K-12 Education
Executive Search

A respected professional services leader and a sought-after advisor to organizations across the nonprofit sector, Jackie Sullivan draws on an extensive toolkit of problem-solving strategies to consistently deliver innovative solutions and actionable recommendations for her clients. With a focus on tactical implementation, big-picture thinking, and high-touch relationships with stakeholders, she has earned the trust of numerous organizations engaged in life-changing work around the world.

Known for approaching challenges with tenacity and determination, Jackie brings a wealth of experience in independent school, higher education, and global and social nonprofit leadership and consulting that positions her as the ideal partner for recruiting top-tier talent.

Expertise

Jackie’s core strengths lie in her profound understanding of organizations and their operational intricacies, coupled with her ability to assess and fulfill the unique needs of development offices within these institutions. Her deep well of knowledge regarding the inner workings of institutions allows her to navigate their complexities with precision and insight, while her breadth of experience gives her an industry-level perspective.

Jackie has partnered with the full range of independent schools, including boarding and day schools, faith-based schools, single-gender schools, and specialty programs, as well as an array of higher education, global, and social nonprofits.

Experience

Jackie’s experience as a seasoned development officer within independent schools and higher education, as well as her extensive experience as a strategic consultant partnering with these institutions, uniquely positions her as a top expert and advisor for leaders in education.

Before joining Lindauer, Jackie honed her expertise in navigating the complexities of a range of educational and nonprofit environments working both in-house in development offices at institutions like Syracuse University, the Pingry School, and Delbarton School as well as externally as a principal consultant at Graham-Pelton, a global leader in nonprofit consulting.

Her commitment to the field includes serving on the Board of Directors for The Giving Institute and, previously, on the board of the Morris Education Foundation.

Education

Jackie holds a BA in Math and Psychology from Syracuse University.

An innovative and deeply committed thought partner for organizations across a range of sectors, Faith Montgomery equips nonprofit leaders to realize their visions in the world. She synthesizes the many variables of an executive search into a shared reality with her clients, providing vital support and guidance that helps them prepare for new leadership eras. Faith has served clients in education, healthcare, the arts, social justice, and policy with her strategic expertise in how to leverage evolving workplace dynamics and engage teams to unlock their full potential.

Expertise

As a trusted advisor to leaders and boards, Faith is known for prioritizing clarity, communication, and mutual understanding in all of her client engagements. She believes in getting to the root of organizational dynamics and contexts as a critical first step on the path to achieving her clients’ long-term goals.

Faith brings a collaborative approach to recruitment, creating an environment conducive to open dialogue and respect. With a focus on active listening, she asks the right questions to surface pain points and craft effective strategies that enable organizations to navigate challenges and ensure smooth leadership transitions.

Highly skilled in activating commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion, Faith advises organizations on reducing bias in hiring, building diverse pools of candidates, and mitigating the structural challenges facing leaders of color.

As an executive leader and consultant with Lindauer, Faith has recruited for leadership and executive positions across higher education, healthcare, think tanks, arts and culture, independent schools, and more.

Experience

Before joining Lindauer, Faith was Vice President of Operations at Columbus Advisors Group, LLC, where she developed organizational infrastructure and protocol, and Vice President of Development at Easter Seals Massachusetts, where she led major gifts, corporate and foundation relations, annual fund, and special events, raising millions annually to support people with disabilities.

Faith is Co-Chair of the American Council on Education’s Executive Search Roundtable and serves on the national Board of the African American Development Officer’s Network. She is also a member of Women of Color in Fundraising and Philanthropy (WOC) and The Giving Institute. She formerly served on the Boston Chapter Board of Jack and Jill.

A sought-after public speaker, C-suite advisor, and executive-level thought partner, Faith works with integrity, clarity, and a nuanced understanding of leadership dynamics to drive positive outcomes for both organizations and candidates alike.

Education

Faith holds a BA in Communications/Business from the University of Missouri-Columbia and an MA in Interpersonal Communications from Purdue University.

Lindauer was thrilled to welcome Adele Mezher and the rest of the Pearl Street team to the Lindauer family in 2025.

Adele brings to her clients and candidates over three decades of experience in the executive search industry and a track record of successfully completing hundreds of searches across industries, sectors, missions, and functions. She manages a full portfolio of executive search and talent strategy engagements and has introduced new, market‑responsive service offerings and partnership models that keep clients closely supported through search, transition, and culture change. Her clients span global university systems and independent schools to academic medical centers, research institutions, foundations and grantmaking organizations, federated organizations, and nonprofits at pivotal inflection points.

As Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Pearl Street, Adele leads Pearl Street’s search enterprise, scaling a boutique platform to deliver outsized performance. Now as Senior Vice President and Managing Director with Lindauer, she ensures clients benefit from the combined research capabilities, talent networks, and executive search services that Lindauer and Pearl Street bring to the nonprofit sector.

The first half of Adele’s career was spent implementing strategies for media relations, new market entry, and practice expansion as head of Marketing for multiple Top 10 for-profit search firms and an international search and M&A advisory firm. She also carried a portfolio of CEO and VP-level searches for Fortune 500 and venture/private-equity backed technology and manufacturing clients. Responding to her own mission drive, she found herself transitioning to the nonprofit sector, where she has spent the last 15-plus years building an expertise in CEO and advancement and development searches.

Adele’s hallmark is a hands-on model. She personally recruits on her client engagements so that she can directly take their opportunity to market and guide conversations with candidates who value her career counsel. A student of human behavior, she directs the search process with highly developed instincts, emotional intelligence, and expert pacing. Her sincere interest in people means that she engages with openness and a natural warmth that builds confidence among hiring teams and talent alike.

Her interest in advancing mission driven work was borne of her own family’s search for a better life. As a child, they fled civil war in the Middle East to settle north of Boston, in a vibrant community known for its culturally diverse population as well as its poverty rate and the barriers to success that creates. Those life experiences created within her a drive to advocate for access to opportunity. Of the 100 searches that she completed in the last five years, more than 40% of her placements represented leaders who were underrecognized in their prior roles.

In addition to advancing access through her daily work, she finds significant opportunity in her volunteer roles as an academic mentor with SquashBusters Lawrence and advisory board member to Aaron’s Presents. The proud daughter of schoolteachers, Adele is an Instructor for Boston University’s Certificate in Fundraising Program. Occasionally you’ll see her pinch-hitting as a substitute teacher at her high school alma mater, the Greater Lawrence Technical School, where the teenagers give her the education. She is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, BoardSource, SHRM, and Women in Development-Boston, and both a member and mentor of Women of Color in Fundraising & Philanthropy.

A lifelong learner, Adele is often refreshing her language skills or taking a course to satisfy her interests in human resources, sociology, and psychology. During off hours, she can be found literally running after her four-time marathoner husband and picking up shiny trinkets that her beloved rescue cats Vincent and Mia have pushed off tabletops.

Libby Roberts has earned the trust and admiration of executives across sectors and industries for her bold leadership, incisive judgment, and refreshing candor. A paragon of relationship-building, Libby forges strong client partnerships by deriving clear, actionable insights from open and honest dialogue. Libby’s expert guidance, rooted in a deep understanding of nonprofits, makes her an essential partner for organizations navigating the complexities of succession planning and executive recruitment.

Expertise

Libby’s proven recruiting and talent management strategies are designed to achieve the unique goals of her clients. She excels at guiding boards and leaders through the many stages of a search, collaborating with stakeholders while surfacing the core goals, priorities, and aspirations that unite an organization. For Libby, the end goal isn’t simply placing top talent in leadership roles but preparing organizations and teams to maximize the new leader’s potential long after the search has concluded.

Libby’s client list and broader community involvement reflect her extraordinary global network as well as her commitment to service. Her work has ranged across arts and culture, healthcare, higher education, and advocacy, as well as faith-based hospitals, universities, and other organizations.

Experience

With years of experience in the leadership roles for which she now recruits, Libby brings with her a deep and nuanced understanding of how organizations can engage their communities, develop teams, and recruit talented individuals who will succeed and drive missions forward.

Prior to joining Lindauer, Libby held leadership roles at many influential institutions, including Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Dartmouth, and Harvard Law School.

Her experience in annual giving, major gifts, and fundraising campaigns allowed Libby to form a holistic picture of the interconnected components of modern advancement programs. Meanwhile, her time spent managing teams and engaging boards honed her ability to navigate complex organizational structures effectively.

Through her extensive volunteer work, Libby gives back to her community and contributes to the development of the field of philanthropy. She has served on many boards, including the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Boston Trinity Episcopal Church, the Nelson Rockefeller Center, and The Boston House. She brings a wealth of global experience through her travel, international education, and work with Habitat for Humanity. She maintains her connection with her alma mater, Dartmouth, where she has been deeply involved since matriculation.

Libby’s passion for effecting change, her wealth of experience, and her commitment to forging successful client partnerships make her a valued leader and an essential resource for any search, leadership, or talent management project.

Education

Libby holds a BA from Dartmouth College with a Religion major.

Dan Nevez has more than 30 years of professional experience in higher education, arts and cultural institutions, and retained executive search. As a search consultant, he has successfully placed more than 200 senior executives at regional and national nonprofits and associations. The depth of Dan’s experience partnering with CEOs and boards, along with his extensive, diverse networks, enables him to help his clients find exceptional candidates that fit their unique needs.

Prior to joining Lindauer, Dan served as an executive search leader with Campbell & Company, where he was instrumental in earning the firm recognition as one of the nation’s Top 10 search firms for women of color by Women of Color in Fundraising and Philanthropy (WOC)® and as one of the country’s best executive search firms by Forbes Magazine.

Before he discovered his passion for search, Dan was a museum curator and socio-economic historian at an internationally recognized research center and museum at the University of Chicago.

Dan received his master’s degree and completed his doctoral studies at the University of Chicago. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Oklahoma, graduating with honors and elected Phi Beta Kappa. He is an active participant and frequent speaker on racial diversity and equity, philanthropy, performance metrics, and executive leadership at numerous national associations, including the Network of Nonprofit Search Consultants, where he has served as an Executive Committee Member, Effective Practices Committee Co-Chair, and Membership Committee Co-Chair.

Dan currently lives on the West Coast with his partner and husband of 25 years, Gene Kang, an Emmy award-winning regional/international television news journalist.

Terri Rutter brings a wide array of nonprofit, advancement, and communications and marketing expertise to Lindauer, excelling in placing top leaders and executing team builds in multiple sectors.

Having served in various senior advancement and management roles, Terri is well-versed in the responsibilities of leadership. One of the firm’s most senior consultants, she is experienced in recruiting CEOs and Executive Directors, SVPs and VPs, National Directors, and high-level frontline fundraising, operations, and marketing and communications professionals for a broad range of world-class educational and medical institutions and national nonprofits. Past and current clients include AI2 (the Allen Institute for AI), JDRF, Boston Children’s Hospital, City of Hope, Massachusetts General Hospital, Dartmouth Hitchcock Geisel School of Medicine,  Moffitt Cancer Center, Fenway Health, George Washington University, George Washington University Medical and Health Sciences, Lehigh Valley Health Network, North Carolina State University, The Kaiser Family Foundation, The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, The Craig Newmark School of Journalism at CUNY, The Moth, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), The John F. Kennedy Library, Solar One, American Academy of Forensic Sciences, Climate Central, Chautauqua Institution, Conservation Law Foundation, Institute for Advanced Study, King School, Phillips Academy, Colby College, Lyric Opera of the Chicago, Rhode Island School of Design, and The Washington State University Foundation.

Early career positions at Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health honed Terri’s experience working effectively with leading researchers, physicians, and academic medical administrators. She built and led creative integrated advancement communications and donor relations teams within major academic medical centers including Harvard Medical School, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, and NYU Langone Medical Center. Each of these roles included developing and managing complex charity brands and models. Terri has also served as Editor of the Harvard Medical Alumni Magazine; Senior Editor at The Dana Foundation in Washington, DC; and Managing Editor at the consumer website Scientific Learning in Oakland, CA.

As a consultant, Terri has directed multi-faceted, integrated marketing, communications, donor cultivation, and stewardship strategies for various Institutes and units at MIT, Alzheimer’s Association, UMass Medical School Department of Psychiatry, Children’s Hospital Boston, Tufts Medical Center, Montefiore Medical Center, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, and the Betsy Lehman Center. She has a broad freelance writing portfolio for numerous publications, including Associated Press, Boston Herald, New Physician Magazine, and the British Medical Journal, as well as for digital channels.

Terri holds a BA from The Ohio State University and a master’s degree from Northeastern University.

Chandra Montgomery brings nearly 25 years of nonprofit sector experience to Lindauer and our clients. Her background spans higher education, academic medicine, youth services, public media, and museums. Over the past two-plus decades, Chandra has honed skills and expertise in advancement services, fundraising strategy, foundation relations, DEIB principles, and human resources.

Prior to joining the firm, Chandra oversaw grateful patient discovery, pipeline development, data management, and gift services for Health Sciences and the Keck School of Medicine during her tenure at the University of Southern California. She also launched and co-chaired the University Advancement DEI Council. Prior to USC, Chandra led prospect development teams at National Public Radio and Virginia Commonwealth University. In the course of her career, she has identified over $1 trillion in giving capacity and has supported nine- and 10-figure comprehensive campaigns, including USC’s historic $7 billion campaign.

Since 2008, she has been an active member of Apra where she has held numerous volunteer leadership roles. Chandra has also led training for Apra University and delivered keynote sessions for state and regional chapters across the country. Since 2014, she has chaired the Advocacy and Membership committees and is a founding member of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. She has also served on the Conference Planning Committee and was a member of the organization’s inaugural Body of Knowledge committee for Relationship Management. Prior to her committee service, she was a member of the Apra-Virginia board of directors.

Chandra is also a member of the African American Development Officer’s Network (AADO), Women of Color in Fundraising and Philanthropy (WOC), Association for Advancement Services Professionals (AASP), among others. In 2019, she was selected for CASE’s Minority Advancement Institute where she is also a member and conference presenter/faculty. Equally passionate about her personal philanthropy, she is a 2020 Philanthropy Together Launchpad participant and giving circle founder.

A passionate HBCU alum, Chandra earned her bachelor’s in English from Hampton University where she has served as a volunteer alumni leader. She also holds a master’s degree and graduate certificate in Human Resources Law & Compliance from the USC Gould School of Law. Chandra has also completed additional graduate coursework at the College of William and Mary and holds multiple DEI certifications.

Andrew Machado brings to Lindauer over 10 years of frontline fundraising and philanthropic consulting experience.

Andrew joined Lindauer after several years at the University of Chicago Law School where he managed a donor portfolio primarily in the New York region, raising more than $3.4 million Prior to his work at the University of Chicago, Andrew spent several years at Grenzebach Glier and Associates (GG+A) in a consulting role where he provided fundraising counsel to more than 60 leading national and international institutions of higher education, academic medicine, visual and performing arts, and independent schools. His clients included American University, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, The Art Institute of Chicago, Barack Obama Foundation, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Cornell University, Duke University Health System, Kings College London, Pennsylvania State University, Philadelphia Museum of Art, University of Queensland, Smithsonian Institution, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medical College, and Yale University. Prior to GG+A, Andrew worked in alumni relations at Northeastern Illinois University.

Andrew has served on the Associate Board for AIDS Foundation Chicago and volunteered as a class agent at the University of California, Berkeley.

Andrew studied sociology, education, and Portuguese at the University of California, Berkeley, and received his master’s degree in higher education and student affairs from The Ohio State University.

Josh Maker brings to Lindauer and its clients significant global philanthropic consulting and project management experience in the nonprofit sector.

Prior to joining Lindauer, Josh played a key role in advancing alumni and donor engagement at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. He partnered with institutional leaders and volunteer committees to design and deliver flagship reunion programs that strengthened the School’s philanthropic pipeline and deepened alumni commitment.

Josh also spent several years at Grenzebach Glier and Associates (GG+A) where he served in multiple roles. As the Executive Director of Consulting Resources, Josh was a member of the firm’s senior leadership council and led a team in Chicago of 10 professionals in delivering client reports, presentations, and trainings. As the Chief of Staff to the President, he worked in close partnership with GG+A’s President and senior leadership to deliver on the firm’s strategic initiatives, as well as supporting the President in all of her client engagements. In the role of Senior Project Manager at GG+A, Josh managed upwards of 20 client projects at a time, ranging in sectors from arts and culture, academic medicine and healthcare, higher education, independent schools, to voluntary sectors.

Josh has partnered with a number of clients including; Art Institute of Chicago, Brooklyn Law School, Carnegie Mellon University, Cancer Research UK, Charlotte Country Day School, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Drexel University, Esade Business School (Barcelona), Fuller Theological Seminary, Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Philadelphia Museum of Art, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Sidwell Friends School, Tate, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, University of Queensland, and the University of Toronto.

Josh holds a Master of Arts in Cultural and Creative Industries from King’s College London, and Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Kent State University.

Taylor Beard brings to Lindauer and its clients several years of philanthropic consulting and project management experience in the non-profit sector.

Prior to joining Lindauer, Taylor was the Assistant Director of Leadership Annual Giving at the University of Chicago Law School where she managed the school’s reunion volunteer committees to foster a culture of engagement and philanthropy and increase annual support from alumni and friends. Taylor also spent several years at Grenzebach Glier and Associates (GG+A), a premier nonprofit philanthropic consulting firm, where she held multiple roles. As Senior Project Manager, Taylor partnered with the firm’s senior leaders to develop and execute client training projects, along with managing the firm’s internal professional development program. She managed upwards of 15 client projects at any given time, ranging in sectors from arts and culture, academic medicine and healthcare, higher education, independent schools, to advocacy.

Throughout her career, Taylor has partnered with a range of clients including American University, Carnegie-Mellon University, Chicago Urban League, Colgate University, Da Vinci Science Center, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Englewood Health Foundation, Folger Shakespeare Library, Fourth Presbyterian Church, Germantown Friends School, Instituto Technologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Macalester College, Milwaukee Art Museum, Louisiana State University Athletics, National Cathedral School, Oregon Health and Science University Foundation, Pennsylvania State University Athletics, University of Massachusetts Amherst, University of Minnesota Foundation, University of New Mexico Foundation, University of the Arctic, Trinity College, and Upper Canada College.

Taylor serves as Co-Chair of the Young Professional Board at Deborah’s Place, a nonprofit that provides housing and supportive services to women experiencing homelessness in Chicago.

Taylor holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from The Ohio State University.

Senior Consultant Khushboo Rami-Patel brings to Lindauer and our clients over 10 years of experience. Her expertise as an advancement professional, including in research, donor cultivation, stewardship, strategic planning, events, and client relations, positions her to support critical search and talent needs among the firm’s broad range of clients. As a Senior Consultant at Lindauer, Khushboo relies on her development experience to guide her in fulfilling client needs and is driven by an ambition to match organizational mission with individual talent. Khushboo’s clients have spanned all parts of the non-for-profit sector including higher education, healthcare, arts and culture, and mission-based organizations.

Khushboo began her career at the Center for American Progress (CAP), a public policy, research, and advocacy organization in Washington, D.C. Her early years were spent training and managing volunteers, staffing political events, and producing and managing a notable conference and fundraiser set her up for the transition into development and advancement. From CAP, Khushboo moved to the American Diabetes Association (ADA) in Chicago to implement an inaugural cultivation and stewardship strategy for current and prospective major donors and managed relationships with executives at many of the city’s most prominent corporations. Her success in fast-paced environments led her to the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago where she managed a portfolio of annual and project-based donors and implemented individualized multi-year strategic fundraising plans for the Board of Trustees and other dedicated patrons of the museum, raising record breaking funds for general operating support and museum exhibitions and education programs. Khushboo made the career transition to executive search at Lindauer in 2019.

Khushboo holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Bachelor of Arts in Communications Studies from the University of Michigan.

As a Senior Consultant at Lindauer, Alexandra Barber brings 10+ years of experience in higher education fundraising, development, and enrollment.

Prior to joining Lindauer, Alex spent three years at UNC Asheville in a variety of roles within University Advancement and the Chancellor’s Office. Most recently as Executive Assistant to the Chancellor and Chief of Staff, Alex worked with the University leadership and the Board of Trustees to carry out major strategic initiatives including a comprehensive fundraising campaign, institutional revitalization plan, and campus master plan. As Assistant Director of Donor Relations, she was charged with thinking creatively to improve stewardship and create long-term, sustainable solutions for Donor Relations. Among the results were the creation of more customized donor experiences, an implementation of the divisions first-ever major donor satisfaction survey, and the creation of a six-month campaign feasibility/readiness study comprised of 20 virtual focus group sessions with 250 donors and community members.

Before her tenure at UNC Asheville, Alex spent five years in Graduate Admissions and Recruitment for the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University, improving the campus visit experience and increasing enrollment across 30+ graduate degree programs through personalized recruitment strategies.

Alex graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications from the University of South Florida and has a Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration with a focus in finance and policy from George Washington University.

Valued and respected for the expert guidance she offers organizations before, during, and after leadership transitions, Maureen Huminik is a leading figure in nonprofit executive search. Her tailored, flexible solutions have been instrumental in shaping Lindauer’s approach to placing top-tier, mission-driven talent in a variety of roles across a wide range of sectors.

As strategic and forward-looking as she is nimble and responsive, Maureen partners with her clients to get to the heart of an organization’s needs. In the process, she often reveals critical insights that might otherwise remain hidden.

Expertise

Maureen’s expertise lies in her ability to build lasting relationships. This ensures clients are supported and understood throughout the recruitment process. Her nuanced and comprehensive approach to recruiting helps foster strong partnerships with her clients, and her innovative strategies help clients stretch their thinking and explore the kind of beyond-the-box candidates who drive organizations forward.

Maureen is particularly experienced with founder transitions, guiding organizations like Ronald McDonald House Charities, Double H Ranch, and the Scleroderma Foundation forward in these pivotal moments of evolution. With a deep understanding of the unique challenges of executive transitions, she helps organizations plan strategically for the future and navigate leadership changes of all kinds.

Maureen has placed executive leaders and other key positions for organizations such as Camp Sunshine, Catholic Charities of Boston and Chicago, City of Hope, Moffitt Cancer Center, Pace School, Scripps Health, Stanford University, and the University of Virginia.

Experience

Before joining Lindauer in 2005, Maureen’s career was shaped by roles in prominent Boston healthcare and social service organizations, including Newton-Wellesley Hospital, AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Her background in marketing, research, and administration has equipped her with a broad skill set, enabling her to assist a diverse range of institutions effectively.

Since joining Lindauer, Maureen has become a leader in the field and a trusted advisor for CEOs and other top executives. The breadth of her work and the depth of her experience make her an essential member of any search team.

Education

Maureen holds a BS from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Alexandra “Alex” Catuara brings a distinctive blend of international giving and a range of nonprofit experience to her executive search work at Lindauer.

As a Senior Consultant, Alex partners with organizations and institutions to think through hiring decisions and draw out the skills and experiences that are essential to the position. This establishes a strong, strategic foundation for implementing search plans that equip her clients and the nonprofit sector at large with outstanding leaders.

As a lifelong learner, Alex most enjoys listening to meaningful career stories and understanding everyone’s distinctive path.

Prior to her work at Lindauer, Alex served as a Senior Consultant with Campbell & Company. Prior to Campbell & Company, she worked in annual giving at Opportunity International, a global nonprofit that creates opportunities for entrepreneurs to build their businesses, for children to go to school, for farmers to feed their communities, and for families to end the cycle of generational poverty.

Alex lives in Chicago. She holds a BA in Spanish and Global Studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, with a focus in international economic development. She completed her Spanish degree in Barcelona, Spain.

Megan Abbett brings years of experience in advancement, nonprofit leadership, and executive search across many sectors and multiple professional functions. Respected and trusted across a broad range of regional and national organizations, clients return to and refer her to lead, manage, innovate, and execute searches whether in established, maturing, or emerging contexts.

Just as Megan was adept at matching donors with causes close to their hearts in her nonprofit work, she excels at finding candidates with deep passion for her clients’ missions. Megan began her advancement career with six years at Simmons University in Boston, MA, then known as Simmons College. Her early years leading annual giving allowed her to gain a thorough grounding in development and in the complexities of an urban university with strong undergraduate and graduate programs. From Simmons she moved to her alma mater, Boston College, and later to another part of the nonprofit sector for Facing History and Ourselves, an organization that helps educators and students use history to take action against racism, prejudice, and hate. Her success there led her back to Simmons, where across a seven-year tenure she moved up through management to serve as a senior advancement leader and lead all Communications and Donor Relations. She made the career transition to executive search at Lindauer in 2011.

Just some of Megan’s notable clients at Lindauer include The Aspen Institute, Auburn University, Brown University, Bryn Mawr College, Children’s Hospital Foundation, City of Hope, Columbia University, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Dickinson College, Franklin & Marshall College, Grassroot Soccer, Intelligence Squared, Marietta College, Michigan State University, Pratham USA, Room to Read, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the United States Marshals Museum, University of Illinois, University of Kansas Hospital, University of North Carolina School of the Arts, White Plains Hospital, Whitman College, The United States Marshals Museum, and The University of West Virginia. Megan holds a BA in English from Boston College and a Master of Arts in Public Relations and Business Communication from Emerson College.

Taking a comprehensive approach tailored to each client’s unique needs, goals, and aspirations, Paula Fazli is nationally recognized for high-touch service that guides organizations through leadership transitions and positions them for sustainable success.

Paula’s nuanced understanding of organizational dynamics is grounded in her cross-disciplinary search expertise, which includes human resources, finance, academic affairs, student affairs, public safety, enrollment management, research administration, institutional planning, and equity and belonging. Throughout her respected career in executive search, Paula has partnered with public and private research universities, private liberal arts colleges, arts and culture organizations, and nonprofits to navigate periods of change and bring in leaders who shape generations of nonprofit professionals.

Expertise

Known for her strategic insight and deep understanding of organizational dynamics, Paula identifies not only the most qualified candidates but also those whose values, aspirations, and leadership styles align with her clients’ visions. Her expertise lies in her ability to see the potential for unexpected alignments between candidates and organizations.

Curiosity and a commitment to lifelong learning have kept Paula at the forefront of industry trends. To serve as a trusted advisor during times of transition, Paula continuously expands her knowledge base and adapts her methodologies to meet evolving client needs.

In her 30 years in executive search, Paula has worked with a wide range of clients, such as: Harvard University, Columbia University, Stanford University, University of Chicago, Northwestern University, UCLA, Florida State University, MIT, Berklee College of Music, Wellesley College, Wheaton College, Beloit College, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, the New School, Moore College of Art & Design, MassArt, Massachusetts Historical Society, and the POD Network, among many others.

Experience

Prior to joining Lindauer, Paula co-founded Sage Search Partners in 1999, where she co-led the firm for over 25 years. Under her guidance, Sage Search conducted searches for leading colleges, education-related nonprofits, and renowned music and art conservatories. Her tenure at Sage Search was marked by her unwavering commitment to client satisfaction and her skill at addressing questions of search strategy, candidate assessment, and inclusive search practices.

Paula also served as Vice President at Auerbach Associates, where she was responsible for spearheading executive search initiatives within the higher education and nonprofit sectors, and as Assistant to the High School Superintendent and the Founding Director of the National Academy Foundation Programs in the Boston Public Schools.

Education

Paula holds a BA from Harvard University and an M.Ed. in Teaching and Curriculum from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Elsa Gomes Bondlow brings to Lindauer and our clients over 20 years of experience, as a connector, relationship builder, social justice activist, and social change strategist. Elsa is a dynamic leader, known for partnering with communities to create positive inclusive transformation.

As a seasoned fundraiser, philanthropist, and donor advisor Elsa thrives by amplifying traditionally underrepresented voices, empowering them to achieve their own aspirations. She is most fulfilled when she is able to lower barriers to access, encourage dreams and increase the pipeline of opportunities for others.

In 2020, Elsa co-founded the trust-based, woman of color-led, Social Equity Access Fund, which focused on providing basic needs while addressing the social determinants of health. This innovative philanthropic project was established to receive and distribute financial support to traditionally underinvested communities, empowering them to overcome barriers to better their own health and wellbeing.

Elsa served most recently as the Vice President of Growth and Partnership Development at Building Impact, a nonprofit transforming corporate volunteering by partnering with other community-based organizations and corporations for codesigned social impact opportunities. She then contributed there as a Strategic Advisor on Partnerships & Equity coordinating working in business development, client engagement, and the DEIB initiatives.

Elsa was the Chief Development Officer at the International Institute of New England, leading the centennial organization’s fundraising efforts on behalf of immigrants and refugees. Before that, she worked as a Major Gift Officer at both the United Way and at Tufts University. Elsa also served as Director of Development at the MA Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition and started her development career at the MA Alliance of Portuguese Speakers, a health and human services organization.

Elsa currently serves as a Board Member and Co-Chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee Women in Development of Greater Boston. She graduated from the LeadBoston 2021 Cohort at YW Boston, a competitive program that explores the complexity of Boston’s inequities through an inclusive leadership lens. Elsa was recognized as one of Boston’s Most Impactful Black Women of 2020 in the category of Philanthropy and Social Justice, by the prestigious Get Konnected initiative.

Born and raised in Portugal, in a Cape Verdean family, Elsa moved to the US as a student and obtained a Certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from the Institute for Nonprofit Practice. She holds a BA Degree in Intercultural Studies and Communications from Fresno Pacific University in CA, and a Management Certificate in Health and Human Services from Suffolk University in MA. She is a native Portuguese speaker and speaks fluent Spanish and French.

Alexus Forte is a Consultant who brings a unique range of experience to Lindauer. Alexus’s professional experience is centered around customer service and business consulting. Her background in these fields is essential to the search process, using her networking and communications skills to develop rapport with candidates and clients.

Along with being a business owner and strategist, Alexus has worked in many client-facing roles throughout her career. As a Realtor in New York, Alexus built an extensive portfolio in an extremely competitive market. Her success in real estate is attributed to her creative outreach approach and networking abilities. Alexus has also been a flight attendant since 2016. In the travel industry, she has expanded her knowledge of customer service and hospitality, flying both domestically and internationally.

Alexus is a graduate of Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with a degree in business and humanities.