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Partner

About Chris Spagnola, CPC

Chris Spagnola is a Partner in the Nonprofit Practice at ThinkingAhead. She is a Certified Personnel Consultant (CPC) and has 12 years of experience leading searches and placing top talent for regional to international nonprofits, the majority of which are in the environmental, environmental justice, and conservation sectors. In 2020, she received the Ralph Mosley award for excellence, a distinction given to one recruiter who embodies the spirit of ThinkingAhead.

Prior to joining the ThinkingAhead Nonprofit practice in 2011, Chris spent 12 years recruiting in-house for ThinkingAhead and its sister company, Great American Opportunities, Inc. She graduated with honors from Hillsdale College with a B.A. in Mathematics and French. She and her husband, Joe, have two teenagers and live near Nashville, Tennessee. When she’s not connecting talented nonprofit professionals with exceptional mission-driven organizations, you can find her cheering at her kids’ sports functions or traveling.

Expertise:

Executive, VP, and C-Suite Leadership
Development Leadership
Programmatic Leadership
Marketing & Communications Roles

Primary Missions:

Animal and Wildlife Protection
Arts and Culture
Environment and Conservation
Faith-Based Organizations
Health & Human Services
Social Services

Impactful Results

“I was recruited by Chris and her team to a nonprofit leadership role and then I had the pleasure of working with her team as a client when we began a talent search. She and her team far exceeded our expectations and delivered everything we expected in a very short amount of time despite the unusual circumstance of the pandemic. We could not have been better served in terms of helping us attract and hire great talent.”

Managing Attorney

Earthjustice

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Partner

About Jonathan McIntosh, CPC

As a Partner with our Nonprofit practice, Jonathan McIntosh loves connecting passionate leaders with forward-thinking, mission-driven organizations that are doing meaningful work.

A former pastor of multiple churches of various sizes and an entrepreneur who knows the nitty-gritty of startup work, Jonathan brings 18 years of nonprofit leadership experience to the team at ThinkingAhead. Jonathan has led searches from the C Suite to Manager Level for global, national, regional and local organizations, such as Jazz at Lincoln Center, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Wildlife Conservation Society, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Minnesota Historical Society, National Parks Conservation Association, Project HOPE, and the National Audubon Society.

Jonathan attended the University of Mississippi and has a degree in History from Missouri Baptist University in St. Louis. In addition to reading and writing, Jonathan and his wife love cooking, eating and discussing a variety of food, wine and coffee (Ashley is a great cook – Jonathan a great eater) and music (usually it goes back to Radiohead, Yo-Yo Ma, and Miles Davis). But mostly they love playing, laughing, cuddling and watching movies with their three girls and young son.

Expertise:

Executive, VP, and C-Suite Leadership
Development Leaders

Primary Missions:

Arts and Culture

Client Partners

Impactful Results

“Jonathan proved himself to be diligent and professional in his interactions. He surfaced candidates who we would not have had access to otherwise and he understood the level at which we wished to fill this position. Additionally, his thoroughness and detailed approach were appreciated. He took every step to ensure success and followed through, well beyond crossing the finish line with a hire. I would and have recommended him to colleagues at other organizations.”

VP, Development

Jazz at Lincoln Center

“Jonathan offered a refreshing approach to the search process. Transparent and timely communication, candid conversations and focused on understanding our needs for the organization made our search effective and successful.”

Chief Philanthropy Officer

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

Hear from Jonathan

If you’d like to learn more about his perspectives as a recruiter, watch this brief video…

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About Rachael Holloway

Rachael Holloway is an Executive Recruiter at ThinkingAhead Executive Search, specializing in art and music nonprofit organizations nationwide. She is passionate about building strong teams, fostering talent, and creating meaningful connections.

With nine years of experience as a conductor and music educator, Rachael has seen firsthand how the right leadership can transform an organization—how one person can ignite passion, strengthen communities, and create lasting impact. She now applies that same understanding to help mission-driven organizations find the leaders, visionaries, and changemakers they need to fulfill their purpose.

Rachael holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the University of Tennessee at Martin and a Master’s degree in Music Education with an emphasis in Choral Conducting from Florida State University. She lives in Sebastian, Florida, with her husband, Alex, and their two dogs. In her free time, she remains a dedicated performer and private vocal instructor.

Expertise:

Executive, VP, and C-Suite Leadership
Development Leaders

Primary Missions:

Arts and Culture
Education
Music and Performing Arts

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