NPAG Leading Executive Director Search for SEAL
October 27, 2026 – Executive search firm NPAG was recently retained by SEAL (Sobrato Early Academic Language) to lead in its search for a new executive director. Allison Kupfer Poteet, managing partner, is leading the search along with Alejandra Villa, managing associate. The organization seeks a strong enterprise leader with strategic and financial acumen, experience leading through change, and genuine credibility in education and the multilingual learner field.
The next executive director will value and draw on the deep expertise of SEAL’s team, build alignment and accountability across the organization, strengthen relationships with funders, partners, and the board, and serve as a compelling external voice for SEAL and for the multilingual learners, educators, and communities at the heart of its mission.
The next executive director will join SEAL at an important moment of opportunity and evolution. With a highly regarded model, strong financial footing, deep practitioner expertise, and a new strategic plan in place, SEAL has a strong foundation to build on. The next leader will guide the organization as it evolves its business and delivery model, strengthens and diversifies earned and philanthropic revenue, expands its partnerships and national influence, and makes disciplined choices about where and how SEAL can have the greatest impact.
The organization will consider exceptional candidates who bring a strong combination of relevant qualifications, experience, and leadership qualities through a range of professional pathways. The successful candidate will have significant senior or executive-level leadership experience in a mission-driven organization, with accountability for organizational strategy, financial performance, people, and results, along with demonstrated success generating revenue and leading strategies for long-term financial sustainability. The individual must also be able to cultivate significant relationships, make a compelling case for investment, and partner effectively with staff and board members on revenue strategy.
“With a new strategic plan in place, strong financial footing, and a highly regarded approach, SEAL is deepening our impact in California and expanding partnerships and influence nationally,” the non-profit said in a LinkedIn post. “We’re looking for an experienced leader who can pair strong organizational leadership with genuine credibility in education and the multilingual learner field.”
Related: NPAG Assists Proteus Fund with CEO Search
SEAL transforms multilingual learners’ educational experiences by equipping educators and systems with the knowledge, practices, and support needed to create rigorous, joyful, language-rich learning environments. Grounded in deep practitioner expertise and a strong evidence base, SEAL has trained more than 2,400 California educators and reached tens of thousands of students, while contributing insights from practice to broader research, policy, and field conversations.
Dedicated To Supporting Justice Movement Leadership
Since 2002, NPAG is a national executive search and consulting firm dedicated to supporting justice movement leadership. The firm has partnered with a broad range of foundations and non-profits working in racial and gender equity, LGBTQIA+ rights, reproductive health, democracy preservation, public health, economic justice, climate, and other social justice movements. They are a women-owned and women-led firm with a diverse team of 20+ professionals, and have completed over 1,400 searches – including many hundreds at the CEO/executive director level – nationally and globally over nearly 25 years. In addition to search, NPAG provide bespoke training and capacity building, outplacement, board facilitation and development, and both team and individual leadership coaching services.
NPAG Recruits CEO for Dream.Org
NPAG has assisted in the recruitment of Janos Marton as the new CEO for Dream.Org in Oakland, CA. The search was led by Phuong Quach and Sharon Gertsman. Mr. Marton joined Dream.Org as CEO after spending the past five years leading advocacy work at the organization, where he helped build coalitions and advance criminal justice legislation across ideological and geographic lines. Earlier in his career, he worked at the ACLU and was involved in efforts tied to Occupy Wall Street and the campaign to close Rikers Island. He also ran for Manhattan district attorney in 2021 and more recently advised Zohran Mamdani’s transition on criminal justice issues.
A seasoned search practitioner of 20 years exclusive to the mission-driven sector, Ms. Kupfer Poteet brings deep experience designing and facilitating rigorous, inclusive processes that lead to transformative results. Her clients span philanthropy, policy and advocacy, evaluation and learning, direct service, conveners, and other innovative social changemakers. She brings a particular interest in the talent dimensions of bringing evidence-based solutions and interventions to scale to promote equity, access, and opportunity. As managing partner, Ms. Kupfer Poteet is NPAG’s chief executive, leading business strategy and refinement of best practices and systems to support excellence in all aspects of the firm’s work.
Ms. Villa oversees project management, deliverables, network strategy, outreach, client engagement, and candidate stewardship management. She is passionate about social work and human rights. Ms. Villa has expertise in direct-service social work, macro-level systematic changes, policy analysis, and community coalition building. Her work spans human services, healthcare, higher education, and research, with a focus on economic and social justice.
Related: NPAG Appoints Senior Advisor
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
