Wendy Pangburn

Wendy Pangburn, CAE, has over three decades of professional experience in nonprofit executive recruiting, association management, fundraising, and event production. An active leader in the nonprofit/association arena, Wendy earned her Certified Association Executive (CAE) through the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). She specializes in mission driven NGO and association searches for their top executive. A former Partner with Heidrick & Struggles, Pangburn ran the Nonprofit/Association Practice in the Washington, DC office and was the lead consultant for many of the firm’s marquee nonprofit/association search assignments. Prior to moving on from Heidrick, she was the firm’s top producer worldwide in the Nonprofit/Education Department. She has also been a consultant to Korn Ferry International, the largest search firm in the world, and DHR International, the world’s largest privately owned search firm. Prior to becoming an executive recruiter, Pangburn served for over a decade as President of the Chief Executives Organization, Inc., an international association of over 2,000 chief executive officers and former leaders of the Young President’s Organization whose mission is to improve executive leadership effectiveness through continuing education and idea exchange. During her tenure, she worked in over 40 countries, managed a staff of 35, and an annual budget in excess of $15 million. Pangburn earned Bachelor degrees in Economics and Art from Bucknell University and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Harvard University. She recently served as the Executive Director of the Congressional Commission on the study of a potential American Museum of Women’s History and as the Chair of the Alumni Board of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and is a member of the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Advisory Board.