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Nonprofit Executive Search

Client Experience

Decades of search leadership across the nonprofit and cultural sectors

James Abruzzo has conducted executive searches for more than 150 nonprofit organizations across the U.S. and abroad. From orchestras and science centers to global NGOs and community-based nonprofits, his work spans a diverse and influential range of institutions.

Explore client experience by category below. Each section includes representative placements and organizational types.

Associations & Societies

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  • American Bar Association
  • Association of Science-Technology Centers
  • National Music Teachers Association
  • Hispanic Federation of NYC
  • Association of Zoos and Aquariums

Arts & Culture

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  • New York City Ballet
  • Apollo Theater Foundation
  • National Black Arts Festival
  • Segerstrom Center for the Arts
  • Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts
  • Dance Theatre of Harlem

Diversity-Focused Organizations

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  • United Negro College Fund
  • Museum of the African Diaspora
  • NAACP
  • The Newark Public Library
  • Gates Millennium Scholars Program

Education, Social Services & NGOs

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  • Harvard Law School
  • United Way of New York City
  • American Field Service
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC
  • Direct Relief International

Foundations

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  • The Wallace Foundation
  • Guideposts Foundation
  • DuPage Foundation
  • Saul Steinberg Foundation
  • Charles and Mildred Schnurmacher Foundation

Museums & Science Centers

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  • American Museum of Natural History
  • Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Museum
  • Liberty Science Center
  • Denver Museum of Nature & Science
  • Museum of Chinese in America

International Organizations

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  • US Fund for UNICEF
  • Te Papa Tongarewa Museum (New Zealand)
  • American Farm School (Greece)
  • National Museum of Science and Industry (UK)
  • Miami University Dolibois European Center (Luxembourg)

Zoos, Aquariums & Gardens

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  • Shedd Aquarium
  • St. Louis Zoo
  • Naples Zoo
  • Missouri Botanical Garden
  • Mystic Aquarium

Associations & Societies Clients

American Association of Zoo Veterinarians

President

American Bar Association

Director, ABA Rule of Law Initiative

Association of Science-Technology Centers, Inc.

CEO

Association of Zoos and Aquariums

President

Association of Zoo Veterinarians

President

Hispanic Federation of NYC

President

Medical Education for South African Blacks

President

National Endowment for Financial Education

President

National Multiple Sclerosis Society

VP, Development

National Music Teachers Association

President

New Jersey Charter School Association

President

Partnership for After School Education

President

Arts and Cultural Clients

Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts

President and CEO

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

Artistic Director

Apollo Theater Foundation

Chief Operating Officer;

VP, Development;

Managing Director, Operations;

Director, Finance

Auditorium Theater (Roosevelt University)

President and CEO

August Wilson African American Cultural Center

Managing Director;

Vice President, Development

ARTS Center Stage

President

Ballet Hispánico

Executive Director

Bill T. Jones / Arnie Zane Dance Company

Executive Director

Bing Concert Hall (Stanford University)

Executive Director

Blumenthal Performing Arts

Chief Development Officer

Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM)

Artistic Director

Broward Center for the Performing Arts

President & CEO;

Senior Vice President, Programming and Marketing

Charlotte Symphony Orchestra

President and CEO

Chicago Humanities Festival

Artistic Director

City Center of Music & Drama (NY State Theater)

Chief Financial Officer

Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center (University of Maryland)

Executive Director

The Colonial Theatre

Executive Director

Columbus Performing Arts Center (Georgia State University)

Executive Director

Count Basie Center for the Arts

President and CEO

Dallas Center for the Performing Arts (now AT&T Performing Arts Center)

President and CEO

Chief Operating Officer

Dance Theatre of Harlem

Managing Director

Dance/USA

Executive Director

Dayton Live!

President and CEO

Free Arts NYC

Director of Development

Gaillard Performing Arts Center

President and CEO
CFO
Vice President of Operations

Harlem School of the Arts

Executive Director

Houston Symphony Orchestra

Vice President, Marketing

International Festival of Arts and Ideas

President

Kentucky Center for the Arts

President

Karvis Performing Arts Center

Chief Development Officer

Loew’s King Theater

Executive Director

Louisville Ballet

Executive Director

Marcus Center for the Performing Arts

President and CEO

Miami City Ballet

Executive Director;
Chief Community Engagement Officer;
Chief Development Officer;
Chief Marketing Officer;
School Managing Director

Museum of Arts and Sciences

President

Naples Philharmonic

General Manager

National Black Arts Festival

President

National Italian-American Foundation

President

The New 42nd Street

Chief Financial Officer

Newark Symphony Hall

Executive Director;
Strategic Planning

New Jersey Hall of Fame

Executive Director

The New Jersey Historical Society

Executive Director;
Director, Development

New Jersey Performing Arts Center

President and CEO;
Vice President, Development;
Vice President, Education;
Vice President, Finance;
Vice President, Marketing;
Vice President, Operations;
Vice President, Programming;
Manager, Campaign and Major Gifts

New Jersey Symphony Orchestra

President and CEO;
Chief Financial Officer;
Vice President, Marketing and External Affairs

Newport Jazz Festival

Managing Director

New World Symphony

President

New York City Ballet

VP, Development

Onassis Foundation USA

Executive Director/Artistic Director

Orpheum Theatre Group

President and CEO

Peace Center

Vice President, Community Engagement;

Vice President, Development;

Vice President, Operations;

Vice President, Programming

Vice President, Marketing

Philadelphia Live Arts Festival and Philly Fringe

Vice President

Pilchuck Glass School

Executive Director

Pilobolus

General Manager

Pittsburgh Cultural Trust

General Manager

Sag Harbor Cinema Arts Center

Executive Director

Saul Steinberg Foundation

CEO

St. Louis Symphony

President

Segerstrom Center for the Arts

Executive Vice President, External Relations

Vice President, General Manager

Vice President, Marketing and Communications

Associate VP, Development

Tennessee Performing Arts Center

President and CEO

Terra Foundation for American Art

Chief Financial Officer

VH1 Save The Music Foundation

President

The Wallace Foundation

Four Program Officers, Arts and Education

Watermill Center for the Arts

Executive Director

Executive Search Diversity Clients

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

Artistic Director

American India Foundation

President

Apollo Theater Foundation

Chief Operating Officer;

Vice President, Development;

Managing Director, Operations;

Senior Director, Finance

Atlanta Botanical Garden

General Manager, Operations

August Wilson African American Cultural Center

Managing Director

Vice President, Development

Ballet Hispánico

Executive Director

Bill T. Jones / Arnie Zane Dance Company

Executive Director

Brooklyn Public Library

Director, Development;

Director, Major & Capital Giving;

Deputy Director, External Affairs

China Institute

President

Dance Theatre of Harlem

Managing Director

Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute / UNCF

President

Gates Millennium Scholars Program / UNCF

President;

Four Program Directors

Harlem School of the Arts

Executive Director

Hispanic Federation of NYC

President

Medical Education for South African Blacks

President

Museum of Chinese in America

Executive Director

Museum of the African Diaspora

Executive Director

NAACP

Chief Development Officer

National Black Arts Festival

Artistic Director

Newark Symphony Hall

Executive Director

Sickle Cell Disease Association of America

President

Tennessee Performing Arts Center

Chief Diversity and Human Resources Officer

The New Jersey Historical Society

Executive Director;

Director of Development;

The Newark Public Library

Executive Director

The Wallace Foundation

Four Program Officers, Arts and Education

United Negro College Fund

Chief Information Officer;

Four Area Development Directors

University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey

Dean, Nursing;

Director, Workplace Giving

Education, Social Service, and NGOs

American Farm School, Greece

President

American Field Service USA

President;

Director, Development;

Senior Manager, Major Gifts

Bideawee, Inc.

President & CEO;

Chief Financial Officer;

Vice President, Medical Officer;

Director, HR

Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City

Executive Director;

Chief Administrative Officer;

Chief Development Officer;

Chief Program Officer

Brooklyn Public Library

Director of Development;

Director, Major & Capital Giving;

Deputy Director, External Affairs

Center College

Executive Director

China Institute

President

Children’s Home & Aid

President and CEO

Community FoodBank of New Jersey

Vice President, Development

Damian Family Care Centers

Chief Financial Officer

Direct Relief International

Chief Program Officer

Environmental Defense

Director, HR

Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute / UNCF

Executive Director;

Chief Research Scientist

Gates Millennium Scholars Program / UNCF

Executive Director;

Four Program Directors

Guideposts

President, Foundation;

Director, Major Gifts

Harvard Law School

Dean, Admissions;

Dean, Administration

Indiana University Foundation

HR Consulting

JASON Foundation for Education

President

Medical Education for South African Blacks

President

Miami University, Luxembourg (Miami University Dolibois European Center)

Dean, Regional Campus

National Endowment for Financial Education

President

National Hemophilia Foundation

CEO

Newark Public Library

Executive Director

Partnership for After School Education

President

Pilchuck Glass School

Executive Director

Sickle Cell Disease Association of America

President

The Salvation Army

Chief Development Officer, Eastern Territory

United Way NYC

Vice President, External Affairs

United Way of Greater St. Louis

President and CEO

United Way, Louisville

President and CEO

United Way of Omaha

President and CEO

United Way of Salt Lake City

President and CEO

University of Maryland at College Park (Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center)

Executive Director

US Fund for UNICEF

President;

Chief Financial Officer

The Wallace Foundation

Four Program Officers, Arts and Education

Executive Search Foundation Clients

American India Foundation

President

Charles and Mildred Schnurmacher Foundation

Compensation Consulting

Direct Marketing Association Foundation

President;
Vice President, Programs

DuPage Foundation

President and CEO

Guideposts

President, Foundation;
Director, Major Gifts

Indiana University Foundation

HR Consulting

JASON Foundation for Education

President

National Endowment for Financial Education

CEO

National Italian-American Foundation

President

Onassis Foundation USA

Executive Director

Saul Steinberg Foundation

CEO

The Heckscher Foundation for Children

Grants Manager;

Program Officer

The Wallace Foundation

Four Program Officers, Arts and Education

VH1 Save The Music Foundation

President

Museums and Science Center Executive Search Clients of James Abruzzo

Adventure Science Center

President and CEO

American Museum of Natural History

Vice President, Design;

Vice President, Information Technology;

Director, AMNH Library

Association of Science-Technology Centers, Inc.

CEO

Brooklyn Children’s Museum

President

Cereal City Museum

Executive Director

Davenport Museum of Art

Executive Director

Denver Museum of Nature & Science

President

George Eastman House

Executive Director

Joslyn Art Museum

Executive Director

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts and Sciences
Liberty Science Center

Vice President, Guest Services;

Compensation Consulting

Lucas Museum of Narrative Art

Managing Director, Technology

Maryland Science Center

President

Michigan Science Center

President and CEO

Middleton Place

President

Museum of the African Diaspora

Executive Director

Museum of Chinese in America

President

Museum of Flight

Vice President, Education

National Museum of Science and Industry, London

Vice President, Development

North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

Director

Ormond Beach Observer

Executive Director

Pacific Science Center

Vice President, Exhibits;

Vice President, Science & Education

Rochester Museum & Science Center

President

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum

Vice President, Education

ScienCenter (Ithaca, NY)

President

South Carolina Historical Society

CEO

South Carolina State Museum

Executive Director

St. Louis Science Center

Vice President, Development

Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand

Director, Experience

The New Jersey Historical Society

Executive Director;

Director, Development

The Newark Museum

President and Director;

Chief Operating Officer;

Deputy Director, Education;

Deputy Director, Finance and Marketing

The State Hermitage Museum

Executive Director

The Textile Museum

VP, Development

US Holocaust Memorial Museum

Strategy Consulting

International

American Farm School, Greece

President

American Field Service USA

President;

Director, Development;

Senior Manager, Major Gifts

American India Foundation

President

Association of British Orchestras

Succession Survey

Association of Science-Technology Centers, Inc.

CEO

China Institute

President

Direct Relief International

Chief Program Officer

Gates Millennium Scholars Program / UNCF

President;

Four Program Directors

International Society for the Performing Arts

Board Facilitation

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

Chief Development Officer
Chief Technology Officer
Senior Vice President
Development

Medical Education for South African Blacks

President

Miami University, Luxembourg (Miami University Dolibois European Center)

Dean, Regional Campus

Museum of Chinese in America

Executive Director

National Museum of Science and Industry, London

Vice President, Development

Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand

Director, Experience

Zoos, Aquariums, and Botanical Gardens Executive Search Clients

Adventure Aquarium

Vice President

American Association of Zoo Veterinarians

President

Akron Zoo

President

Association of Zoos and Aquariums

President

Association of Zoo Veterinarians

President

Atlanta Botanical Garden

General Manager, Operations

Audubon Nature Institute

Vice President and Managing Director, Zoo and Park

Columbus Zoo & Aquarium

Chief Operating Officer

Detroit Zoo

Consulting

Iowa Primate Learning Sanctuary

General Manager;

Consulting

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

President and CEO

John G. Shedd Aquarium

President

Memphis Zoo

President and CEO

Missouri Botanical Garden

Deputy Director and COO;

Consulting

Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration

Senior Vice President, Operations;

Curator

Naples Zoo and Caribbean Botanical Gardens

Chief Executive Officer

National Aquarium in Baltimore

President;

CFO

Oklahoma City Zoo

Executive Director

Oregon Zoo

Director

Philadelphia Zoo

Vice President, Development

Roger Williams Park Zoo

President

San Antonio Zoo and Aquarium

President

St. Louis Zoo

President

Woodland Park Zoo

Chief Zoological Officer
Vice President of Conservation

Zoo Atlanta

Vice President

Contact James