director.
“The board of directors of LYRIC is seeking an experienced and transformational new chief executive to lead the organization through an important time of realignment and renewal following the stepping down of its previous executive director to lead the LYRIC Flourishing capital campaign,” said Kevin Chase Executive Search Group. “Among staff, board and key stakeholders, there is a shared eagerness and desire for a new, intersectional approach to organizational leadership–one that centers racial and gender equity, prioritizes youth voices and perspectives, builds up and empowers a team of capable, new organizational leaders, and creates an environment of heightened transparency and trust.”
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The new executive director will oversee a full-time staff of 30, as well as interns, volunteers and around 100 paid youth in leadership programs throughout the year. LYRIC is nearing completion of its first bargaining agreement for staff, a move supported by the organization’s leaders and board.
New Energy
The new leader will assume operating and oversight responsibility for LYRIC with support and direction from the board of directors. Along with the leadership team, the individual will drive strategic, operational, administrative and financial decisions, and will work with board, staff, donors and partners to advance LYRIC’s work and mission.
The executive director is expected to bring new energy and new ideas to LYRIC and will have the opportunity to develop and implement a renewed, overall strategic vision and direction for the organization, to include healing the organizational culture and building an inclusive, positive workplace; growing and diversifying fundraising programs and revenue sources; deepening engagement with the community and with LYRIC’s partners; improving, expanding and bringing innovation to programs and services; and strengthening and professionalizing internal operations and systems that support people, programs and organizational growth.
Responsibilities will include organizational leadership and strategic development; fund development and communications; leadership development and performance management; financial management; program leadership; policy/advocacy, partnerships and relationship building; and board relations.
Key Requirements
The new executive director will be an experienced, dynamic and transformational leader with a high level of emotional intelligence and professional maturity, said Kevin Chase Executive Search Group. This inspirational and motivational non-profit expert must have proven skills in fundraising, communications, professional development and strategic planning, as well as a track record of organizational growth and development. The new leader will bring a transparent, inclusive and collaborative management style and be comfortable in a distributed leadership environment with shared decision making.
Candidates must have a minimum of 10 years’ successful organizational leadership and management experience (CEO, executive director, deputy director role or similar), including contracts management, compliance and reporting, fiscal management, planning and leadership development. Also required is proven leadership ability with the skills and perspective to lead effectively in a multiracial, multicultural, multi-gendered and inter-generational non-profit environment. They should also have a successful track record of non-profit revenue development including government grants and contracts, individual donors, corporate and foundation giving, and special event fundraising.
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Founded in 1988, LYRIC’s mission is to build community and inspire positive social change through education enhancement, career trainings, health promotion, and leadership development with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning youth, their families and allies of all races, classes, genders and abilities.
Veteran Recruiters
Kevin Chase Executive Search Group is a national consulting and executive search firm serving mission-based, non-profit organizations in the human services, social justice, healthcare philanthropy, education, and arts and culture sectors. The firm partners with boards, search committees, senior leadership teams and stakeholder groups on critical leadership transitions.
In a career of more than two decades, Mr. Chase has led dozens of executive search and leadership transition engagements for non-profit organizations as well as companies in the finance, technology and professional services sectors. Most of his engagements are for executive director/ CEO, senior development and board positions, though he has also conducted searches for C-level leaders of finance, operations and programs. He has expertise in working with small to mid-sized, mission-driven non-profits, providing consultation and advisory services to the boards and leadership volunteers responsible for governance and organizational development.
Bringing more than five years of retained executive search experience, Ms. DiFelice’s primary focus is non-profit and higher education assignments. She has also worked in the technology, healthcare and consumer markets. Although she has helped recruit C-suite and other senior executives in many markets and sectors, she said she feels most connected to her work on behalf of mission-driven, not-for-profit organizations. Her broad non-profit search experience cuts across the healthcare, civil rights and social justice, education, and arts and culture sectors.
Related: Kevin Chase Executive Search Group Assisting LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert in CEO Search
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
