McCormack + Kristel Seeking CEO for Central New York ON RAMP

June 19, 2026 – McCormack + Kristel is currently seeking a CEO for Central New York ON RAMP. New York State Empire State Development (ESD) recently engaged CenterState Corporation for Economic Opportunity (CenterState CEO), an business leadership and economic development organization, to lead, incubate, and launch the Central New York One Network for Regional Advanced Manufacturing Projects (ON RAMP). The ON RAMP organization will be a stand-alone nonprofit training organization focused on construction and manufacturing training for entry and middle-skill roles.

Reporting to the board of directors, the ON RAMP CEO will build the Central New York ON RAMP organization. They will develop and implement all programs, recruit and onboard staff, oversee daily operations, and lead business development and revenue generation strategies and execution. The founding CEO will represent ON RAMP in the community, engaging with employer partners, regional stakeholders, funders, and trainee prospects.

This leader will create and implement strategic and operations plans to stand up programs that meet employer demands and provide comprehensive services that allow job seekers to get into a new career quickly. They will refine organizational structure and staffing plan; hire and train a team with the capacity to build on existing programming to enroll 150-200 trainees in year one. In addition, they will serve as a key interface with the community advisory committee and as the organization’s primary spokesperson representing ON RAMP in public, in the media, and at community, philanthropic, and employer events.

This is an extraordinary opportunity to develop and lead a workforce organization to meet hiring demand and ensure that historically underserved communities benefit from the unprecedented investment in the Central New York economy. While advancing equity and working to redress past injustices, the inaugural CEO will help lead a once-in-a-century opportunity to rebuild a thriving middle class in Central New York.

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The inaugural CEO will be a seasoned leader with deep experience in developing and implementing workforce training programs. They will bring a strong growth mindset and a fierce drive for innovation to the work of building a new organization. The ideal candidate will have:

• Leadership experience in a corporate, nonprofit, or educational organization workforce training program;
• Exceptional strategic visioning and planning skills to build an organization. Prior experience starting up a department or organization is ideal;
• At least 10 years of ecosystem, program, and staff development experience.

McCormack + Kristel is a national retained executive search firm specializing in leadership solutions for non-profit and philanthropic organizations. Since 1993, mission-driven organizations have relied on the firm to identify transformational talent and guide consequential leadership decisions with discipline, sector expertise, and sound judgment. The firm’s practice is focused exclusively on the social impact sector, and has been included on Hunt Scanlon‘s lists of Top Nonprofit and Top Diversity search firms.

McCormack + Kristel’s principal, Michelle Kristel, brings more than 25 years of experience placing chief executives and senior leaders in mission-driven organizations nationwide. Before moving into executive search, she served as the executive director of a national non-profit, giving her an insider’s awareness of the demands facing organizational leaders and what it actually takes to lead effectively in the sector. And as a current and longtime board leader, she brings an active governance perspective to every engagement, understanding firsthand what search committees need from a search partner.

Independent Film & Television Alliance Search

McCormack + Kristel recently placed Jackie Brenneman as president and CEO of the Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA). She succeeds Jean Prewitt, who is stepping down at the end of the month after 25 years leading the organization. “Jackie brings industry insight, legal and lobbying expertise, and a proven record of guiding complex membership organizations,” said Paul Bales, chairperson, IFTA and partner and COO of The Asylum. “Her deep appreciation of how business, public affairs, and creative communities intersect, and her experience navigating the fast pace of evolution in our industry and the challenges it presents, especially for independent companies, make her uniquely qualified to lead IFTA into their next chapter. We look forward to working closely with her.”

Ms. Brenneman joins IFTA with a career spanning organizational leadership, government relations, legal practice, and nonprofit oversight. She spent nearly a decade at NATO, rising through the organization to executive vice president and general counsel, where she served as a strategic leader for the exhibition community and the organization’s membership during periods of significant change and disruption.

Related: McCormack + Kristel Recruits CEO for Equality Illinois

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor  – Hunt Scanlon Media