Pacific Pride Foundation Taps Envision Consulting to Find New Leader
March 15, 2024 – Pasadena, CA-based search firm Envision Consulting has been retained by Pacific Pride Foundation to lead in its search for a new executive director. Allison Fuller, Matt Kamin, Melissa Montoya, and Jess McBride are leading the assignment. Reporting to the board of directors, Pacific Pride Foundation is seeking an experienced, growth-minded executive leader to serve as their next leader. The candidate has the exciting opportunity to envision and implement the next chapter of service to the LBGTQ+ community in Santa Barbara County. They will set the course for the organization using new approaches to inclusivity, intersectionality, and advocacy.
A clear and decisive communicator, Envision Consulting notes that this leader will oversee the services and community building that Pacific Pride Foundation provides, fostering internal and external relationships with community members, leaders and partners in Santa Barbara County.
Overseeing an annual budget of $1.8 million, the ideal candidate is an adaptable and approachable leader who advances the organization’s mission in the community. The incoming executive director will continue to foster and empower the team while looking for opportunities to improve programs, policies, and organizational culture.
The incoming candidate should have a history of working in the field of LGBTQ+ community support and/or advocacy, DEI, or other human services. They will lead strategic planning for the agency and diversify funding with a focus on establishing a major donor program and seeking new funding sources as well as continuing relationships with existing funders and community partners. The ideal candidate has a passion for working with underserved communities and a strong understanding of the funding and political landscape impacting people in the LBGTQ+ community, especially its BIPOC members.
The search firm is looking for candidates with prior experience as an executive director or member of the senior leadership team of a non-profit organization with an annual operating budget greater than $1 million. Those applying should have deep professional or personal experience in the LGBTQ+ community; experience in BIPOC communities is preferred. Fluency in Spanish is preferred, but not required. Candidates must have a track record of fundraising success with major donors, foundations and institutional partnerships preferred. Demonstrated experience with community engagement, especially in creating and implementing strategic outreach, marketing, and social media is preferred.
Pacific Pride Foundation is a long-standing backbone institution in the LGBTQ+ community in Santa Barbara County region. The organization is a trusted leader, community builder, and regional convener, offering health and social service programs to the LGBTQ+ community in Santa Barbara County and coastal communities between Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Former Non-Profit Leaders
Envision Consulting is a minority-owned firm specializing in executive search, organizational strategy, merger exploration, and executive leadership transitions. With offices in New York and Los Angeles, its partners and consultants are former non-profit executive leaders who now use their collective experience and inspiration to uplift non-profits and the communities they serve. Envision Consulting’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is integrated into its practices, including inclusive surveys and stakeholder interviews, focus groups, structured hiring processes, and a focus on anti-biased decision making.
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Envision Consulting was founded by Mr. Kamin and Ms. Fuller in 2006. Mr. Kamin, managing partner, has been working and volunteering in the non-profit world for over 18 years. He previously served as executive director of Palisades Emergency Residence Corp. in New York, Children’s Nature Institute in Los Angeles, and Los Angeles Youth Network in Hollywood. Mr. Kamin has also been a consultant to organizations serving populations ranging from disabled adults, domestic violence, children in non-public schools, and the geriatric community. He is co-founder of Youth for Charity, an organization bringing together teens of different faiths to raise awareness for families living in poverty, as well as founder of Eleventh Commandment, which has grown into JQ International.
Ms. Fuller, managing partner, has worked in the non-profit sector for more than a decade. Her interest in non-profits began as a volunteer, leading her to co-founding her own charitable organization. In the non-profit sector, she has held numerous staff and executive leadership positions, including executive director. As a former escrow officer, Ms. Fuller brings extensive planning and logistical experience into overseeing many aspects of management organization, contract administration, strategic planning, and operations. In addition, as a graphic designer and web marketer, she brings in unique talents to non-profits, expanding resources and efficiency while substantially increasing fundraising revenues. She also has a passion for helping youth and has worked with several major non-profit organizations, including Autism Speaks, YWCA, and Step Up Women’s Network.
Ms. Montoya is a seasoned human resources professional with over 10 years of experience working in the entertainment industry at companies such as Deluxe and the Walt Disney Company. Her expertise is in recruiting, onboarding, training, consulting on employee relations issues, and company policy planning.
Ms. McBride is a multi-disciplinary professional with a 14-year background in urban planning, advocacy, and community organizing with a Masters from UCLA. She has worked for large agencies in the public sector, such as Los Angeles Department of City Planning and Orange County Transportation Authority, as well as making national impact with non-profit advocacy organizations such as Yes In My Back Yard and Transportation Alternatives.
Related: Envision Consulting Recruits Chief Development Officer for Children’s Bureau
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor; Lily Fauver, Senior Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
