Charness is president of Higher Talent, a national executive search firm based in Bethesda that specializes in recruiting senior leadership to nonprofits. Following Hurricane Katrina, the company was retained by Tulane University and Isidore Newman School, an independent K-12 school also in New Orleans, to help search for and fill executive positions focused on fundraising and philanthropy. You focus on nonprofits. How has the current recession affected their staffing levels?
During the recession, grants for charities and nonprofits dried up. The demand for private philanthropic support for their operations had to grow. There is a huge shortage of qualified fundraisers, so our clients rely on us to recruit the top talent.
Can you describe the work the company’s done in New Orleans?
Tulane University was hit by the aftermath of Katrina, as all institutions and nonprofits in New Orleans were. After the storm, they had consolidated, including their fundraising team — it went from 140 staff down to 70. They are going great guns, moving forward, and their board adopted a huge expansion of funding staff. We were retained — and filled — the top eight senior positions.
What was your mission there?
The president said, ‘We want people who are excited about the rebuilding of the city, rather than afraid of that.’ And we took that to heart.
Were there any particularly interesting candidate interviews down there?
One candidate interview — he actually brought up salary negotiations. He drew us a map of the water levels around the city and said, ‘Here’s where I would relocate my family.’
How’s the city doing now?
The city is in a real growth situation. I was flying down every month, seeing families who are making the decisions to return themselves. It was really a labor of love to be involved there. Very rewarding, and very important work. – David Sherfinski
