Peña Search Tapped by The SAFE Alliance to Find New CEO
March 18, 2025 – The SAFE Alliance (SAFE) recently retained Peña Search to lead in its search for a new CEO. Travis Hillier is leading the assignment. At a pivotal moment in SAFE’s history, the board of directors seeks a dynamic, politically savvy leader who blends business acumen with a deep commitment to the organization’s mission and its organizational culture. With a strong senior leadership team already in place, SAFE’s CEO will bring a strategic mindset to establish priorities and lead the articulation and execution of SAFE’s mission.
As the external face of the organization, the CEO will engage with individuals, corporations, foundations, and government funders, requiring strong interpersonal skills and the gravitas to earn the community’s trust, according to Peña Search. Internally, the CEO will cultivate a thriving and cohesive team culture, ensuring excellence at all levels through direct engagement with team members and the provision of professional development resources.
Reporting to the board of directors, the CEO will serve as the strategic architect of SAFE’s future, driving long-term vision, financial sustainability, and mission expansion. As the public face of SAFE, the CEO will engage key stakeholders—including funders, policymakers, and community leaders—to position the organization as Central Texas’s leader in survivor advocacy and support.
The CEO will be responsible for executing and refining SAFE’s three-year strategic plan, ensuring alignment between financial objectives, program growth, and long-term sustainability. They will lead efforts to expand SAFE’s funding base, develop innovative partnerships, and optimize operations to support mission-driven expansion. They will be responsible for the organization’s overall financial health and sustainability.
The CEO also serves as the executive director of SAFE’s Foundation and Facilities Holdings Corporation, including partnering with and supporting those boards. The CEO will coordinate with the executive director of the SAFE Affordable Housing Corporation.
The SAFE Alliance is a merger of Austin Children’s Shelter and SafePlace, both long-standing and respected human service agencies in Austin serving the survivors of child abuse, sexual assault and exploitation, and domestic violence. With an annual budget of more than $31 million, approximately 350 employees and thousands of volunteers, SAFE now has prevention and crisis programs operating across two campuses and in the schools, hospitals, courts, County and District Attorney’s offices.
Finding Non-Profit Leaders
Headquartered in Dallas, Peña Search’s specialties include: non-profit organizations, mission driven organizations, foundations, higher education, independent schools, religious organizations and educational institutions, human services organizations, museums, collective impact organizations, professional and trade associations, art culture and humanities organizations, environment and animal welfare organizations, fundraising, chief financial officers, chief executive officers, healthcare organizations, chief development officers, and advocacy organizations.
Related: Peña Search Recruits CEO for the Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity
Holly Sherman Peña is founder and CEO of Peña Search. Over a 20-year career in recruiting, she has a track record of successful, high-level placements across the United States and in Mexico. Currently, Ms. Sherman Peña leads many of the CEO-level searches while also managing and assisting team members. She also practiced law for seven years, focusing on cross-border transactions and trade.
Peña Search Recruits CEO for the Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity
Peña Search has assisted in the recruitment of Ashley Brundage as the new CEO of the Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity. Travis Hillier and Cindy Maloney led the assignment. “We are thrilled to welcome Ashley O. Brundage to Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity as our new, and first woman CEO; she is a force for good with a proven track record of convening groups, building strong teams, and leading with collaboration and innovation,” said Ashley Sheetz, Habitat chair of the board of directors. “She is the exact person we need to take our organization into its next phase of growth and impact.”
Mr. Hillier joined Peña Search in 2015. He conducts and supports searches at many different levels, and is committed to finding and placing the right leaders that will have a demonstrable impact in their communities and organizations. Mr. Hillier has search experience across a broad array of sectors and positions, bringing expertise to searches on behalf of educational organizations, those with religious affinities or affiliations, and agencies with international programmatic or fundraising components. He has also carved out a niche on the Peña Search team for his skill identifying development officers.
Visit Dallas Search
Peña Search was recently retained by Visit Dallas to lead in its search for a new CFO. With Visit Dallas financially stable and well-positioned for success due to strong relationships with the city, the organization requires a dynamic CFO to bring its multi-year strategic plan to fruition and continue the charge to position Dallas as a premier destination for leisure and business alike. With the necessary policies and procedures in place to ensure compliance and transparency with its diverse funding sources, Visit Dallas’ next CFO must be an effective communicator who understands the relationship-driven nature of the destination marketing organization industry while maintaining vigilant safeguards.
Those applying for this role must have the ability to delegate tasks, motivate team members, and make good decisions using facts and in alignment with the organization’s vision and mission. They should have a demonstrated commitment to continuous improvement, including the ability to look beyond the moment to see the possibilities that could come to fruition through new ideas, innovation, and positive change. A minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in financial management is required.
Related: Peña Search Finds New Leader for the Human Rights Initiative of North Texas
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
