The RACC Executive Director Search Committee has completed stakeholder focus group evaluations of four semifinalist candidates and expects to make its recommendations to the RACC Board of Directors prior to the April 11 Board meeting.
The Semifinalist Candidate Pool
The semifinalist pool contained candidates selected by the RACC Search Committee from those presented by Koya Leadership Partners.
All candidates are currently employed and requested not to be publicly identified. All participants in the evaluation process are bound by non-disclosure agreements not to reveal the names of candidates.
The semifinalist pool contained one local candidate and three national candidates. The candidate pool was diverse by race and gender.
Description of Semi-Finalist Review Process
- Each candidate was evaluated separately in small groups over the course of an evening and a full day. The evaluators consisted of 11 internal stakeholders + 16 external stakeholders + 10 members of the search committee.
- All stakeholders participating in the process committed to meeting all four candidates at a consistent time slot. There was some flexibility if a stakeholder needed to attend a substitute time slot for one of the candidates.
- The candidate meetings were organized such that each candidate attended two panel interviews, two salons, and three social events organized in as consistent a manner as practical.
- Each stakeholder completed confidential review and comparative analysis forms for the exclusive use of RACC’s Search Committee. Panel interview participants provided supplementary analysis in addition to the forms completed by Salon and Social participants.
The Search Committee has begin reviewing the feedback forms and will be meeting next on April 3.
A Note of Thanks
We are very grateful to the candidates and stakeholders for committing so much time and energy to this process on such short notice.
Thank you to Norris, Beggs & Simpson Companies, the Northwest Health Foundation, the Portland Opera and the Offices of Portland City Commissioners Chloe Eudaly and Nick Fish for their generous hosting of meetings.
Participating Stakeholders
- Search Committee Members: Pollyanne Birge, Verlea Briggs, Jenny Chu, Jamie Dunphy, Mike Golub, Phillip Hillaire, Linda McGeady, Jan Robertson, Steve Rosenbaum, Anita Yap
- Other RACCC Board Members: Eileen Day, Katherine Durham, Debbie Glaze, Ozzie Gonzalez, Leslie Heilbrunn, Parker Lee
- RACC Staff: Kristin Calhoun, Helen Daltoso, Sara Farrokhzadian, Jeff Hawthorne, Cynthia Knapp, Salvador Mayoral IV, Marna Stalcup
- Community Members: Jesse Beason, NW Health Foundation; Nick Fenster, NW Children’s Theatre; Elizabett Elsinger, Write Around Portland; Brian Ferriso, Portland Art Museum; Nick Fish, Portland City Commissioner; Cynthia Fuhrman, Portland Center Stage; Subashini Ganesan, NEW Expressive Works; Michael Greer, Oregon Ballet Theatre; India Rae Hamilton, Literary Arts; Kathleen Holt, Oregon Humanities; Linda K. Johnson, dance artist; Christopher Mattaliano, Portland Opera; Andre Middleton, Friends of Noise; Carole Morse, former RACC board member; Van Pham, PICA; Amira Streeter, Office of Commissioner Nick Fish; Steve Wenig, Oregon Symphony