Executive Director Search | SpineHope
The Organization
SpineHope is an international medical nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to life-changing spinal surgery for underserved children around the world. Working through a network of surgeons, medical volunteers, and global partners, the organization brings specialized care to children who otherwise may have little or no access to treatment. As SpineHope prepared for its next stage of growth, the organization was also navigating an important leadership evolution: transitioning from a founder-driven model to a professionally led, scalable nonprofit infrastructure.
The Leadership Challenge
SpineHope engaged Scion Executive Search to identify its next Executive Director during a pivotal period of organizational transition and opportunity. The Board sought a leader who could take an ambitious vision for global impact and translate it into a sustainable operating model. The new Executive Director would need to simultaneously grow fundraising, strengthen organizational infrastructure, expand programmatic reach, recruit new partners and surgeons, and work effectively alongside the Board, founder, and volunteer medical leadership.
The search presented a particularly complex leadership profile. SpineHope needed someone who could operate strategically while remaining highly hands-on within a lean organization. The successful candidate needed proven fundraising expertise, entrepreneurial leadership ability, strong board partnership skills, and the capacity to navigate international and cross-cultural environments. Bilingual capabilities were also preferred, further narrowing an already specialized talent pool.
What Success Looked Like
Scion worked closely with SpineHope’s leadership to develop a success profile centered on three priorities for the Executive Director’s first 12 to 18 months:
- Build and diversify fundraising toward a $1M+ annual operating model through major gifts, grants, sponsorships, and expanded donor engagement.
- Expand SpineHope’s global programmatic reach through surgeon recruitment, partner-site development, and thoughtful operational scaling.
- Establish the fundraising infrastructure, data systems, processes, and organizational disciplines necessary to support sustainable long-term growth.
Beyond experience, the organization needed a leader who could thrive with significant autonomy, navigate ambiguity, and balance an ambitious vision with practical execution.
Scion’s Approach
Rather than limiting the search to traditional nonprofit administrators, Scion developed a broader market strategy focused on externally facing, growth-oriented leaders who could operate at the intersection of fundraising, organizational development, brand building, global programming, and mission delivery.
Led by Sydney Burnham, the search included extensive market mapping across global health, international nonprofits, education access, youth development, and other mission-driven growth organizations.
As market intelligence emerged, Scion partnered closely with the Board to continuously calibrate the profile and ensure the search remained aligned with both SpineHope’s long-term ambitions and the realities of its current organizational capacity.
Finalist assessment went beyond traditional interviewing. Scion incorporated working-session style evaluations designed to explore how candidates would approach fundraising growth, operational sequencing, organizational infrastructure, and sustainable program expansion. This allowed stakeholders to evaluate not simply what candidates had accomplished previously, but how they would lead SpineHope through its specific next chapter.
After a successful national search, SpineHope selected a finalist who accepted the organization’s offer. Before the candidate’s official start date, however, the finalist unexpectedly withdrew.
Rather than restarting the search from the beginning, Scion moved quickly to reactivate the market, stabilize the candidate pipeline, and maintain confidence among both prospective candidates and organizational stakeholders. Throughout this sensitive transition, Scion remained closely aligned with the Board, allowing the search to regain momentum quickly while maintaining the quality and integrity of the process.
A second offer was accepted on April 6, 2026.
Navigating an Unexpected Setback
The Selected Leader
SpineHope ultimately selected a bilingual, mission-driven nonprofit executive with experience leading fundraising growth, organizational rebranding, stakeholder engagement, and operational scaling within purpose-driven environments.
The successful candidate brought experience helping lead a legacy nonprofit with an approximately $8 million organizational footprint, along with the external orientation and fundraising capabilities necessary to help SpineHope expand its reach.
Equally important was leadership style. The selected Executive Director demonstrated the ability to operate autonomously, navigate ambiguity, collaborate effectively with a highly engaged Board and medical leadership, and translate ambitious goals into realistic plans for execution. Strong alignment around SpineHope’s long-term vision, fundraising strategy, growth sequencing, and mission ultimately made the candidate the right leader for the organization’s next chapter.
The Impact
The SpineHope Executive Director search illustrates the value of an adaptive executive search partnership during periods of significant organizational change.
Scion’s role extended beyond identifying qualified candidates. Through ongoing market calibration, rigorous leadership assessment, close Board partnership, and rapid response to an unexpected finalist withdrawal, Scion helped SpineHope successfully navigate a high-stakes leadership transition while maintaining momentum toward its broader growth objectives.
With its new Executive Director in place, SpineHope is positioned to strengthen its organizational foundation, diversify fundraising, expand its network of medical and program partners, and ultimately increase access to life-changing spinal care for children around the world.
Why Scion Executive Search
Scion Executive Search partners with a wide range of organizations and institutions to help them identify mission-driven individuals for high-level, high-impact roles that help build trust, guide missions, and build up the communities in which we work.
