McCormack+Kristel Retained by Equality Illinois to Lead CEO Search
May 23, 2025 – Executive search firm McCormack+Kristel has been selected by Equality Illinois to lead in its search for a new CEO. Reporting to the Equality Illinois, Equality Illinois Institute, and the Equality Illinois PAC boards of directors, the CEO will develop, refine, and execute the organization’s long-term strategic vision, goals, and direction, ensuring alignment with Equality Illinois’ mission and values. The CEO will be a values-driven leader who is able to respond to current threats while implementing a clear long-term vision.
Reporting to the Equality Illinois, Equality Illinois Institute, and the Equality Illinois PAC boards of directors, the CEO will develop, refine, and execute the organization’s long-term strategic vision, goals, and direction, ensuring alignment with Equality Illinois’ mission and values. The CEO will be a values-driven leader who is able to respond to current threats while implementing a clear long-term vision.
The CEO will be a strategic and visionary leader with the drive and expertise to build a connected statewide ecosystem across a socially and politically diverse state. They will be politically astute and skilled at driving legislation and influencing decision-makers. The new CEO will have outstanding interpersonal skills and will be a passionate ambassador capable of building grassroots power to advance full equality for LGBTQ+ people.
The new CEO will be a proactive and collaborative bridge-builder grounded in intersectional justice and centered in the diverse and lived realities of LGBTQ+ Illinoisans, without regard to sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status, according to McCormack+Kristel. The CEO will be a resilient leader and fierce defender of the civil rights of LGBTQ+ Illinoisans. They will enjoy Socratic spaces and will be motivated to build and leverage power across the state.
Equality Illinois is the state’s leading LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, working to make Illinois the most affirming and equitable state for LGBTQ+ people. Founded in 1991 as the Illinois Federation for Human Rights to fight discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals in housing, employment, and public accommodations, Equality Illinois has evolved into a nationally recognized advocacy organization. Through decades of strategic work, it helped secure transformational victories, including the Human Rights Act amendment of 2005, which prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and the Illinois Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act of 2013, which legalized same-sex marriage.
McCormack+Kristel was started in 1993 as McCormack & Associates with the mission of recruiting senior leadership for the many research, advocacy and human services organizations growing exponentially in response to AIDS pandemic. Diversity recruiting has long been on the firm’s agenda.
With the advent of effective treatments for HIV/AIDS, and the diminishing needs of many of these organizations, the firm broadened its client base into areas like social justice; healthcare; women’s issues; higher education; gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender; civil rights; and more.
Related: McCormack+Kristel Helps Recruit New Leader for Project HOME
Five years ago, founding partner Joseph A. McCormack formed a new business partnership with Michelle Kristel, who joined the firm in 2013 as an associate. The firm has offices in New York City and Palm Springs, CA. McCormack+Kristel clients have included the ACLU, the Los Angeles LGBT Center, TransForm, Planned Parenthood, SAGE, and the Tides Foundation, among others.
In 2022, Mr. McCormack retired. Ms. Kristel continues to run the firm’s national practice. She is the former executive director of In The Life Media (ITLM), a non-profit organization producing social change media to raise awareness of issues related to gender, HIV/AIDS, and LGBT rights.
Current Assignment
McCormack+Kristel has been retained by Central New York One Network for Regional Advanced Manufacturing Partnerships (Central New York ON RAMP) to lead in its search for a new CEO. 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. The inaugural CEO will be a seasoned leader with deep experience in developing and implementing workforce training programs, according to the job specification. They will bring a strong growth mindset and a fierce drive for innovation to the work of building a new organization.
ON RAMP is dedicated to addressing critical workforce skill gaps in the advanced manufacturing and construction industries in Central New York. Its mission is to provide local employers with a skilled workforce pipeline while ensuring equitable access for historically underserved communities.
Related: McCormack+Kristel Recruits CFO for the Los Angeles LGBT Center
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
