The Folger Shakespeare Library Retained Isaacson, Miller for CFO Search
April 3, 2026 – Boston-based Isaacson, Miller has been selected by the Folger Shakespeare Library to lead in its search for a new CFO. Dan Rodas is leading this search with Stephanie Simon, and Robin Dougherty. This is an opportunity to partner closely with director Dr. Farah Karim-Cooper at a time of strategic growth and organizational transformation. As the Folger embarks on a new strategic planning process, the CFO will play a defining role in shaping a sustainable financial future for the Folger—balancing innovation in public engagement with careful stewardship of its extraordinary legacy.
Reporting to the director of the Folger Shakespeare Library and serving as a key member of the senior leadership team, the CFO will serve as a critical strategic partner to the director and act as an essential advisor to the board.
With an annual operating budget of approximately $28 million and an endowment of approximately $510 million, the CFO will have overall responsibility for the financial operations of the institution, ensuring the efficient and effective stewardship of the Folger’s physical and financial resources, including budgeting, accounting, financial reporting, long-range financial planning, asset and liability management, and risk management.
The CFO should demonstrate deep expertise in the financial administration and regulatory compliance of federal and state grant funding, including budgeting, cost allocation, reporting, and audit requirements. Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process.
The Folger boasts the world’s largest collection of printed works of William Shakespeare, an array of rare materials from the early modern period, and both physical and electronic resources related to the understanding and interpretation of Shakespeare and his time. It offers advanced scholarly programs, national outreach to middle and high school students and educators, Shakespeare-inspired performances and programming, and workshops and activities.
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A nationally recognized search firm focused on recruiting transformational leaders for mission-driven organizations, Isaacson, Miller has conducted thousands of placements over more than three decades. More than half of the firm’s work has been in academia, involving university presidents, college chancellors and deans. The firm has filled top leadership posts at Wellesley College, Washington State University, Miami University, Howard University, Bowdoin College, Dartmouth, NYU, Virginia State University, and the University of North Carolina, among others.
Finding Mission-Driven Leaders
John Isaacson, the firm’s chair, founded Isaacson, Miller in 1982. He has led searches in many areas of the firm’s practice. Mr. Isaacson has helped the firm develop its cumulative knowledge of the craft of search and has attended, with increasing interest, to the missionary purposes of institutions, the political and economic disciplines of specialized markets, and the emotional and intellectual learnings that leaders acquire in a committed working life.
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Mr. Rodas, partner, joined the firm in 2013 after a career in higher education spanning over two decades. At Isaacson, Miller, he has built a multi-faceted search practice, leading recruitment assignments in higher education, academic medicine, research institutes, independent schools, and other non-profit organizations. He has a track record of recruiting financial and operational leaders for leading institutions nationally. Mr. Rodas has also led searches for department heads, deans, and provosts, as well as leaders in numerous functional areas, including enrollment management, information technology, human resources, facilities management, procurement, data analytics, institutional research, emergency management and public safety. Prior to joining the firm, he served as vice president for planning and VP for human resources at Long Island University, as well as provost of Southampton College.
Ms. Simon became an associate in 2021. She joined Isaacson, Miller in 2016 as executive assistant to Mr. Isaacson, and served as managing search coordinator in Boston. Ms. Simon has managed president, provost, and dean searches in higher education along with executive-level searches within arts and culture.
Ms. Dougherty is a managing associate who joined Isaacson, Miller in 2018 with 25 years of experience in the higher education field. She has served many higher education clients in successful provost, vice provost, dean, university librarian, student affairs, CFO, CIO and executive director recruitments. Her clients span public institutions—such as flagship land grants like Penn State University, the University of Missouri, and the University of Maryland—as well as regional comprehensive institutions like Bowling Green State University and Wichita State University, and both small and large private universities, including Johns Hopkins University and the University of Scranton.
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
