If you have questions about the executive director search that are not answered here, please reach out to USITT President Carolyn Satter.

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Search Update, Dec. 14, 2022

Last week the Search Committee held semi-finalist interviews with a slate of candidates for the Executive Director role. Each candidate was interviewed for 75 minutes by the Committee, and at the end of the week, the Committee chose a smaller group of candidates to move forward as finalists in the search. Video finalist interviews will take place before the end of December and will consist of a meeting with the national office staff and a presentation from each of our finalists to the Search Committee and Board of Directors, followed by questions from the Search Committee. 

We are excited about the quality of the pool and look forward to learning more from our finalists during their presentations and interviews. We expect to bring the final candidate to the USITT office for a few final conversations in mid-January. 

I will continue to provide updates, while protecting the confidentiality of the candidate pool as the search progresses. Happy holidays to all. 

Carl Lefko, Chair
Executive Director Search Committee

Search Update November 11, 2022

As Chair of the Executive Director Search Committee I am once again updating you on the progress of the search.

Earlier this week the Search Committee met to review the pool of candidates. After brief presentations from our search consultants, the Committee deliberated and selected a small group of semifinalists. Semifinalist interviews will take place in a few weeks. I’m happy to report we’re delighted by the quality of the pool and excited to meet with these candidates to explore in depth their past experience and how that prepares them to be the next Executive Director of USITT.

After the semifinalist interviews the Committee will then select finalists who will meet with the USITT staff and do a presentation in a combined Search Committee/Board session. We then expect to bring the final candidate to the USITT office for a few last conversations.

I will continue to provide updates, while protecting the confidentially of the candidate pool, as the search progresses.

-Carl Lefko
Executive Director Search Committee Chair

General Status Report Oct. 27, 2022

As Chair of the Executive Director Search Committee both President Satter and I want to update you on the progress of the search.

The Isaacson Miller (IM) team completed a number of stakeholder listening sessions including with the Search Committee, USITT staff, the USITT Board, the I.D.E.A.S. committee and the Regional Section Chairs. Additionally, a survey was sent to USITT members. The Search Committee approved the final version of the position description and IM advertised the position.

Our search consultants then moved into the active networking phase starting to build a pool of potential candidates. Recently the Search Committee met to do an early review of the pool and gave feedback to the consultants. With this feedback in mind, networking continues.

The Committee will meet in the next few weeks to do a final review of the pool and to select a small group of semifinal candidates they will interview.

While the search is moving briskly, we encourage anyone who would like to submit nominations, applications, or suggestions for sources of candidates to do so via the Isaacson, Miller (IM) website at https://www.imsearch.com/8631. The full position description is also available through this link.

Updates will continue while protecting the confidentially of the candidate pool, as the search progresses.

Carl Lefko, past president and search committee chair
Carolyn Satter, USITT president

General Status Report September 1, 2022

I am delighted to report the position description for the Executive Director search has been finalized and networking is now underway.  I want to thank the Search Committee for their work on this effort.

I encourage anyone who would like to submit nominations, applications or suggestions for sources of candidates to do so via the Isaacson, Miller (IM) website (click to view). The full position description is available through this link. Our own employment site, JobsUSITT, will also carry a notice of the search. All job postings should direct those interested to the IM webpage above.

I will continue to provide updates, while protecting the confidentially of the candidate pool, as the search progresses.

Carl Lefko, USITT Past President
Chair, Executive Director Search Committee

General Status Report August 26, 2022

View the August 24, 2022 Leadership Listening Event focusing on the Executive Director Search HERE.

The Isaacson Miller (IM) team has spent the last couple of weeks engaging various stakeholder groups to learn more about USITT and the expected opportunities and challenges for the next Executive Director. IM has completed listening sessions with the Search Committee, USITT staff and the USITT Board and will shortly meet with the I.D.E.A.S. committee and the Regional Section Chairs. Additionally, a survey was sent to USITT members.

The Search Committee is currently reviewing a position description. Once the document is finalized it will be made public and the full networking process will begin.  To that end, IM is working with their research team to put together a list of potential candidates and sources who will receive the position description.

Finally, IM has put together a list of potential advertising venues and with approval of the Chair of the Search Committee, will place ads once we have a final document.

Anyone with ideas for either potential candidates or sources is encouraged to send those names to the IM Search Team Email. [It is USITT's policy not to unmask email addresses. To forward this address to others, configure skalogeras at imsearch dot com into the appropriate email syntax.]

Carl Lefko, USITT Past President
Chair, Executive Director Search Committee

July 26, 2022

Communication to the USITT Community

We wanted to send a quick update to our community regarding the search for the next USITT Executive Director (ED). We are delighted to say the effort has launched and is off to a productive start. After reviewing several search firms the Search Committee selected Isaacson, Miller (IM) to partner with us on this search. A few paragraphs about the firm below. 

We have a wonderful and dedicated group that has agreed to serve as our Search Committee. Last week the Committee met with our IM consultants to discuss the search process, the tentative timeline, and the challenges and opportunities the next ED will be expected to address in the role. Our consultants are now working to schedule additional meetings with USITT stakeholder groups to gather more input on the ideal candidate profile. Once that profile is approved it will be a public document, available on the USITT  and IM websites. Then active networking will commence.  Information on nominations and applications will be included in the profile.  

The plan is to periodically post updates on our progress, while also protecting the confidentiality of any candidates exploring this opportunity. But please let us know if you have any immediate questions. 

About Isaacson, Miller

Isaacson, Miller is a national executive search firm devoted to recruiting exceptional leaders for mission-driven organizations. The firm has grown steadily, and today, Isaacson, Miller stands alone as a large, national, retained search firm dedicated to the full range of public and civic missions. We have active practices in higher education, healthcare, conservation and environment, advocacy, arts and culture, foundations, PreK-12 education and education improvement, human services, social justice, and other endeavors that advance the public good. 

Many of our clients and past candidates become part of an extended network and share our goal of strengthening civic infrastructure. They see their own missions reflected in the work of the firm and choose to assist us, generously, in our quest for the finest talent in their fields. In 2020, 80% of our searches were for returning clients. 

We believe that civic organizations are essential to a strong civil society, a vigorous democracy, and to a free market economy. Civic institutions educate us all. They encourage the marketplace of ideas through research, teaching, and advocacy. They inspire innovation, and, through foundations and philanthropy, they arouse the charitable endeavors of private citizens. The civic sector serves as the guardian of our economic and societal strength. We have made its success our business. 

Our Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion 

IM holds a fundamental institutional commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). We have become well-known for our success in recruiting candidates from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds. We have established an extensive network of contacts who share our commitment to diversity, and we call and build upon this network in every search. We work with our clients to uphold legal protections and to resist explicit as well as implicit biases that lead to discriminatory hiring practices. In 2020, 55% of our placements were women and 38% were people of color. As a firm, we strive internally to be a diverse and welcoming community of colleagues where everyone can learn, thrive, and be empowered to contribute to a vital and powerful civic sector.

Sincerely,

Carolyn Satter, President USITT
Carl Lefko, Executive Director Search Committee Char

Executive Director Search Committee Members
Jim Streeter, Rich Dionne, Joe Payne, Whitney Winkels, Brent "Mickey" Henry, Avery Evans, LT Gourzong, Lea Ann Quimby, Jody Harris

July 15, 2021

A Note from the Search Committee Chair

I am pleased to announce following the recommendation by the Executive Director Search Committee that USITT has successfully contracted, Isaacson Miller (IM) to conduct a search for our next Executive Director. References gave superlative recommendations with special mention to their commitment to follow-up check-ins following a successful hire. Both their references and their proposal touted the success IM has demonstrated in producing a diverse pool of applicants. I am excited to begin working with IM on this important endeavor.
 
We are currently working to schedule a “launch meeting” with IM and the ED Search Committee. At the meeting, IM will outline their timeline and plan for the search.  It is important to know that IM will control the timeline. We are also at the informational stage where we are providing various profile documents to provide information on our rich history, current status, and plans for the future of the Institute. Parallel to this IM will be conducting interviews with targeted groups within USITT working diligently to know us much about us as we can tell them. To this point, I have been exceedingly pleased with their thoroughness and professionalism.
 
As we proceed through this process, there will be consistent information addressed to the membership on the progress. At the next Leadership Listening webinar, both President Carolyn Satter and I will be available to share any additional updates. This meeting is currently being scheduled. A date in August will be announced shortly.

Carl Lefko, USITT Past President 
Chair, Executive Director Search Committee