Phillips Oppenheim Seeking CEO for Inspirica
April 5, 2024 – New York City-based Phillips Oppenheim has been retained by Inspirica in Stamford, CT, to lead in its search for a new CEO. Susan Gluck Pappajohn and Addie Jones are leading the assignment on behalf of Phillips Oppenheim. Inspirica is seeking an energetic and compassionate leader with a strong operational and fundraising background and a track record of building collaborative high-functioning organizations. The CEO will join an organization with an impeccable reputation and an extraordinary record of achievement. They will raise Inspirica’s visibility and advocate to improve conditions for families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The next leader will provide a vision of not only what Inspirica can do today, but also what it can become.
The ideal CEO will be passionate about Inspirica’s mission and can develop and authentically promote a compelling vision that increases financial and community support. They must be a confident and self-assured leader who is also able to build support and consensus by listening well and clearly explaining objectives. Those applying will have the ability to galvanize staff to work together towards Inspirica’s goals and get the best out of each employee. The search firm seeks a positive and energetic leader who thoughtfully addresses both opportunities and challenges.
The incoming executive will lead with an inspirational strategic vision, while keeping a finger on the pulse internally of day-to-day operations, services, and activities. They are charged with leading a highly motivated, competent, and committed team with a common vision and sense of purpose. Inspire the Board, staff, and external stakeholders to support and advance the organization’s mission.
The person taking on this role is expected to increase Inspirica’s visibility as a city and state partner, thought leader, and one of the important go-to resources on housing for the homeless as well as stay ahead of the curve in anticipation of significant developments and trends in the field. They will support, manage, and execute the strategic plan developed by the board and staff.
Striving to End Homelessness
Inspirica strives to end homelessness and housing insecurity by helping individuals and families achieve independence through support services and affordable housing. Inspirica has a rich history in the community dating back over 140 years. As one of the largest providers of services to the homeless in Connecticut and the largest in Lower Fairfield County, Inspirica serves women and families who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, individuals with mental illness, and persons living with HIV/AIDS.
Related: Phillips Oppenheim Recruits New Leader for San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
Phillips Oppenheim, founded in 1991, provides mission-driven organizations with senior leaders from the business, public and non-profit sectors. It sponsors roundtable discussions, participates in workshops and conferences and acts as informal counsel to non-profit organizations and their boards. Among its many clients: New York City Ballet, the Museum of the American Revolution, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Arts Club, Table to Table, the African Wildlife Foundation and the Barack Obama Presidential Museum, and others.
Ms. Gluck Pappajohn is a seasoned executive whose multi-faceted career has spanned the arts, technology and non-profit sectors working for companies such as the New York City Ballet, Time Warner, IBM and, more recently, the executive search firms Phillips Oppenheim and Heidrick & Struggles. She received a BA from Harvard College and an MBA from the Wharton School. After Wharton, Ms. Gluck Pappajohn co-founded Time Warner Electronic Publishing, one of Time Warner’s first digital media groups. For the past decade, she has been involved in helping mission-driven organizations achieve their goals. Ms. Gluck Pappajohn has worked as both a consultant and board member serving the cultural, health, education and social service sectors. She originally joined Phillips Oppenheim as a principal in 2008. In 2019, Ms. Gluck Pappajohn returned to the firm.
Ms. Jones has been a principal, on a project basis, with Phillips Oppenheim since 1992. Before that she spent 10 years at Harvard University as an administrator where she designed and ran the first Career services office at the John F. Kennedy School of Government and then served as the director of admissions for the graduate program in international law at the Harvard Law. Ms. Jones recently completed a ten year term on the Board of the King School, an independent K-12 day school in Stamford, Connecticut. During her term she served both as chair of the board and chair of the school’s capital campaign. She is a former board member of the Alvin Ailey Dance Company, and of St. Aloysius School in Manhattan. She is currently a board member of StoryCorps, where she serves on the executive committee.
Related: Phillips Oppenheim Recruits CEO for The New York Botanical Garden
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor; Lily Fauver, Senior Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
