Director of Executive Search & Recruiting at Blair Search Partners
At Blair Search Partners, we know that strong leadership does not happen by chance. It is built through thoughtful alignment, deep relationships, and a clear understanding of what organizations truly need to move forward.
That same philosophy shapes how we grow our own team.
Today, we are excited to welcome Cortney Battel, Director of Executive Search & Recruiting, to the Blair Search Partners team.
Cortney’s work is rooted in a clear through line. She has spent her career helping mission-driven organizations find the right people to move their work forward, bringing a thoughtful, relationship-first approach shaped by more than 15 years in nonprofit and education talent acquisition.
Meet Cortney
Cortney’s path into executive search was not defined by a single moment, but by a consistent approach. Her work has always centered on people, access, and opportunity.
She began her career in Washington, D.C., working in education and supporting mission-driven organizations. Early on, she saw firsthand the disparities in access and quality across school systems, which shaped her decision to focus her career on social impact through talent.
“I really loved the work, and that’s how I got excited about education and working for students and helping them,” she shared. “There were just so many obvious discrepancies in terms of the schools and the quality of education.”
That realization led her to focus on staffing as an important lever for change. By helping place strong educators and leaders in high-need environments, she found a way to contribute directly to long-term impact.
Over time, Cortney expanded her work beyond K-12 education into the broader nonprofit sector, supporting organizations across a wide range of missions. Her experience includes placing leaders at institutions such as the Smithsonian Institution, World Wildlife Fund, Howard University, and the American Institute of Architects.
A Relationship-First Approach to Search
At the core of Cortney’s work is a clear belief. Recruitment is not just about filling roles. It is about supporting people through meaningful transitions. Her approach is grounded in what she describes as a candidate-first mindset.
“It’s really important for me to advocate for candidates who are at a really vulnerable time in their lives,” she said. “It’s a journey filled with a lot of emotions, and I don’t take that lightly.”
That perspective shows up in how she works day to day. She prioritizes responsiveness, transparency, and clarity, ensuring that candidates feel informed and respected throughout the process.
“I think just being able to be responsive, following up, being really transparent and being very clear with candidates… those are some of the attributes I like to bring into the relationship.”
Expanding Impact Through Inclusive Hiring
Cortney’s work is also defined by a strong commitment to inclusive hiring practices. She has partnered with charter schools and education nonprofits across the country and supported recruitment strategies from New York City to New Orleans, Dallas to Spokane. Through targeted sourcing and intentional outreach, she consistently built candidate pools with more than 50 percent diversity representation.
She also co-launched a board recruitment practice, helping organizations strengthen leadership at the governance level. This work expanded her impact beyond executive placements and into shaping how organizations think about leadership more broadly. Her experience reflects a larger belief that strong organizations are built through intentional, inclusive decision-making at every level.
“I think being on the other side of the search as a candidate and wanting to make this an equitable experience is really important,” she shared. “When you’re job searching, you don’t always have a ton of resources… so being able to advocate for candidates at that moment matters.”
Why Blair Search Partners
For Cortney, joining Blair Search Partners was a natural next step. She was drawn to the firm’s reputation for thoughtful, relationship-driven work and its deep connection to the communities it serves. What stood out was not just the work itself, but how that work is grounded in long-term relationships and local impact.
“Blair Search Partners is very much community driven and we work with important players in the community space,” she said. “It really shows the type of relationships the team is building and continuing to grow.”
She was also drawn to the range of organizations BSP works with and the opportunity to stay connected to the kinds of mission-driven sectors she has focused on throughout her career.
“I like the clientele that they are committed to working with… the art space, the housing space, social impact issues, education, higher ed,” she shared.
Cortney also recognized a shared commitment to candidate experience, something she views as essential to long-term success in search.
“It’s very obvious that there’s a lot of thought and strategy into how they approach the process,” she noted. “They take a lot of pride in candidate experience, and I love that.”
What Cortney Brings to the Team
What stands out most about Cortney’s work is her ability to balance the needs of both organizations and candidates with clarity, intention, and care.
She understands that hiring is rarely just about filling a role. For organizations, it is about finding someone who can step into a team, navigate real challenges, and move the work forward in a meaningful way. For candidates, it is often a pivotal moment—one that requires trust and transparency.
That perspective shapes how she approaches every search. Cortney takes the time to understand not just what a role requires on paper, but how it functions in practice and what kind of leadership will truly succeed in that environment. Her experience across organizations and markets allows her to identify strong talent, engage candidates effectively, and guide conversations toward lasting alignment.
As CEO Trevor Blair puts it: “Cortney brings a rare combination of both technical skills and thoughtfulness to her work. She has extensive experience supporting impact organizations at all different levels, which is critical to our work here at BSP. And more importantly, she works through the lens of relationship building and trust, which leads to the best possible outcome for our candidates and our client organizations every time”.
Just as important is how she shows up throughout the process. She is clear, responsive, and direct—creating a level of trust that carries from the first conversation through final placement.
As she steps into her role, she is approaching the work with that same intentional mindset—focused on learning, building relationships, and contributing to the firm’s continued impact.
Looking Ahead
As Cortney steps into her role at Blair Search Partners, her focus is both immediate and long-term.
In the near term, she is focused on deepening her understanding of BSP’s process and strengthening her work within existing client engagements. Over time, she is excited to expand the firm’s reach, particularly within her East Coast networks.
“I think long term, it’s exciting to build relationships in the Philadelphia network and establish some clientele here,” she said.
That combination of thoughtful onboarding and future growth reflects the same intentional approach she brings to her work every day.
Your Next Opportunity Starts Here
We are proud to have Cortney on our team, and even more excited about what this means for the organizations we serve. Her approach strengthens our ability to connect clients with leaders who not only meet the role, but truly move the work forward. Welcome to Blair Search Partners, Cortney!
Cortney’s addition to the team reflects what Blair Search Partners values most: thoughtful leadership, strong relationships, and a commitment to doing this work the right way.
Whether you are an organization seeking leadership that aligns with your mission or a candidate exploring your next step, our team is here to help you navigate what comes next.
Learn more at blairsearchpartners.com and let’s see what we can do together. We’d love to help you find your next great hire.