Shelli Herman and Associates, Inc.

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.

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/

09/14/2026

Shelli Herman and Associates, Inc. welcomes Shawn Tryce as Director of Marketing and Digital Strategy.

Shawn brings 20+ years of marketing experience spanning higher education, healthcare, nonprofits, and corporate enterprises. In this role, she'll lead our marketing strategy, digital communications, and brand development, working closely with our leadership team and search consultants to ensure our messaging and outreach continue to reflect our commitment to integrity, personalized service, and optimal results.

Please join us in giving Shawn a warm welcome!

09/10/2026

Jaime Yablonicky will join the Saint Louis Zoo as its Vice President of Revenue Strategy, a newly created role leading earned revenue strategy across the Zoo's two campuses during a time of defining growth.

Thank you to Michael Macek, Sabarras George, and Dusty Deschamp, and the Saint Louis Zoo team, for their trust throughout this search.

09/04/2026

Happy Labor Day to the leaders and teams whose efforts drive missions and benefit our communities. Wishing everyone a well-deserved day off.

09/02/2026

Congratulations to Moxie Wong on one year as Director of Accounting and Finance at UniHealth Foundation! In this role, Moxie helps steward the organization's financial operations and long-term fiscal strategy, work that directly supports the Foundation's mission to improve the health and well-being of our Southern California community.

We were honored by the trust the UniHealth Foundation placed in our firm, and we're proud to see Moxie thriving!

09/01/2026

Thank you, Hunt Scanlon Media, for featuring Bonni Pomush's recent placement as Chief Executive Officer at OneOC. With 25 years in government and nonprofit leadership, including a longstanding connection to OneOC through its Nonprofit Advisory Council, Bonni is positioned to lead its next chapter from day one.

It was an honor to partner with Kendra Angier, Micah Jindal, and the OneOC search committee on this important search.

Read more: https://huntscanlon.com/shelli-herman-and-associates-recruits-ceo-for-oneoc/

08/31/2026

We were proud to partner with the Selection Committee and Board in identifying Bonni Pomush as OneOC's next CEO.

Thank you, Kendra Angier, for your generous words and for your partnership throughout the search. Congratulations again to Bonni and the entire OneOC team. We look forward to seeing what the future holds!

08/28/2026

The impact of conservation isn't always immediate or easy to see. Sometimes, though, you get a moment like this. 👇

Our client, Mystic Aquarium, and its Animal Rescue Program returned a dolphin stranded on Block Island to the ocean, the first successful release from that location in decades.

This is what community integration looks like in practice: residents, first responders, and a rescue team acting as one system.

08/26/2026