Derek J Castaneda

Managing Partner

Derek J. Castaneda is a Managing Partner with QLK based in Omaha, Nebraska. He takes a confidential and client-centric approach to each search, partnering with search committees and talent acquisition teams to achieve successful execution by customizing his process and service offerings based upon their needs. Derek’s hands-on approach as a career counselor and advisor has proven highly effective in the executive search arena. Derek brings 11 years of recruitment experience to his role, most recently serving as the healthcare practice leader for a global executive search firm in Omaha. His focus has been on the placement of administrators and senior executives in Critical Access Hospitals, Prospective Payment System hospitals, academic medical centers, children’s hospitals, physician-owned multi-specialty groups, FQHCs, ACOs, and healthcare consulting firms throughout the Midwestern and Western United States. Derek has particular expertise in the functional areas of administration, operations, finance, revenue cycle, medical management, clinical management, quality and compliance, and technology. Derek has had significant success as an executive search leader; 95% of the searches for which he has been the lead have resulted in placement retention of greater than one year, and the remainder have been closed to the satisfaction of his clients with replacement candidates. Derek attributes this success to his thorough candidate evaluation and vetting processes, his project management ability, his relocation expertise, his sense of urgency, his industry knowledge, and his ability to develop and maintain trusting relationships with the individuals and organizations he serves. He remains active in a number of professional organizations, including the American College of Healthcare Executives, the Healthcare Financial Management Association, the National Rural Health Association, the Medical Group Management Association, the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, and the American Organization of Nurse Executives. Prior to entering executive search, Derek served for five years in the 155th Civil Engineering Squadron of the Nebraska Air National Guard. Originally from a rural community in western Nebraska, he holds a bachelor’s degree in business and philosophy from Doane University, where he competed in intercollegiate track and field and cross country. In addition to sitting on the Inter-Greek Alumni Association of his alma mater, Derek volunteers with Wag N Train Terrier Rescue in Omaha, a 501(c)3 nonprofit for which his wife serves as the fundraising coordinator.