Shelli Herman and Associates Tapped by Mystic Aquarium to Lead CEO Search
June 10, 2026 – Los Angeles-based Shelli Herman and Associates was recently selected by Mystic Aquarium to lead in its search for a new president and CEO. The organization seeks an experienced, mission-driven CEO to lead the organization into its next chapter, defined by expanded conservation impact, philanthropic growth, and deeper community relevance. Reporting to the board of trustees, this leader will set the strategic direction, build organizational capacity, and ensure Mystic Aquarium is well-positioned to advance its mission to protect aquatic life and empower communities to save our oceans.
The ideal candidate will bring strong management skills and genuine business acumen and be able to translate compelling goals into sustained, measurable outcomes. Beyond operational expertise, this leader must be a visionary who looks at an institution with a proud, more than 50-year history, an extraordinary animal collection, a nationally recognized rescue program, and a deeply loyal community, and sees, with clarity and conviction, the remarkable organization it is becoming.
This is an opportunity to lead a distinctive institution at a pivotal moment, according to Shelli Herman and Associates. A strategic plan has been developed that provides a meaningful starting point; the incoming CEO will be expected to bring fresh eyes to this plan, innovating, revising, and creating the right blueprint moving forward, ensuring that the strategy is grounded in current realities and shaped by an aspirational vision. The central mandate is to build on Mystic Aquarium’s stable foundation while helping the organization evolve to meet the growing demands of its mission and the extraordinary opportunities ahead.
Success will require a leader who can galvanize both internal and external audiences around a shared vision, generating the enthusiasm, trust, and commitment needed to move the organization forward together. The CEO will understand the inherent connection between the Aquarium’s revenue-generating capacity and its ability to support the conservation, education, and research initiatives that are foundational to its mission.
To fulfill this mandate, the job specification explained that three key capabilities are crucial. First, the new CEO must be an authentic and effective champion of the organization. This highly visible and influential leader, well-connected politically at both state and federal levels, will establish a strong fundraising foundation by engaging philanthropic organizations, strengthening corporate partnerships, and making a compelling case for investing in the Aquarium’s mission.
Second, this leader must be an inspiring internal figure and a decisive culture builder, earning the trust of a talented staff, clarifying accountability across departments, strengthening management at all levels, and fostering a transparent, mission-driven workplace that retains top talent and attracts new professionals. Third, and equally important, is governance: the next CEO must actively nurture the relationship with the Board, engage trustees in their philanthropic and governance roles, and maintain a high-trust, productive partnership between the board and staff to support the organization’s aspirational goals.
Nationally Recognized
Founded in 1973, Mystic Aquarium has grown from a coastal destination along Connecticut’s scenic shoreline into a nationally recognized leader in marine science, animal care, and immersive public engagement. At its core, Mystic Aquarium is a research, conservation, and education institution that conducts critical research to advance knowledge of marine life, partners with experts from leading organizations and institutions worldwide to establish science-based conservation efforts, and communicates findings to policymakers, regulatory agencies, the scientific community, and the public.
Shelli Herman and Associates Inc. serves trailblazing clients across the corporate, non-profit, and higher education sectors. The firm’s long roster of clients includes the Annenberg Foundation; the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation; BENlabs; The Capital Group Companies/American Funds Distributors; City Year, Los Angeles; the Fresno Chaffee Zoo; the Griffith Observatory Foundation; Jewish Family Service LA; Laguna College of Art and Design; Loyola Marymount University; Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium; P.S. ARTS; the Saint Louis Zoo; Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County; the University of California System; the Whitney Museum of American Art; and YWCA Greater Los Angeles.
Shelli Herman, who has more than 25 years of executive recruitment experience, has a strong record of leading searches and building upper management teams for a diverse clientele, including Fortune 500 companies. She has completed senior-level assignments in many industries, including consumer products, healthcare, high technology, and finance, as well as for non-profit, conservation, and cultural organizations. Additionally, she brings an in-depth understanding of the unique cultural environment of academia that was gained while she held significant management positions at the University of Florida and Loyola Marymount University.
Related: Shelli Herman and Associates Tapped by OneOC for CEO Search
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
