Senior Director of Executive Search and Recruiting at Blair Search Partners
At Blair Search Partners, we know exceptional leadership doesn’t begin with a resume. It begins with understanding people, listening well, and building relationships that help organizations move their missions forward.
That philosophy shapes every search we lead, and it’s reflected in the people who make up our own team.
This July, we are proud to mark a major milestone: eight years with Sarah Thompson, Senior Director of Executive Search and Recruiting at Blair Search Partners. Sarah brings more than two decades of nonprofit leadership experience to every executive search she leads. Her background as an executive director, fundraiser, workforce development leader, and community advocate allows her to understand organizations from the inside out, helping clients find leaders who are equipped not only to fill a role, but to strengthen an entire organization.
Meet Sarah
Before Sarah joined Blair Search Partners in 2018, she had spent more than a decade leading nonprofit organizations from the inside, as a program director, a community relations director, and ultimately as an executive director.
She began her career in San Diego at the San Diego Workforce Partnership, where she spent five years building relationships across every corner of the community, from businesses to youth programs to workforce development organizations. From there, she moved into roles focused on leadership development, and later into her work as an executive director overseeing health-focused programming for youth in San Diego.
By the time Trevor Blair reached out, Sarah had already built the kind of network and sector fluency that most recruiters spend careers trying to develop.
“I knew the fundamentals,” she said. “Hiring is all about finding the right fit. And I knew I’d be really good at asking questions, not just of the client, but of the candidates and to be able to play matchmaker for organizations within our community.”
Indeed, she knew San Diego well. She also knew the organizations. And most importantly, she knew the people.
“Sarah doesn’t just fill roles, she understands organizations at a level most recruiters never reach, “said Trevor Blair, CEO of Blair Search Partners. “Having lived nonprofit leadership herself, she brings a kind of credibility and empathy to this work that clients feel from the very first conversation. And what makes her truly exceptional is that she genuinely cares about what happens after the search ends. She thinks about organizations, about communities, about the people whose careers she’s helping shape. Eight years in, that commitment remains as strong as ever — and it’s made her an irreplaceable part of what we do at Blair Search Partners.”
From Nonprofit Leadership to Executive Search
Sarah’s path to executive search wasn’t something she planned. Her first experience with Blair Search Partners came as a candidate.
While Trevor initially reached out to discuss executive opportunities, he soon began asking a different question, “Why don’t you come and work for me at Blair Search Partners?”
The idea surprised her.
“I had never done executive search,” she said. “I’d never served as a recruiter.”
Still, something about the opportunity made sense. That realization became the foundation of the work she continues to do today.
A Consultant Before a Recruiter
Sarah often says her nonprofit background changed the way she approaches executive search. She doesn’t simply recruit candidates. She serves as a consultant to organizations navigating important leadership decisions.
Before every search begins, Sarah spends time listening to board members, hiring committees, leadership teams, and key stakeholders to understand what success actually looks like. Those conversations shape every recommendation that follows.
When preparing candidates, Sarah shares insights about the organization’s leadership style, culture, and priorities so they understand what they’re stepping into. When preparing boards, she helps craft interview questions and coaches hiring committees through a process that many have never led before.
Having spent years serving nonprofit boards, managing budgets, raising funds, and leading organizations herself, Sarah understands both sides of the conversation. That perspective helps clients make informed decisions while helping candidates put their best foot forward.
Looking Beyond the Resume
Over the course of nearly 125 executive searches, Sarah has learned that leadership isn’t defined by credentials alone. While it’s true that experience and technical skills matter, Sarah firmly believes that the leaders who can create lasting impact are the ones who care deeply about the mission they’re being asked to lead.
She also looks for leaders who embrace continuous learning, adapt to change, and know how to bring people with them through periods of growth.
Whether an organization is hiring a CEO, CFO, or Chief Impact Officer, the goal remains the same: find someone who can help the organization move confidently into its next chapter.
Watching Leaders Make a Difference
When asked to recall a search that stood out as finding exactly the right person at exactly the right time to make a huge impact in an organization, Sarah points to the placement of Marianella at the San Diego Center for the Blind. At the time, the organization needed someone who could guide meaningful change while honoring its long-standing mission.
Since joining San Diego Center for the Blind, Marianella has expanded partnerships, strengthened fundraising efforts, improved facilities, and positioned the organization for continued growth.
Moments like these remind Sarah that executive search extends far beyond filling leadership positions. The right leader strengthens an organization. In turn, that organization strengthens its community. And the impact continues long after the search is complete.
Community Leadership That Extends Beyond the Office
Sarah’s commitment to nonprofit leadership extends well beyond the searches she leads.
She has served as past chair of United Way of San Diego County’s Women United, the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce’s San Diego Young Leaders’ Board of Directors, and LEAD San Diego. She has also volunteered with the Commission for Arts and Culture as a member of the Grant Funding Advisory Panel.
Sarah has been recognized as a two-time finalist for San Diego Next Top Business Leaders Under 40 and as a San Diego Business Women of the Year finalist.
Those experiences continue to shape the perspective she brings to every client engagement.
She understands the responsibilities of nonprofit leadership because she has lived them, making her a trusted partner for boards, executive teams, and candidates navigating important leadership decisions.
Relationships That Come Back
Eight years into her journey with Blair Search Partners, Sarah still finds the greatest satisfaction in the relationships that continue long after a search concludes:
- Candidates whose promotions change the trajectory of their careers;
- Organizations that return years later to partner on another executive search;
- Professionals who didn’t receive an offer yet still recommend Blair Search Partners because of the experience they had throughout the process.
“I can’t drive through San Diego without thinking, ‘I worked with that client,’ or, ‘I placed that leader,'” Sarah said.
After eight years, many of the searches she led have become part of the communities she knows so well. Leaders she helped place continue to guide nonprofits, foundations, public agencies, and arts organizations throughout the region, while many of the relationships she built years ago continue today. Candidates reconnect when they’re ready for the next chapter of their careers. Clients return as new leadership needs emerge. Those long-term partnerships remind Sarah that executive search isn’t defined by a single placement. It’s measured by the trust that continues long after the search is complete.
Looking Ahead
As Blair Search Partners continues to grow, Sarah is excited about expanding the firm’s reach while continuing to deliver the thoughtful, relationship-driven approach that has defined her career.
She sees opportunities to leverage technology to improve efficiency without sacrificing the personalized experience clients and candidates value. She also looks forward to serving even more nonprofit organizations across the country, building on recent searches Blair Search Partners has conducted nationwide.
Your Next Opportunity Starts Here
We are proud to celebrate Sarah and her eight years of extraordinary work at Blair Search Partners. Her story is a reminder that the best executive search is not transactional. It is relational, cumulative, and built on a genuine love for the sector and the people who give their careers to it. Congratulations, Sarah, on eight incredible years with us!
If you are an organization striving to make a difference by hiring a team of changemakers, or an individual looking for your next career move in the nonprofit sector, visit us at blairsearchpartners.com and let’s see what we can do together.
We’d love to help you find your next great hire.