Leslie Hortum believes in the impact the right leader can have on an organization and the world. A former association executive, Leslie helps organizations find leaders who align culturally and who help diverse groups of stakeholders identify and reach consensus around a strategic vision.

A member of the firm’s Education & Social Impact Practice, Leslie leads our Associations Practice and focuses on recruiting and assessing senior leaders in associations and nonprofits who enhance value for members and constituents, advance their advocacy agenda and build teams for organizational success. Before entering the search industry, Leslie spent 20 years in association management, culminating in her appointment as the first woman senior vice president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Dedicated to mentorship and community leadership, Leslie founded AWE, an organization for women CEOs of major nonprofits to share best practices and experiences. She serves on several nonprofit boards and is the chair of the corporate advisory board of So Others Might Eat (SOME), a Washington, D.C., organization that provides support services to the homeless. Leslie is on the board of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), the advisory board of Strategic Partnerships, LLC and is a member of the Economic Club of Washington. Her commitment to quality has been recognized multiple times as a recipient of Spencer Stuart’s Lou Rieger Award for Excellence. Leslie led Spencer Stuart’s Washington, D.C. office for 17 years.

Expertise

  • Associations
  • Professional societies
  • CEO and leadership succession
  • Mission-driven nonprofits
  • Organizational culture
  • Board advisory
  • Federal advocacy

 

Recent work

  • Led searches for the CEOs of over 300 of the nation’s most prominent membership organizations, trade associations and major nonprofits
  • Recruited the CEOs of several major trade associations in the midst of the COVID pandemic

Previous experience

  • Senior vice president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the world’s largest business lobby, and executive vice president of the Chamber’s Center for Workforce Preparation
  • Senior vice president and chair of management committee at the American Trucking Associations

Education

  • B.A. in economics from Mary Washington College
  • Attended the Advanced Management School at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business

Practice Areas