What This Project Is All About
At its core, this project is a unique blend of management consulting tailored for nonprofits and mission-driven organizations. It’s not just about placing a CEO or drafting a strategic plan — it’s about creating clarity and trust across the board. Whether it’s executive search, organizational redesign, or long-term strategic visioning, the work here produces results that resonate deeply with clients. The approach is holistic, combining talent, strategy, and structure in a way that transforms organizations from the inside out.
The Main Benefit: Clear Strategy and Strong Leadership
When strategy is clear and directly tied to outcomes, success isn’t just possible — it’s inevitable. This project’s impact can be seen in several key facts and figures:
- Decades of experience blending executive search with deep strategic consulting
- Multi-decade strategic visions facilitated for clients like the University’s Contemplative Science Center
- Successful placement of transformational leaders such as Dr. Kelly Crace and Suzanne Bond
- Ongoing strategic advisory roles following executive placements, exemplified by work with the Bears Ears Partnership
- Focus on leadership development, succession planning, and organizational design to ensure lasting impact
Combining Talent and Strategy for Transformation
Improvement is good, sure, but transformation? That’s the real game-changer. Great leaders don’t just manage parts of their organization; they see the whole system and steer it as one cohesive unit. This project’s approach is unusual — it’s rare to find a firm that practices both executive search and deep strategy work. But that’s exactly what makes it powerful. When talent, strategy, and structure align intentionally, and every contributor understands the “why” behind their work, transformation naturally follows.
Expertise That Goes Beyond the Surface
Character matters here — it’s not just about skills on paper. The project’s expertise spans:
- Executive Search: Finding leaders who fit the culture and mission
- Leadership Development: Growing leaders who can navigate complexity
- Succession Planning: Preparing organizations for the future
- Strategic Planning: Crafting clear, outcome-driven strategies
- Organizational Design: Aligning structure with strategy
- Impact Evaluation: Measuring what truly matters
This isn’t about shiny reports gathering dust. It’s about actionable insights and real-world results.
The Story Behind the Work
Decades of passionate work have shaped this project’s identity. Starting in post-conflict zones and refugee crises, the leadership team cut their teeth managing nonprofits, small businesses, philanthropies, academic organizations, and even combat units. Founded in San Francisco in 2009 as Schaffer & Combs, the practice evolved through the Covid crisis to become OE Consulting. This rich history informs a grounded, no-nonsense approach that values people, planet, and productivity equally.
Project Impact and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being — Supporting organizations that improve community health
- SDG 4: Quality Education — Facilitating leadership in educational institutions
- SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth — Enhancing organizational capacity and leadership
- SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities — Committing to diversity, equity, and inclusion
- SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production — Promoting ethical organizational practices
- SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions — Strengthening governance and leadership structures
Client Experience: Trust and Relationship at the Core
Clients consistently highlight the project’s authenticity and commitment. One CEO praised the team for being “exactly who they represent themselves to be,” emphasizing their deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Another client noted the solid process and relationship-focused approach, valuing the team’s dedication to understanding organizational culture and finding the right fit — not just the next transaction. It’s clear that trust and clarity aren’t just buzzwords here; they’re the foundation of every engagement.
