Recent Placements

At Peña Search, our mission is to support our clients’ missions by finding them the right long-term leadership. We work tirelessly to find the best people for the best organizations and are thrilled to share some of our recent placements.

Rachel Assi, Chief Development Officer | Lumin Education

Ms. Assi joins Lumin Education as Chief Development Officer with 12 years of experience in the nonprofit sector in both development and executive director positions. Most recently, she served as Senior Strategy Partner with Wise Resource Development, where she consulted with numerous clients on a variety of fundraising projects.

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Kristyn Fultz, Major Gifts Officer | Southern Methodist University

Ms. Fultz joins SMU from Baylor University, where she most recently served as Assistant Director of Development. In that capacity, Ms. Fultz solicited major gifts on behalf of the College of Arts and Sciences. Prior to Baylor, Ms. Fultz held development roles at Buckner International and the United Way of Waco-McLennan County.

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Shannon Glennon, Human Resources Director | St. Anne’s-Belfield School

Ms. Glennon joins St. Anne’s-Belfield School bringing 18 years of broad experience as a human resources generalist for a number of organizations. She is looking forward to helping the school build a high-functioning, effective, and people-driven human resources function.

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Jeffrey Guy, Vice President of Business and Finance | Brite Divinity School

Mr. Guy joins Brite Divinity School with extensive executive experience in finance, business, strategic planning, and operations functions with for-profit and nonprofit organizations.

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Courtney Helms, Grants Administrator | Lyda Hill Philanthropies

Ms. Helms joins Lyda Hill Philanthropies to oversee all incoming grant management functions while developing strategies to optimize the grant administration process in support of the organization’s philanthropic endeavors. She brings extensive database, contract and payment management experience in large and complex nonprofits, serving most recently with the Perot Museum of Nature and Science.

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Christine Heskes, Associate Director of Advancement | The Lamplighter School

Ms. Heskes joins The Lamplighter School with over ten years of increasingly senior development experience in large and complex nonprofit organizations.

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Christina Miller, Major Gifts Officer | Southern Methodist University

Ms. Miller joins SMU with more than a decade of development experience across multiple sectors. Most recently attracting major gifts for arts, athletics, and community initiatives at Avon, Colorado’s Vail Valley Foundation, Ms. Miller looks forward to returning to her hometown of Dallas, Texas. Before her time in Colorado, prior roles included major gifts and annual fundraising at KIPP Texas Public Schools, Rice University, and St. Thomas’ Episcopal School, all in Houston.

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Richard Nedelkoff, President & Chief Executive Officer | Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch

Mr. Nedelkoff joins Cal Farley’s after more than 30 years’ experience in child welfare. Previously, he has held several high-profile positions, including Chief Operating Officer of Childhelp, President & CEO of Specialized Alternatives for Families and Youth (SAFY) of America, Chief Operating Officer of Eckerd Youth Alternatives, and Conservator of the Texas Youth Commission. Additionally, Mr. Nedelkoff oversaw the $6.5 billion Bureau of Justice Administration, provides national leadership and assistance in support of local criminal justice strategies to achieve safe communities, after his 2001 appointment by President George W. Bush and unanimous confirmation by the U.S. Senate. While there, Mr. Nedelkoff directed efforts to reduce and prevent crime, violence and drug abuse while improving the functioning of the criminal justice system.

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Sophie Phillips, Director of Strategy & Operations | The Morris Foundation

A longtime collective impact leader in North Texas, Ms. Phillips joins The Morris Foundation after 10 years with TexProtects, an agency in the child welfare advocacy sector. Serving as CEO since 2018, Ms. Phillips was instrumental in the sustainable growth of TexProtects and many coalitions founded to promote child welfare in North Texas and across the state. Possessing an advanced degree in social work and a background in research and operations, Ms. Phillips looks forward to bringing her experience to the foundation world and focusing on improving the quality of life of the residents of The Morris Foundation’s service area.

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Sally Rychlak, Major Gifts Officer | Southern Methodist University

Ms. Rychlak joins SMU from the University of Mississippi, where she served as Associate Director of Development for the School of Pharmacy. An alumna of Ole Miss, Ms. Rychlak launched her career as a major gifts officer for her alma mater’s School of Business after spending a yearlong stint interning with the development department.

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Elizabeth Selzer, Chief Advancement Officer | The Lamplighter School

Ms. Selzer joins The Lamplighter School to oversee all aspects of fundraising, including the execution of fundraising strategies consistent with the school’s core values and strategic plan. Ms. Selzer brings extensive independent school and nonprofit development experience to the position.

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Maurice Wilson II, Chief Operations Office | North Texas Food Bank

Mr. Wilson joins the North Texas Food Bank with multiple decades of operations expertise in large and complex retail companies, including the supply chain management and distribution of groceries and other food products. A veteran of the U.S. armed services, Mr. Wilson has held senior positions at Wayfair, Walmart, and Sam’s Club. Throughout his time in the corporate world, Mr. Wilson has consistently endeavored to aid his local communities and hourly work forces through hunger alleviation and looks forward to joining a mission-driven agency with the ability to impact many in the North Texas region.

Are you looking to make a career move? You could be one of our next recent placements! Explore our current open searches.