McCormack+Kristel
McCormack+Kristel is a New York-based retained executive search firm founded in 1993 that exclusively serves nonprofit and philanthropic organizations, providing DEI-centered executive placement, board recruitment, and leadership transition services to mission-driven clients nationwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1993
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What McCormack+Kristel does
McCormack+Kristel is a national retained executive search firm headquartered in New York City, founded in 1993 by Joe McCormack and now led by Michelle Kristel as Principal. The firm exclusively serves nonprofit and philanthropic organizations, placing transformational executive leadership — typically CEOs, executive directors, and senior leadership teams — in mission-driven organizations across the social justice, LGBTQ+ services, health, environmental, philanthropic, housing, education, and arts sectors. Its service portfolio centers on retained executive search with a structured six-stage methodology (Discovery and Alignment, Market Engagement and Candidate Development, Client Evaluation and Selection, and Selection and Transition Support), augmented by Diversity-Focused Search, Board of Directors Search, Leadership Transition & Succession Services, and Candidate Evaluation & Selection support. The firm was founded on core principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion and is NGLCC-certified as a diversity-owned business.
The business model is straightforward professional services: revenue is generated through retained engagement fees paid by nonprofit and philanthropic clients for executive search assignments, with quote-based pricing tied to engagement scope rather than public rate cards. Distribution is entirely direct-to-client through referral networks, industry reputation, and inbound interest; the firm operates with no resellers, channel partners, or marketplace presence. Marketing is built on thought-leadership content (News & Views blog, email newsletter), industry awards and recognition (notably four consecutive Forbes designations), and client testimonials that emphasize DEI-aligned candidate sourcing and disciplined process management.
McCormack+Kristel is structured as a privately held LLC (McCormack & Kristel, LLC) operating from a single New York office at 1325 Avenue of the Americas, 28th Floor, with a deliberately small team of 1-10 employees. Leadership includes Michelle Kristel (Principal, 25 years of experience), Rev. Dr. Zaria Davis (Search Consultant), Catie DiFelice (Senior Associate, 15 years), and Kristine Papp (Director of Finance and Administration), with founder Joe McCormack continuing as strategic advisor following his 2022 retirement. Notable past and current clients include ACLU (multiple chapters), Amnesty International, Lambda Legal, Equality Illinois, Trevor Project, LA LGBT Center, Planned Parenthood, NRDC, Tides, Funders Network, and the Independent Film & Television Alliance. The firm holds no technology stack beyond a website with content portal and offers no API, software product, or AI-enabled tooling — the underlying deliverable is human expertise and network access.
McCormack+Kristel firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- McCormack+Kristel
- Legal name
- McCormack & Kristel, LLC
- Website
- https://mccormackkristel.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1993
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- McCormack+Kristel is a New York-based retained executive search firm founded in 1993 that exclusively serves nonprofit and philanthropic organizations, providing DEI-centered executive placement, board recruitment, and leadership transition services to mission-driven clients nationwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
McCormack+Kristel industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Executive Search Services
- NAICS
- Executive Search Services (561312), Employment Placement Agencies and Executive Search Services (56131)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Sector, Education & Nonprofit Leadership Search (BPACAAAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- C-Suite & Board Search (BPACAAAA)
Keywords
Where McCormack+Kristel is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
McCormack+Kristel business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel
Revenue model
- Retained Executive Search Services: The firm operates as a retained executive search consultancy, providing search services to nonprofit and mission-driven organizations. As a national retained search firm, revenue is generated through engagement fees for identifying and placing transformational leadership talent for clients in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Retained executive search services - no tiered pricing structure publicly disclosed |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
McCormack+Kristel product offering
Product offeringCore offering
McCormack+Kristel is a national retained executive search firm that identifies and places transformational leadership talent for nonprofit and philanthropic organizations. The firm guides clients through a structured, multi-stage process—Discovery and Alignment, Market Engagement and Candidate Development, Client Evaluation and Selection, and Selection and Transition Support—and embeds diversity, equity, and inclusion principles throughout every engagement.
Product overview
McCormack+Kristel offers a single unified executive search service with specialized practice areas that address the full executive leadership recruitment lifecycle for nonprofit and philanthropic organizations. The core Executive Search Services offering is augmented by a Diversity-Focused Search practice, Board of Directors Search, Leadership Transition & Succession Services, and Candidate Evaluation & Selection support. Together, these form an integrated portfolio: the firm guides clients from discovery and search design through candidate sourcing, structured evaluation, offer negotiation, and onboarding, with diversity, equity, and inclusion principles embedded throughout every engagement.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Executive Search Services The firm's core retained executive search service, connecting mission-driven nonprofit and philanthropic organizations with transformational executive leadership talent. Spans the full search lifecycle from stakeholder engagement and organizational assessment through candidate sourcing, evaluation, offer negotiation, and onboarding guidance.
Quantifiable outcome
- Multiple successful executive placements including CEO positions at major nonprofit organizations
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use McCormack+Kristel
Customer profileNamed customers19 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
McCormack+Kristel technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
McCormack+Kristel partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Network of Nonprofit Search ConsultantscoreThe firm is a proud member of the Network of Nonprofit Search Consultants, an organization of executive search professionals committed to best practices in nonprofit executive recruitment. Michelle Kristel serves in various leadership roles on the program and executive committees of this network.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
McCormack+Kristel competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- WittKieffer: WittKieffer is a leading executive search firm specializing in healthcare, higher education, and nonprofit leadership. It is a comparable retained search firm for mission-driven and nonprofit clients, with similar practice areas to McCormack+Kristel.
- Isaacson, Miller: Isaacson, Miller is one of the leading retained executive search firms serving the nonprofit sector, with deep practice areas across advocacy, education, and philanthropy. It competes head-to-head with McCormack+Kristel for CEO and senior leadership mandates at mission-driven organizations.
- Koya Leadership Partners: Koya Leadership Partners is a national executive search firm focused exclusively on the nonprofit and mission-driven sectors. It is a direct competitor to McCormack+Kristel in retained searches for nonprofit CEOs, senior leadership, and boards.
- Diversified Search: Diversified Search is a national retained executive search firm serving nonprofit, higher education, healthcare, and corporate clients. McCormack+Kristel's Senior Associate Catie DiFelice previously served there, indicating direct talent flow and overlap in client base.
Broad incumbents
- Heidrick & Struggles: Heidrick & Struggles is a global executive search firm with social sector and nonprofit practices. It serves overlapping mission-driven clients but as one segment of a large, multi-industry portfolio.
- Korn Ferry: Korn Ferry is the largest global organizational consulting firm with executive search, including nonprofit and social impact practices. It competes for marquee nonprofit CEO searches but at substantially broader scale.
- Russell Reynolds Associates: Russell Reynolds Associates is a global executive search firm serving corporate, nonprofit, and social sector clients. It serves overlapping nonprofit CEO and board mandates but as part of a much broader, multi-sector practice.
- Spencer Stuart: Spencer Stuart is a global executive search and leadership advisory firm with a dedicated nonprofit, foundation, and social sector practice. It competes for high-profile nonprofit CEO searches but operates at much larger scale and across industries.
Emerging players
- B.E. Smith: B.E. Smith focuses on healthcare and hospital executive search. It overlaps with McCormack+Kristel's healthcare and human services nonprofit practice and was recognized by Healthcare Business Review alongside the subject firm.
Others
- Hunt Scanlon Media: Hunt Scanlon Media is a media and advisory firm covering the executive search industry that has repeatedly recognized McCormack+Kristel on its rankings. It is an ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor, but is materially relevant as an industry information source.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
McCormack+Kristel social profiles
Digital presenceMcCormack+Kristel compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
McCormack+Kristel financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
McCormack+Kristel leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
McCormack+Kristel funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
McCormack+Kristel M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about McCormack+Kristel
What does McCormack+Kristel do?
McCormack+Kristel is a national retained executive search firm that identifies and places transformational leadership talent for nonprofit and philanthropic organizations. The firm guides clients through a structured, multi-stage process—Discovery and Alignment, Market Engagement and Candidate Development, Client Evaluation and Selection, and Selection and Transition Support—and embeds diversity, equity, and inclusion principles throughout every engagement.
Is McCormack+Kristel a public or private company?
McCormack+Kristel is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was McCormack+Kristel founded?
McCormack+Kristel was founded in 1993. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is McCormack+Kristel based?
McCormack+Kristel is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does McCormack+Kristel make money?
One revenue line is on record: retained Executive Search Services.
Who are McCormack+Kristel's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are WittKieffer, Isaacson, Miller, Koya Leadership Partners and Diversified Search. Broad incumbents are Heidrick & Struggles, Korn Ferry, Russell Reynolds Associates and Spencer Stuart. B.E. Smith is listed as an emerging player. Hunt Scanlon Media is listed as an others.
Does McCormack+Kristel have an API?
No public API is recorded for McCormack+Kristel.
What industry is McCormack+Kristel in?
McCormack+Kristel's product category is Executive Search Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACAAAI, Public Sector, Education & Nonprofit Leadership Search, with a secondary code of BPACAAAA, C-Suite & Board Search. Its NAICS code is 561312 and its SIC code is 8742.