Shelli Herman and Associates, Inc.

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Shelli Herman and Associates, Inc. Shelli Herman and Associates is a retained executive search firm managing searches for organizations Shelli Herman and Associates, Inc.

is a retained executive search firm managing searches for organizations nationwide. We work exclusively on behalf of our clients to recruit talent for management positions. The firm is client centered and strives to deliver superior service on every assignment.

Strong Board governance starts with carefully selecting each person who will serve. It is essential that Boards consider...
10/20/2026

Strong Board governance starts with carefully selecting each person who will serve. It is essential that Boards consider the kinds of real-world skills that enhance their efficacy as governing bodies.

This month, Dan Bolar, CPA, MBT, marks one year on the Board of the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation, which supports chemistry and life sciences research that opens new avenues of discovery. He draws on a career advising large Orange County nonprofits on accounting and tax.

Dan serves alongside two members who know the Foundation's work as scholars who each received a Beckman Young Investigator award early in their careers. Kent Hill, PhD, a UCLA professor of microbiology, immunology, and molecular genetics, and Susan Wente, PhD, president emerita of Wake Forest University, help guide the Foundation that invested in them!

Shelli Herman and Associates, Inc. has partnered on nine Board appointments with Executive Director and CEO Anne Hultgren, PhD, whom the firm also placed in 2015.

Fall reminds us that what we gather now was planted long ago. Mission-driven organizations are no different. Through Dec...
10/15/2026

Fall reminds us that what we gather now was planted long ago. Mission-driven organizations are no different. Through December, we're looking at the deliberate steps behind that yield, beginning with the chief executive role. Boards that proactively identify and cultivate internal talent before a transition have more options. In contrast, reactive boards respond only once the vacancy is imminent.

To go deeper, read Shelli Herman's piece on assessing and preparing staff for the top seat, and when an outside hire makes more sense: https://www.shellihermansearch.com/post/succession-planning-internal-candidates-vs-external-recruits

Highlighting recent conservation wins by Shelli Herman and Associates, Inc. clients Santa Barbara Zoo, Saint Louis Zoo, ...
10/07/2026

Highlighting recent conservation wins by Shelli Herman and Associates, Inc. clients Santa Barbara Zoo, Saint Louis Zoo, and Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. Each of these is worth celebrating, but taken together, the results reflect the collective work of The Association of Zoos and Aquariums members toward species survival.

With every engagement, we assist clients in finding the leaders who will make the next milestone possible. Thank you, Luis Padilla, Dwight Scott, and Charles Hopper, for your leadership in the sector.

It's easy to assume a reference check is a formality, something you get through near the end of a process that's already...
09/30/2026

It's easy to assume a reference check is a formality, something you get through near the end of a process that's already decided. In a rigorous search, it isn't. It's where a candidate's judgment gets tested against people who watched it in practice. That's why we ask behavior-based questions in interviews and in reference calls alike. Past behavior is still the clearest predictor of how someone will lead.

Kathy Tisone, Chief Financial Officer at the Saint Louis Zoo, is one example. During a 2024 search, Kathy emerged among a strong group of finalists; she distinguished herself as a finance executive who dedicated 25 years to her prior organization, helping grow its impact and increasing the budget by more than 450%. Through specific examples and story sharing, her references affirmed that she was a change agent focused on best practices and innovation, as well as an empathetic, values-driven leader, making her the ideal choice for Dwight Scott's crucial hire as he expanded his executive team.

When you are building your list of references, don't just offer the names of those who will speak well of you; think about who saw you make a hard decision.

September is Hunger Action Month, and Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County is running local programming all month t...
09/25/2026

September is Hunger Action Month, and Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County is running local programming all month to address food insecurity in the community.

CEO Claudia Bonilla Keller and Chief Development Officer Wayne Stickney, both placed by Shelli Herman and Associates, Inc, are driving that work forward. Their impact reflects what an executive search built around mission fit can deliver for a nonprofit organization.

Learn more about Hunger Action Month and how you can support Second Harvest's efforts at https://feedoc.org/

Rachel Metz will join Mystic Aquarium as its President and Chief Executive Officer, bringing nearly 30 years of leadersh...
09/24/2026

Rachel Metz will join Mystic Aquarium as its President and Chief Executive Officer, bringing nearly 30 years of leadership in animal wellbeing and conservation, most recently at the Philadelphia Zoo.

Thank you to George Milne, Tom Marra, and the Board of Trustees and Search Committee for their trust throughout this search.

For decades, we’ve partnered with Boards through consequential leadership decisions. These are some of the questions tha...
09/17/2026

For decades, we’ve partnered with Boards through consequential leadership decisions. These are some of the questions that come with the territory.

How involved should the Board be in the search?
The Board should own the decision without having to manage every step of the process. A well-defined search committee can keep the work moving, with clear points of engagement for the full Board to align on the leadership mandate, evaluate finalists, and ultimately make the appointment.

What if our strongest candidate doesn’t come from our sector?
Sector experience can matter, but it shouldn’t become shorthand for readiness. The more important question is whether a candidate has successfully led through the complexity, scale, stakeholders, and challenges the organization is facing now.

Do we need a search if we already have a strong internal candidate?
Looking at the broader market can help the Board test its assumptions about what the organization needs next and understand how its internal talent compares with other possibilities. If the internal candidate emerges as the best choice, the Board can move forward knowing the decision was tested, not assumed.

How do we compare an internal candidate fairly against the market?
Start by defining what the organization needs from its next leader. Then assess internal and external candidates against those same criteria, giving the Board a consistent basis for comparison. A rigorous process doesn’t disadvantage an internal candidate. It gives the Board greater confidence that the person selected is the right choice for what comes next.

👍 Give this post a like if you’d like to see more answers to the questions Boards bring to the search process.

Most retained search firms can point to a track record, so it's not really the differentiator it's made out to be. What ...
09/15/2026

Most retained search firms can point to a track record, so it's not really the differentiator it's made out to be. What tells you more about the search ahead is who you'll be working with, how they work, and their results.

Pierce Gray, featured by Scanlon Media, outlines four questions worth asking before you sign on with any search partner: a defined strategy, direct senior-level involvement, straightforward communication about tradeoffs, and results that hold up under scrutiny.

Read more at https://huntscanlon.com/the-questions-to-ask-an-executive-search-firm-that-most-dont/

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