Executive Director Search Update for August 22, 2018

The search for RACC’s next executive director is progressing nicely. (Committee members include Helen Daltoso, Ozzie Gonzalez, Jeff Hawthorne, Angela Hult, Salvador Mayoral IV, Linda McGeady, Alejandro Queral and Steve Rosenbaum.) Here’s the latest:

Implicit Bias Training:

The search committee participated in a four-hour implicit bias training led by RACC board member and professional facilitator. This is an important part of the process because most people experience some degree of unconscious bias that influences our behavior and our decisions. The effects of that bias can be countered by acknowledging its existence and utilizing response strategies. The board member works with groups and organizations throughout the world and we were fortunate to benefit from the gift of her time and expertise.

Interviews:

The search committee interviewed seven individuals over two days (July 17 and August 6) via video conference at the RACC office. The group spent one hour with each individual, followed by debriefs with our search firm, Koya Leadership Partners.

Four candidates were advanced to a second round of video interviews on August 13 at the RACC office. All four candidates were from out of state. Each person was interviewed for one hour, followed by a one hour debrief with Koya.

The committee has chosen three finalists to bring to Portland for a final round of conversations. The search committee is working with the candidates to finalize the timeframe, with a target of mid- to late September. The Portland visits will include meetings with the board, staff, representatives from Portland’s arts community and elected officials.

Next Steps:

The search committee is working to finalize the dates and structure for the Portland interviews.

The team is evaluating tools for efficiently gathering feedback about the candidates from those who have an opportunity to meet with each individual.

Many thanks to search committee members for spending a tremendous amount of time on this process. We are excited about this next stage in the process and look forward to sharing additional details with you.

We are grateful to community members who have reached out with advice and encouragement in this effort; your collective support is greatly appreciated. We will continue to keep you updated on the process, and in the meantime, please let us know if you have any questions. The search committee can be reached at EDsearch@racc.org