Public Citizen is the originator of the consumer rights movement.  First known as Nader’s Raiders, it has had a profound and lasting impact on consumer and worker rights and government accountability.  Joan Claybrook stepped down after a 27-year term as President, and we were engaged to recruit her successor.  Ms. Claybrook is one of the most recognized and respected advocates in the country, and her successor has enormous shoes to fill.

We worked closely with the Public Citizen Board and staff to plan for how the organization would adapt to the introduction of a new President, a new approach and an evolving strategy.  We led a rigorous dialogue about the change dynamics at each step in the search.  The (more common) approach of avoiding challenging conversations and hard choices would have left the full weight of change management on the new President.  By helping the Board prepare to govern a new President under very different circumstances, and by engaging a strong and expert staff, we created a consensus and a context in which Public Citizen and its new President are positioned for success.

At the start of her second term, Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire engaged us to recruit the cabinet secretary to run the state’s largest agency, with a $10 billion budget and 20,000 employees.  We had filled this same position for the Governor at the beginning of her first term, recruiting a nationally recognized leader in this field - Robin Arnold  Williams.  Governor Gregoire had asked Ms. Williams to lead her statewide productivity initiative, creating the need to fill this cabinet post.

Ironically, Secretary William’s success as an effective leader and change agent complicated the assignment of attracting a successor who would also bring dynamic leadership.  Our understanding of the systemic and organizational components necessary to shaping a strong mandate for the new Secretary was what made the difference in our ability to attract Susan Dreyfus, a national leader in this field who continues the strong and effective leadership of this enormously complex and challenging government agency.

Founded by Jackie Onassis, Robert Taft and Sam Beard, the Jefferson Awards are known as the Nobel Prize for public service, and a leader in promoting civic engagement and volunteerism.  Working with Sam Beard and the Board, we managed a national search that facilitated a seamless transition, incorporating the tremendous knowledge, history and network of Mr. Beard with the expertise in new media and volunteerism of the candidate we recruited, Robert Ford, to shape a strong new agenda for the organization.

A series of public controversies and internal strife, and a failed chief executive search, preceded our engagement to recruit the leader of one of New York’s largest non-profit youth service agencies.  We have been tested in similar circumstances, such as when we successfully recruited a PAC 10 university president and the chief executive of one of the countries largest public utilities.  We helped facilitate a retreat to address internal conflict and build a consensus for change.  By compelling a continuing and deeper exploration of challenges awaiting the next chief executive at each step in the search, we attracted a very strong field of candidates.  We facilitated an interview process that helped the Board explore its best strategic choices for the future, and find the best person to lead that strategy.  Tim Giacchetta was appointed CEO, with the full support of the Board, staff, funders and regulators, all of whom are critical to the success of this organization.

Clean Water Action is a national grassroots organization that promotes political accountability through the electoral process.  Credited with the passage of the Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act and creating the Superfund Toxics cleanup, the organization needed to adapt to new leadership when founder David Zwick stepped down.  We led a robust discussion with Board and staff to anticipate how the organization would adapt to a new leader.  Our ability to promise top candidates that they could anticipate an open and thoughtful exchange on the challenges of a transition and shaping a new vision resulted in a strong and diverse field, and the selection of John DeCock.