CEO

About Aspiranet

Founded in 1975 with a single group home in Moss Beach outside of San Francisco, Aspiranet has become one of California’s largest and most successful social service organizations. Aspiranet is a 501(c)(3) California nonprofit organization with the mission of providing children, youth, and families with a foundation of support so they can thrive at home, at school, and in their communities.

Aspiranet serves more than 35,000 California children, youth, and families each year from 44 community-based sites statewide. Aspiranet provides a spectrum of services in Northern California, Southern California, and in the Central Valley, including foster and adoption services, behavioral and mental health services, residential care, educational services, community-based family services, and emergency shelter.

Aspiranet employs around 930 employees at 40 statewide sites with a $115M government funded budget.

Aspiranet's Vision

Aspiranet envisions a world in which all children and youth are loved and cared for and all families have the resources to thrive.

Aspiranet's Mission

To provide children, youth and families with a foundation of support and services so they can succeed at home, school, and in their communities.

Aspiranet's core values define every decision they make and interaction they have.

Respect: They approach their work with humility, honoring the experience, talents, and perspectives of their families. They build on strengths and support them in achieving their vision of success.

Integrity: They are trustworthy and reliable. Their actions are motivated by an unwavering desire to do what’s best on behalf of their families.

Courage: They strive to meet the needs of those in their care, embracing challenges, taking risks, and learning from setbacks. They are steadfast in staying the course in support of their families.

Hope: They are aspirational in setting ambitious yet achievable goals with their families, creating empowering solutions side by side, during challenging circumstances.

Learn more about Aspiranet by visiting https://www.aspiranet.org/about.

The CEO Opportunity

The Chief Executive Officer is the senior executive of Aspiranet and reports to the Board of Directors. The CEO is accountable for the full enterprise, its mission, culture, strategy, financial health, and operational excellence, and leads the organization alongside a seasoned executive team currently comprised of a Chief Operating Officer, Chief Program Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Human Resources Officer.

The CEO translates the board-approved strategic direction into organizational results, empowering the executive leadership team to drive day-to-day operations, while personally stewarding the agency's most critical external relationships, its long-term sustainability, and its standing in the communities it serves.

Key responsibilities for the next CEO include: 

Board Leadership and Governance Support

• Serves as the primary staff liaison to the Board of Directors and all Board committees, ensuring the Board has the information, analysis, and support needed to govern effectively.
• Attends all Board and Board Committee meetings; ensures preparation, accuracy, and timely distribution of meeting materials, minutes, and supporting documentation.
• Submits regular written reports to the Board covering agency operations, financial performance program outcomes, and other pertinent matters.
• Ensures that all agency operations are conducted within the standards, policies, and budgets established or approved by the Board.
• Proactively advises the Board on emerging risks, opportunities, and issues material to the agency’s mission and sustainability.
• Fosters an engaged Board of Directors, including recruitment, development and retention of board members committed to the agency’s mission and communities served.

Executive Team Leadership and Organizational Management

• Leads, develops, and evaluates the executive team establishing clear expectations, accountability structures, and a culture of high performance and continuous improvement.
• Fosters a cohesive, collaborative executive team that operates with shared values, transparent communication, and collective accountability for organizational outcomes.
• Ensures effective delegation of operational authority to the executive team, maintaining appropriate CEO-level oversight.
• Drives organizational planning processes, including operating plans, workforce planning, and multi-year strategic initiatives.
• Ensures the agency maintains current, comprehensive organizational structures and clarity across all levels.

Strategic Direction and Organizational Growth

• Partners with the Board and senior leadership team to develop, refine, and implement the agency's long-term strategic plan.
• Identifies and evaluates opportunities for program expansion, new service lines, geographic growth, and strategic partnerships aligned with its mission.
• Monitors the external environment — policy, funding, and competitors — and adapts organizational strategy accordingly.
• Champions innovation and evidence-informed practice across all program areas.
• Sets the tone for paced and sustainable change management aligned with adopted strategic and business plans.

Program Quality and Mission Integrity

• In partnership with the Chief Program Officer, ensures all programs are operated in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations, with particular attention to licensing, rate-setting, and contracting requirements.
• Holds the executive team accountable for program outcomes, client safety, documentation integrity, and adherence to professional practice standards.
• Ensures programs operate within approved budgets and that program documentation, including client, foster parent, and clinical files, meets required standards.
• Upholds and models Aspiranet's core values and ethics across the organization.

Financial Oversight and Fiscal Stewardship

• In partnership with the CFO, oversees the development and Board approval of comprehensive annual operating and capital improvement budgets.
• Ensures the integrity of internal financial controls, fiscal checks and balances, and systems for accurate and timely financial reporting to the Board.
• Oversees completion of the annual independent CPA audit and ensures accurate and timely filing of all required tax, rate, and grant expenditure reports.
• Maintains oversight of all agency insurance programs and serves as the executive decision-maker on significant legal and insurance matters.
• Ensures the long-term financial sustainability of the organization through disciplined fiscal management and diversified revenue strategy.

Resource Development and Funding Strategy

• Leads the agency's overall resource development strategy, including government contracts, philanthropy, grants, and earned revenue.
• Presents diversified comprehensive fundraising and development plans to the Board within the context of annual and multi-year budgets.
• Ensures timely and high-quality grant proposals and compliance reporting across all funding streams.
• Cultivates and maintains relationships with key funders, government partners, and donors.

People, Culture, and Human Resources

• In partnership with the CHRO, ensures the agency attracts, develops, and retains mission-aligned talent at all levels.
• Champions a workplace culture grounded in Aspiranet's values of respect, integrity, courage, and hope, and reflective of a commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
• Ensures agency-wide adherence to applicable employment laws and regulations.
• Ensures the Employee Handbook is current, Board-approved, and consistently applied; oversees sound conflict resolution and employment processes across the organization.

Community Relations, External Affairs, and Public Leadership

• Serves as the primary public spokesperson and external ambassador for Aspiranet, representing the agency with government bodies, the press, professional organizations, community partners, and the public.
• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with county and state agencies, placement organizations, schools, partner nonprofits, and the communities served.
• Develops and implements community relations and public affairs strategies that advance Aspiranet's visibility, reputation, and policy influence.
• Demonstrates sensitivity and responsiveness to cultural differences; maintains appropriate professional boundaries with all stakeholders.
• Maintains client and case confidentiality in accordance with licensing and agency standards.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Board of Directors.

Candidate Profile

While it is understood that no candidate will offer every desired skill, quality, and characteristic, the following offers a detailed, aspirational view of the ideal candidate profile:

Transformation Leadership & Organizational Change Management

The next CEO brings demonstrated expertise leading complex organizational transformation and change management. This individual has successfully guided organizations through significant strategic, structural, or cultural evolution, navigating competing stakeholder interests and driving sustainable change. They are skilled at assessing organizational systems and capabilities with honesty and clarity, making strategic decisions about people and structure, and supporting teams through transitions. This individual understands organizational culture and has experience evolving organizational practices and mindsets. They are skilled at managing through change while maintaining mission focus. They are a visible, accessible leader who maintains regular communication and builds collaborative relationships across the team.

Passion for the Mission & Behavioral Health Leadership

The next CEO brings demonstrated expertise in behavioral health service delivery, psychiatric care, crisis stabilization, or clinical operations. They have substantive knowledge of regulations governing Community Care Licensing, Foster Care Rate setting, and related California child welfare compliance. Most critically, this individual brings genuine, deep commitment to child welfare and the behavioral health mission. They are driven by the impact on vulnerable children and families, advocate fiercely on their behalf, and are interested in building something meaningful over time.

Business Infrastructure & Strategic Modernization

The next CEO brings the ability to build and oversee modern business infrastructure while managing daily operations. This individual is grounded in strategic planning, business model innovation, operational systems, financial modeling, and technology modernization. They bring a builder's mentality, the capacity to assess organizational needs, prioritize strategically, and invest in systems modernization. This individual has demonstrated financial acumen, including experience overseeing multi-million-dollar budgets (100M+ preferred), government contracts, and diversified funding. They bring experience building integrated strategic plans that simultaneously address funding sustainability, revenue diversification, program expansion, and organizational capacity.

Fundraising Leadership & Governance Partnership

The next CEO brings proven ability to strengthen board governance and build comprehensive fundraising and development infrastructure. This individual has successfully cultivated philanthropic revenue across individual, foundation, and corporate channels and demonstrates track record of growing giving and expanding donor engagement. They can articulate a vision for revenue diversification beyond government contracts, including private philanthropy, corporate partnerships, earned revenue, and impact-driven business models. In partnership with the Board, they strengthen governance structures, elevate board strategic engagement, and advance the board's strategic impact. This individual is skilled at facilitating alignment on strategy, providing board coaching, and fostering collaborative leadership between staff and board.

Aspiranet Ambassador & Policy Leadership

The next CEO brings the ability and confidence to serve as Aspiranet's ambassador. This individual is media-savvy, politically fluent, and skilled at building relationships across government, philanthropic, and business sectors. They have served as a public spokesperson for an organization, demonstrating comfort with media engagement, public speaking, and community engagement. This individual has engaged in policy advocacy, coalition building, or legislative strategy. They demonstrate the intellectual and personal courage to engage in advocacy on behalf of vulnerable populations and to bring an external perspective to state and local policy conversations. 

The next CEO must meet all state-required conditions of employment as set forth by Community Care Licensing for a Licensed Community Care facility, including Fingerprint and Child Abuse Index clearance, TB/Health Physical, valid California Driver's License, and acceptable driving record.

 Location

The successful candidate must be based in or willing to relocate to South San Francisco, California or the Central Valley. Aspiranet’s Headquarters are located in the Oyster Point Marina in South San Francisco.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $400,000 – $475,000 commensurate with experience. Aspiranet values its employees and offers a comprehensive benefits package.

Contact

DSG | Koya has been exclusively retained for this engagement, which is being led by Alexandra Corvin, Tyler Ridgeway, and Maleka Pensky. Express interest in this role by filling out our Talent Profile or emailing the search team directly at [email protected]. All inquiries and discussions are strictly confidential.

DSG | Koya is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing interest online, please email [email protected]. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.

About DSG | Koya

DSG | Koya, a DSG Global company, is the nation’s premier search firm dedicated to mission-driven leadership. Since its founding in 2004, DSG | Koya has had an exclusive focus on mission-driven clients and was founded on the belief that the right leader can transform an organization and have a deep and measurable impact on our world. DSG | Koya works with nonprofits & NGOs, responsible businesses, and social enterprises in local communities and around the world.

DSG Global is consistently recognized by Forbes on its top 10 list of “America’s Best Executive Recruiting Firms” and is an industry leader in recruiting transformational leaders for a changing world. The firm is deliberately different in its approach, with best-in-class teams who have decades of experience in cultivating inclusive leaders, understanding the dimensions of diversity, and building equitable teams.

Learn more about DSG | Koya via the firm's website.