CANDIDATE PROFILE POSITION TITLE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER PRIMARY LOCATION LOS ANGELES CREATED FOR TREEPEOPLE
table of contents About TreePeople
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What They Do
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Position Overview
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Qualifications & Compensation
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Ideal Candidate
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About Los Angeles
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About the Search Process
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Application Link
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about treepeople Trees need People. People need Trees. Founded in 1973, TreePeople is now one of the largest environmental organizations headquartered in Southern California. They have inspired, engaged, and supported more than 3 million people to take action for the environment by planting and caring for trees in forests, mountains, parks, and neighborhoods. Their unique, engaging, and proven model empowers communities to plant a more resilient future and take personal responsibility for greening their neighborhoods. Through onthe-ground research and educational programs, TreePeople shares knowledge with policymakers, students and educators, and communities around the world. After fires burn, TreePeople reforests. When schools are covered in concrete, TreePeople creates green schoolyards. When communities experience food insecurity, TreePeople donates fruit trees. When California is drought-stricken, TreePeople designs solutions to capture rainwater. As the world faces increasing threats from a more hostile climate, TreePeople helps create actionable solutions.
The mission TreePeople’s mission is to inspire, engage, and support people to take personal responsibility for the environment, making it safe, healthy, fun, and sustainable. We share our process as a model for the world.
Values Enthusiastic Welcoming Respectful Harmonious Committed
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what They do
EDUCATION
FORESTRY
coldwater canyon park
TreePeople’s Environmental Education programs inspire, engage, and support students, teachers, and communities to gain skills of environmental and climate literacy. Through a unique experiential framework, they foster deeper connections with the natural world and prepare participants to be changemakers in their communities.
TreePeople’s forestry program provides communities with the tools, plants, and education necessary to make Southern California’s urban and mountain canopies greener, healthier, and more climate-resilient. They host thousands of volunteers each year to plant and care for our environment.
TreePeople’s 45-acre headquarters on Mulholland Drive in the Santa Monica Mountains offers nature trails, experiential education, and cultural programming and is home to TreePeople’s Native Plant Nursery.
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what They do
treepeople land trust They steward more than 3,000 acres of land in the Santa Monica Mountains. Programs include public recreation, environmental education, scientific research, and more.
school greening They create green learning environments that enhance academic achievement, support health and well-being, and create safe places to play in nature. Through partnerships with school communities and districts, they advocate for, implement, and manage school greening projects to protect students from extreme heat, air pollution, and polluted water.
POLICY AND RESEARCH TreePeople works from the policy level to the grassroots level to facilitate actionable research and sciencebased policies, incentives, and applicable demonstration programs to transform Southern California utilizing nature-based solutions.
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Position Overview The CEO of TreePeople is at the forefront of advancing environmental resilience and equity, leveraging a substantial $22 million annual budget and leading a dedicated team of 180 professionals. This pivotal role emphasizes prioritizing marginalized communities that lack green spaces and actively fosters partnerships with a diverse array of stakeholders. The CEO spearheads initiatives such as reforestation in areas affected by fires and the development of urban green spaces, which exemplify TreePeople's unwavering commitment to environmental equity. By guiding TreePeople towards sustainability, the CEO aims to ensure that every community can benefit from nature and thrive harmoniously.
organizational priorities Strategic Planning Fundraising & Donor Cultivation New Donor Relationships Growth in Unrestricted Funding Organizational Strategy
In addition to overseeing operations, the CEO is responsible for building inclusive partnerships with local communities, civic leaders, and environmental advocates. This approach facilitates collaborative efforts to create safer, healthier, more sustainable, and resilient communities. Through strategic initiatives, TreePeople strives to build a future where all individuals can coexist peacefully with nature. By steering the organization towards a sustainable future, the CEO is fulfilling the mission of creating a more just and resilient world, where the benefits of nature are shared equitably among all communities.
Greater Community Engagement, Awareness, and Advocacy Staff Leadership Board Recruiting & Development
First Year GOALS & OBJECTIVES Conduct a listening tour with Board of Directors, staff, volunteers, and other stakeholders. Develop a strategic plan, including financial planning, for the organization. Cultivate relationships with new and existing donors and community members. Foster a collaborative and supportive workplace, focusing on leadership development and communications.
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qualifications Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g. nonprofit management, business administration, or a related discipline). Minimum of ten (10) years in management and/or leadership roles, including at least five (5) years of organizational leadership in a non-profit setting. Strategic thinker with strong problem-solving skills, adept at longrange planning while addressing daily operational needs. Demonstrated success managing teams, supervising staff, and fostering a productive, motivated work environment. Successful track record of managing funding relationships with foundations, donors, or other funding entities. Demonstrated ability to work successfully within complex political environments with a strong understanding of advocacy, coalition building, and the legislative process. Extensive experience in nonprofit management, including budgeting and accounting, financial statements, financial projections , fundraising and donor relations. A deep commitment to the mission and core values of TreePeople.
compensation & benefits Salary is between $200,000–$250,000 and benefits include employerpaid medical coverage for employees, optional dental and vision plans, life insurance, generous paid time off including vacation, sick leave, and holidays, plus access to supplemental benefits.
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the ideal candidate The ideal candidate is a dynamic leader with a strategic mindset, a penchant for innovation, and a collaborative spirit. They should possess exceptional communication skills, capable of inspiring and engaging diverse stakeholders across the community. A natural influencer, they thrive on fostering relationships and creating a shared vision for nature conservation and community engagement. Rooted in nonprofit organizational management, the candidate brings a wealth of experience in strategic planning, external relations and leadership. They should have a proven track record in strategic growth, securing funds from various sources including foundations, corporations, major donors, and government partnerships. The ideal candidate should excel in team building, stakeholder engagement, and organizational strategy, fostering a cohesive and engaged board and staff. They should prioritize community engagement, actively connecting with major community leaders, politicians, donors, and volunteers to expand TreePeople's impact and protect natural resources effectively. The ideal CEO is a visionary leader dedicated to measurable impact, strong culture, and advancing urban forestry and environmental justice.
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ABOUT LOS ANGELES Los Angeles County is a vast and varied geographic entity. It includes a group of inland valleys, a coastal plain separated by low mountains that are interspersed with steep passes, an arc of still higher Mountains, and a long seacoast. Nearly half of the county is taken up by mountain chains—most of them running east-west—that have a dynamic history of earthquakes, firestorms, and mudslides. To the north and northeast are the massive and sprawling San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains. Stretching in Front of them—and more or less in parallel lines from west to east—are the Santa Monica Mountains, Puente Hills, Repetto Hills, and San Jose Hills. These chains delineate the San Fernando, San Gabriel, and San Bernardino valleys. Farther south, running roughly between Orange and Riverside counties, are the Santa Ana Mountains Los Angeles, the heart of Southern California, became a worldclass city very recently. At the start of the 20th century, it was considered merely “a large village.” This ascendancy is all the more remarkable considering that the city originally lacked some of the essential building blocks associated with cityhood, such as a natural harbor. Yet it overcame natural deficiencies and established itself as an important center of commerce, agriculture, tourism, and industry. For more than a century it has been indelibly associated with a benign climate, extensive leisure, and outdoor recreation, as well as the special aura of celebrity associated with Hollywood. The lifestyle of Los Angeles residents (who are called Angelenos) relies on the automobile, idealizes the single-family dwelling, and favors informality. With notable exceptions, the skyline is primarily horizontal rather than vertical. Los Angeles is a place of extraordinary ethnic and racial diversity, owing largely to immigration.
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the search process Envision Consulting has been retained by TreePeople to conduct the search for their CEO. We follow a comprehensive and structured approach that begins with a needs assessment to understand the organization's position and culture. We source candidates using various strategies, such as leveraging networks, industryspecific databases, and targeted research. Our evaluations are designed to assess qualifications, experience, cultural fit, and leadership potential. After two stages of interviews with Envision, we work with the organization's search committee to select the individuals they wish to meet and then facilitate the interview experience. We support the final selection process, including negotiation and offer formulation and offer onboarding support to ensure a smooth leadership transition with a one-year guarantee. To ensure candidate success, we offer ten (10) hours of executive coaching throughout the first year of employment. TreePeople is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion or creed, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, age, veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status recognized by federal, state or local law with respect to employment opportunities.
Recruiting & Screening Interviews
Sourcing & Marketing
Final Panel Interview
2nd Round Interviews
Onboarding & Coaching
Negotiation Support
search team
ALLISON FULLER MANAGING PARTNER
MATT KAMIN MANAGING PARTNER
RAY SMITH SEARCH CONSULTANT
ABIGAIL MARSTERS SENIOR SEARCH AND STRATEGY CONSULTANT
Envision Consulting is a minority-owned firm specializing in executive search, organizational strategy, merger exploration, and executive leadership transitions. With offices in Denver, New York, and Los Angeles, our partners and consultants are former executive leaders within nonprofit organizations who are truly inspired by our collective power to lift up the communities we serve. Our broad spectrum of services helps increase revenues, expand awareness and strengthen service delivery to the clients who need us the most. Learn more at www.envisionnonprofit.com.
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