In the News: Board members needed for organization to oversee WV opioid settlements
In a statement published at herald-dispatch.com on June 27th, West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey announced that his office had hired DRiWaterstone Human Capital to find an Executive Director for the West Virginia First Foundation, which will oversee the distribution of opioid lawsuit settlement funds across the state.
“I am looking forward to working with them to identify the best possible candidate to serve as the first executive director of the West Virginia First Foundation,” Morrisey said in the release. “We are hopeful to have identified such a candidate in approximately 30 to 60 days.”
At DRiWaterstone Human Capital, we’re honored to work with organizations like the West Virginia First Foundation to help them find high-performance leaders to achieve their mission, performance, and reputation goals.
Watch our Available Positions page – more information on this exciting role will be posted soon!
As a nonprofit executive search firm, we have the amazing opportunity to connect passionate individuals who are driven by purpose and mission with organizations that are making a significant impact in their respective industries. We are thrilled to share the story of our recent achievement in helping Earth Rangers find their outstanding Managing Director.
We sat down with Tovah Barocas, the President of Earth Rangers, to discuss their experience working with the DRiWaterstone team, and the insights gained throughout the process. Tovah shared the reasons behind partnering with the firm, as well as her thoughts on the level of service received and valuable lessons learned about Earth Rangers as an organization.
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DRiWaterstone Human Capital (DRiW): Can you tell me a little bit about Earth Rangers and what you do?
Tovah Barocas (TB): We are a nonprofit organization that helps kids get involved and engage with protecting the environment—focusing on biodiversity, conservation, and fighting climate change. We have a membership program where kids can complete activities in the app and in the real world. We also do a lot of in-school programming as well!
DRiW: Why did you choose to work with a retained executive search firm?
TB: One of the reasons is that Earth Rangers is not a well-known brand in the U.S., so we wanted to sell ourselves to candidates and establish trust in our organization. Additionally, we didn't have a large network in the U.S., so we relied on [DRiWaterstone’s] network to find suitable candidates. It was important for us to have their support in representing Earth Rangers and attracting top talent.
DRiW: How was your overall experience working with the DRiWaterstone team?
TB: It was great, probably the best experience we've had with an executive search firm before. The team, led by Doug Trout, took the time to understand our needs and brought us a diverse and interesting group of candidates with different experiences and perspectives. Despite the candidates being different from each other, the reasoning behind each selection was clear.
We had effective back-and-forth dialogue throughout the process, ensuring we were on the right track. Overall, it was a highly effective process.
DRiW: What level of service did you receive from the search firm?
TB: We appreciated the entire process and its clarity from the beginning. We received regular updates and found the online portal helpful for tracking progress and ensuring consistent communication. Whenever we had questions or needed assistance, the team responded quickly. We had both scheduled weekly calls and the ability to contact them in between. Overall, the service provided was great.
DRiW: Did anything surprise you about working with the DRiWaterstone team?
TB: We were pleasantly surprised by the number of people the team met and screened in interviews on our behalf. They brought forward a high-quality pool of candidates from various parts of the country and from diverse backgrounds, all relevant to our needs. The materials provided, such as the candidates' pre-interview questionnaire, helped us prepare effectively and make the most of our interview time.
The professionalism and thoroughness of the process were impressive, and we were incredibly happy with it.
DRiW: What did you learn about your organization through the search process?
TB: The search process helped us narrow down and prioritize what we were looking for in this specific position. Since it was Earth Rangers' first hire in the U.S., we needed to focus on identifying the key skills and qualities we needed in a representative. [DRiWaterstone] was instrumental in guiding us through this process, ensuring we prioritized the right skills over nice-to-haves, and considered the critical responsibilities for the initial years. We gained a better understanding of Earth Rangers' identity and who would best represent us in this new space—that's what we took from it the most.
DRiW: What advice do you have for other nonprofit organizations looking to attract top talent in today's market?
TB: It's important to lead with the organization's values and mission to establish alignment with potential candidates, especially at the executive level. Additionally, even in remote positions, making the effort to meet candidates in person during the interview process is critical. Building that personal connection should not be sacrificed.
DRiW: What are Earth Rangers' plans for the future?
TB: Our main priority is building up the organization in the U.S. We are currently designing our live show for U.S. schools, similar to the successful program we have in Canada. Adapting the program to different geographies and catering to a larger market is a significant focus.
We also just completed our second round of research on “eco-anxiety to eco-action" and are developing resources for parents and teachers to address eco-anxiety in children. And we will continue to innovate the Earth Rangers app, reimagining core sections to encourage more interactive and meaningful engagement with our members.
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At DRiWaterstone, we have the pleasure to work with some of the best mission and purpose-driven clients and candidates in the non-profit and social impact space. To learn more about how we can help you build your high-performance teams and drive growth, email us – we’d love to talk!
