Michelle Bonoan

Michelle Bonoan, a search consultant with almost 25 years of experience, is a Managing Director at Koya Partners. Koya Partners is a national executive search firm that works exclusively with the education, nonprofit, and social enterprise sectors. Michelle is a specialist who takes a genuine DEI lens to her work, enabling her to collaborate with clients to develop an inclusive and equitable search process from start to finish. Michelle has completed many executive searches for leading-tier board members, CEOs, ED's, CFO's, program management, HR, and fundraising leadership. Her clientele is spread out throughout the country and consists of a wide cross-section of mission-driven institutions focusing on social justice, education, culture, LGBTQ+, environmentalism, family services, and health-related issues, as well as well-known educational institutions like liberal arts colleges, independent college preparatory schools, research and private universities, and charter management organizations. Michelle previously worked as Partner - Education & Social Enterprise Practice at Heidrick & Struggles, Managing Director, Education & Not-for-Profit Practice at Diversified Search, Vice President and Education & Non-Profit Practice Leader at Gary Kaplan & Associates, Principal at Gary Kaplan & Associates, and Director, Research & Systems at Gary Kaplan & Associates. Lastly, Michelle also worked as Major Oil Sales at Commercial Petroleum Equipment.