About
Easterseals, Inc.
As America’s leading nonprofit service provider and advocate for people with disabilities, Easterseals, Inc. is leading the world to full equity, inclusion, and access for all people through life-changing disability services.
For more than 100 years, Easterseals, Inc. has been committed to ensuring that everyone is valued, respected, and accepted; working tirelessly with its partners to enhance quality of life and expand access to healthcare, education, and employment opportunities.
Through its national network of 69 independent affiliates throughout the United States, Easterseals, Inc. provides essential services and on-the-ground support to more than 1.5 million people each year — from early childhood programs for the critical first five years, to autism services, to medical rehabilitation and employment programs, to veterans’ services, and more. Easterseals, Inc.'s public education, policy, and advocacy initiatives positively shape perceptions and address the urgent and evolving needs of the one in four Americans living with disabilities today.
Together, the Easterseals, Inc. network is empowering people with disabilities, families, and communities to be full and equal participants in society.
Easterseals Florida
Easterseals Florida, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, has been serving local communities since 1948. Its staff and volunteers work day in and day out to offer guidance, provide support, and inspire action to ensure that children and adults of all abilities can turn to Easterseals with all needs—whether common or complex. Serving 40 of the state's 67 counties, Easterseals Florida’s geographic reach is vast, providing programs in markets such as Orlando; Tampa; Jacksonville, Gainesville; Naples; West Palm Beach; and Palm Bay.
Easterseals Florida’s $23 million annual operating budget provides services for children, adults, and seniors living with physical and cognitive disabilities including but not limited to autism, developmental delays, dementia, and Alzheimer's. They also include clients’ families as active members of comprehensive care services and provide necessary supports.
In partnership with therapists, teachers and other health professionals, Easterseals Florida’s programs span:
- Early Intervention & Child Development
- Behavioral Therapy
- Sibling Support Therapy
- Recreation (including Camp Challenge)
- Skills Training
- Vocational Training & Employment
- Adult Day Health Care
- Location-Specific Health & Disability Navigation
- Transportation
- Therapeutic Arts & Wellness
As Easterseals Florida looks ahead, it is working hard to meet the growing needs of its communities in new and innovative ways. For example, with the rising need for inclusive, evidence based mental and behavioral health services, the Easterseals School for Limitless Learning is scheduled to open in the fall of the 2024/25 School Year. This brand-new private school in Tampa Bay will serve children who are neurodiverse or have other related disabilities. The school will include two specialized programs: a lower elementary program and an early childhood program. By offering an inclusive and supportive learning environment, students with special needs will reach developmental and academic milestones through customized activities.
For more information about the organization, including their programmatic work, please visit the Easterseals Florida website.
The Opportunity
Easterseals Florida seeks an inspirational, dynamic, and adaptable leader to provide strategic direction and oversight for this storied and vital organization. A pivotal time in the history of Easterseals Florida, the CEO will be part of a national network of Easterseals, Inc. CEOs working to build awareness around access to comprehensive and quality services for people of all ages and abilities. This is a tremendous opportunity for a visionary leader with a passion for serving disability communities to join a beloved organization and collaborate with its constituents to chart a pathway for Easterseals Florida’s future growth and impact.
Reporting to the Board of Directors, the CEO is responsible for leading Easterseals Florida in deep collaboration with its many stakeholders, elevating the future course of the organization; promoting its programs and initiatives; growing and diversifying revenue streams; equipping teams with the resources needed to embrace a rapidly changing landscape; and fostering ongoing community support and engagement. This leader will be charged with leading all aspects of the organization in partnership with a strong leadership team, harnessing and organizing recent organizational growth, whilst continuing to strategically expand the organization’s reach.
In partnership with the organization’s Board, 300+ employees, and community partners, the next CEO will establish the organization’s vision, define bold short-term and long-term goals for Easterseals Florida, and co-create a cohesive, targeted strategic plan, working with a wide variety of stakeholders to implement, adapt, and modify it as needed.
The CEO’s key responsibilities include:
- Provide leadership and direction to ensure that the mission and core values of Easterseals, Inc. are supported throughout the Easterseals Florida service area.
- Direct the strategic planning process by providing facilitation and guidance in the formulation, integration, and implementation of operating objectives and actions to support the business strategy.
- Work with the Board and management team to develop, enhance, and implement policies, procedures, and systems that will improve the overall capacity of the organization’s structures, processes, and operations, ensuring the effectiveness of its delivery systems.
- Continue to build and develop a cohesive staff and teams, fostering an environment of transparency, collaboration, and empowerment across the organization’s functions; motivating staff and ensuring strong internal communication and retention.
- Foster a culture of philanthropy across Easterseals Florida’s teams, board, and communities, exploring new and diverse revenue streams, enabling the organization to meet its fundraising growth objectives.
- Elevate Easterseals Florida’s brand recognition and exposure across a diverse geographic region, serving as the face and chief advocate to partners, funders, policymakers, media, and other key stakeholders.
- Cultivate a vibrant board culture focused on true partnership, where passionate leaders drive ethical excellence and fuel fundraising success.
- Advocate tirelessly for inclusivity and accessibility, driving systemic change to empower individuals with disabilities.
Candidate Profile
We recognize that there is a spectrum of lived and professional experience that will set candidates up for success in this role. While no one candidate will have every experience outlined in the position description, ideal candidates will display the following professional and personal qualities, skills, and characteristics:
Strategic & Visionary Leader
- A strategic leader with an inspirational style, eager and energized to develop and articulate a values-driven, community-inspired, and innovative vision for the next chapter of Easterseals Florida.
- With an appreciation for the organization’s rich history, will celebrate the accomplishments of Easterseals Florida to date, while having an eye constantly focused on the future and how to best adapt programs and messaging for existing and new audiences in a changing world.
- A transparent, open-minded, and confident leader, the CEO will treat others with respect, lead with care and empathy, and make all feel valued and bought into the mission and vision of Easterseals Florida.
- An engaging and supportive leader, the ideal candidate will have a track record of motivating and inspiring others, including a vast network of remote workers, to achieve impact through creativity, teamwork, and leveraging individual strengths to meet organizational goals.
- Experience building and working with an engaged Board of Directors, guiding meetings alongside the Board Chair, and holding Directors accountable to governance responsibilities in a productive, efficient, and collaborative manner.
Inspirational Ambassador & Fundraiser
- Working in close partnership with the Chief Development Officer and development team, this leader will have experience leveraging a wide range of fundraising channels and building organizational capacity to raise support from a wide range of channels, generating support and inspiring action.
- Brings a track record of raising dollars from a variety of sources, including private and public dollars from individuals, foundations, and corporations, as well as state and local government entities, ensuring long-term financial stability.
- Works effectively with an array of constituents and brings a track record of quickly establishing credibility and providing value to a range of diverse communities.
- Promotes a powerful sense of shared purpose and engagement in the future of Easterseals Florida among all constituents through effective communication, including serving as a key spokesperson and public face for the organization to the media, partners, policymakers, funders, and others.
Strong Nonprofit Business Acumen
- A seasoned executive and strong manager who understands the importance of effective operational and financial administration and has a track record of successfully leading complex business operations.
- Strong non-profit budget development and management skills with a knowledge of how intentional internal capacity building and structural support, including the build-out of internal systems, can support the mission and work.
- Brings a track record of setting priorities decisively, delegating responsibilities, ensuring accountability, and allocating resources to ensure teams are set up to excel.
- Strong business orientation and an ability to use metrics to drive business decisions and achieve strategic objectives.
Authentic Relationship Builder & Collaborator
- A proactive, transparent, and persuasive communicator, the CEO will be a natural listener who ensures all voices are heard, while also being firm and resolute in their decisions.
- Brings a track record of motivating and inspiring others to achieve impact through creativity, teamwork, and by leveraging individual strengths to meet organizational goals.
- Ability to work within a national network of affiliates and collaborate with Easterseals Inc. CEOs in Florida, as well as leaders across Easterseals Inc., to promote the national agenda while advocating for Easterseals Florida and its constituents.
- A natural relationship and consensus builder, able to work on multiple levels, with a wide variety of constituencies, to implement programs/processes and facilitate change when required.
- Politically savvy with a demonstrated ability to quickly build trust with others. The CEO must be able to build and sustain relationships internally, externally, and with the national Easterseals, Inc. network.
Champion of the Mission
- A community-minded leader with a high emotional intelligence, the CEO will possess an unwavering dedication to advancing the enrichment, empowerment, and care of people living with disabilities, their support networks, and their communities. A strong advocate of disability services, the CEO will bring a sense of urgency to the role, working tirelessly to champion Easterseals Florida’s mission.
- An empathetic leader who can relate to a wide range of people from diverse socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic backgrounds and foster an open, dynamic, and just culture, continuing to elevate and expand the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work Easterseals Florida is championing.
- Brings cultural humility and a track record of experience in successfully championing DEI and belonging strategies for an organization. This leader must demonstrate a lens of equity and how they have prioritized DEI as a strategic imperative.
- A proactive, confident, curious, and humble leader, with a strong desire to embrace Easterseals Florida’s community and culture. The CEO will be an individual of unquestioned integrity, ethics, and values — someone who can be trusted without reservation.
Compensation & Benefits
Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. The salary range for this role is $200,000 - $250,000.
The compensation package includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, 403b retirement plan, and generous PTO, amongst other benefits.
Contact
Koya Partners has been exclusively retained for this engagement, which is being led by Molly Brennan, Corina Benitz, & Gina Wrolstad. Express interest in this role by filling out the Koya Partners Talent Profile or emailing the search team directly at [email protected]. All inquiries and discussions are strictly confidential.
Koya Partners l Diversified Search Group is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing interest online, please email [email protected]. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.
Easterseals Florida shall not discriminate on the basis of age, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), race, color, creed, national origin, marital status, physical and mental disability, military or veteran’s status or other classifications protected by applicable law with regard to receipt of services, appointment or election to voluntary office, or hiring, for assignment to, or promotion in staff positions. This organization shall also not discriminate against employees or potential employees on the basis of lawful immigration and citizen status, credit history (unrelated to the specific job) or orders for protection of people who have experienced domestic violence.