McDermott + Bull Recruits CEO for Direct Relief

April 9, 2025 – Irvine, CA-based McDermott + Bull has placed Amy Weaver as the new CEO of Direct Relief, a non-profit organization ranked fifth on Forbes’ List of Top 100 Charities dedicated to improving the health and well-being of people affected by poverty and emergencies worldwide. This search was led by McDermott + bull co-founder and managing partner Chris Bull, partner Sue Waterbury, and directors Shelby Varon and Anne Terry. “Amy brings exceptional leadership experience and a genuine commitment to humanitarian causes that align perfectly with Direct Relief’s mission,” said Ms. Waterbury. “Her track record of scaling global operations and driving transformative change in the corporate world makes her uniquely suited to lead Direct Relief into its next phase of growth. Her decision to step away from the private sector to focus on humanitarian impact speaks volumes, and we’re eager to see her apply her strategic vision and leadership to amplify Direct Relief’s mission on a global scale.”

Ms. Weaver joins Direct Relief after more than a decade at Salesforce, where she most recently served as president and chief financial officer for the Fortune 500 company. During her tenure, she played an instrumental role in scaling the organization from 7,000 employees and $3 billion in revenue to 80,000 employees and $38 billion in revenue. The move to Direct Relief aligns with her passion for humanitarian work, as seen through her role on the board of directors at Habitat for Humanity International and hands-on volunteer efforts in Kenya, Poland, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii.

Ms. Weaver brings a remarkably diverse leadership background spanning multiple industries and functions. Prior to Salesforce, she navigated both legal and executive roles at Univar Inc. and Expedia, developing expertise across legal, operations, and strategic business initiatives. Her background includes international experience, having spent six years in Hong Kong working on finance and securities projects with Cravath, Swaine & Moore.

“Over the past 75 years, Direct Relief has established a powerful legacy of delivering meaningful impact to those in need,” said Ms. Weaver. “I’m honored and excited to build on that foundation and help shape the future of humanitarian response. As global challenges grow more urgent and complex, Direct Relief has a responsibility not just to meet the demand for medical aid, but to lead the way in reimagining how we respond to a rapidly changing world. I’m inspired by the dedication and expertise of this incredible team, and I look forward to working together to drive innovation and make an even greater difference.”

Direct Relief is a non-profit, apolitical, nonsectarian organization that provides humanitarian assistance without regard to race, ethnicity, political or religious affiliation, gender, or ability to pay. The only U.S. nonprofit to obtain Verified Accredited Wholesale Distributor (VAWD) certification by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, Direct Relief is among the largest medical suppliers to safety-net facilities throughout the U.S. and the world.

McDermott + Bull provides mission-critical permanent executive placement and interim solutions for a range of domestic and global clients. The firm serves private and public companies, private equity firms and their operating companies across multiple industries, including technology, financial services, biotech and life sciences, and professional services.

Mr. Bull brings over 20 years of experience in retained executive search. He has a track record of partnering with client organizations to deliver talent with private and public companies, private equity firms, and their operating companies.

Ms. Waterbury serves as a partner at McDermott + Bull in the New York office, where she leads East Coast business development, and executive search for the non-profit sector nationally. From large complex national and global organizations to small privately funded foundations and start-up non-profits, she has partnered with human services, medical research and advocacy, environmental, education, and primary healthcare organizations and foundations. This is highlighted through her partnerships with multiple organizations, including Girl Scouts of Greater New York, National Audubon Society, Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, Make-A-Wish Metro and Western New York, and BronxWorks.

Related: McDermott + Bull Recruits CEO for the Chicano Federation

Ms. Varon serves as a director of business development at McDermott + Bull and is a part of the firm’s national medtech and life sciences practice, based in Irvine, CA. In this role, supports the execution of searches, client management, and business development for the practice.

Ms. Terry works alongside Mr. Bull assisting in business development, marketing strategy, research and search execution. She joined the firm with over three decades of holding diverse roles, which include manufacturing sales, corporate volunteer recruiting, corporate management, corporate training and corporate events.

CTO Placement

McDermott + Bull recently placed Michael Selberis as chief technology officer at ClinNEXUS. The search was completed by partner Jake Vander Zanden, partner Ken Dropiewski, and executive recruiter Kevin Kim. Mr. Selberis will lead the development and execution of ClinNEXUS’ technology strategy, overseeing all aspects of technological direction to ensure alignment with the company’s business goals during this critical growth stage. He will be responsible for driving innovation, scalability, and digital transformation across all technical functions, with a particular focus on leveraging AI, ML, and big data to enhance care delivery and improve patient outcomes.

Mr. Selberis brings extensive experience in digital platform strategy and technology leadership. He most recently served as CTO for Nobel Procera & Digital Solutions at Envista Holdings Corporation, where he spearheaded the development of cutting-edge technology platforms emphasizing automation and customer experience.

Related: McDermott + Bull Recruits CEO for Cocoon Inc.

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