Introducing our Affiliate Partner — Whitney Wade, Search Consultant
We’re thrilled to welcome our new affiliate partner, Whitney Wade. With a strong passion for philanthropy that focuses on strengthening nonprofit infrastructure and advocating for economic security in underserved communities, Whitney brings a wealth of experience and dedication to our team. Her expertise in talent acquisition and executive search, coupled with her advocacy for inclusive philanthropy, greatly enhances our firm’s capabilities.
Whitney Wade (she/her) is an experienced project manager and relationship builder in the nonprofit and philanthropic sector. Her approach to grantmaking focuses on capacity building with organizations working toward gender and racial equity, supporting nonprofit leadership and infrastructure, and advocating for multi-year, general operating, and trust-based funding in philanthropy. She is excited to bring a decade of prior experience in executive search and recruiting to Bold Ventures. Specifically, her prior roles include serving as a Search Consultant at two national retained executive search firms, Talent Acquisition and Diversity Manager at Arabella Advisors, and the first Talent Acquisition Specialist at the Robert R. McCormick Foundation. Whitney earned a dual BA in psychology and African & African American Studies from Washington University in St. Louis and a MSW with a specialization in nonprofit management from the Brown School of Social Work, also at Washington University in St. Louis.
Whitney leads personnel searches as our Search Consultant, offering comprehensive solutions to meet your staffing needs. She can support the full hiring process, provide ongoing coaching during the process, or support interim staffing to ensure workflows continue to run smoothly.
We asked Whitney a few questions to get to know her better.
Why are you passionate about advancing community–aligned and impactful giving?
As a Chicagoan who was raised in a world-class city full of opportunity, I know that there’s no shortage of resources. Yet as someone who also holds multiple marginalized identities, I can personally and professionally attest to the violent and extractive ways that resources are allocated at the expense of many communities. It’s important that I play an active role in demystifying philanthropy and dismantling the culture of scarcity in our sector.
By moving resources to communities of color, what kind of world do you hope to see?
I sincerely hope to help create a world where the trillions of dollars owed to BIPOC communities are returned.
How are you living the value of trust?
Most of my work is relational and building trust is foundational to strong, mutually beneficial relationships. For me, trust-building starts with openness, flexibility, and the belief in the inherent talents and abilities of others.
What is your passion project or hobby outside of work?
I’m a mom to fraternal twin girls that bring an abundance of joy to me and my wife. Hobbies include ceramics and collecting Black Barbie and other toys and memorabilia.
We’re excited about the expertise and support Whitney brings to our team, and we look forward to the opportunity to assist you further. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or if you’re interested in exploring how Whitney can help with your staffing needs.
