Bridge Partners Places Top Legal Roles at Accion, Humane Society of the United States, Sierra Club, and Southern Poverty Law Center
Minority-owned executive search firm assists top nonprofits in recruiting and placing new leaders
Sep. 13, 2022 – New York – Bridge Partners, the inclusion-focused and minority-owned executive search firm, recently placed Angela Ciccolo, Chief Legal Officer, Humane Society of the United States (HSUS); Maria Hermida, General Counsel, Accion; Erica McKinley, Chief Legal Officer, Sierra Club; and Derwyn Bunton, Chief Legal Officer, Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). These hires show advancement of women and people of color to the highest levels of the legal profession. According to recent data just 38.5% of all general counsels are women, 7% are Hispanic or Latino and a mere 5.9% are Asian.
“The past two and a half years ushered in a swift and significant change in how people work and in how they value workplace culture,” said Ryan Whitacre, Partner at Bridge Partners. “Younger generations want to bring their whole selves to work, and increasingly demand that their employer’s mission and vision align with their own. Add to this the changing social, economic and political landscapes, where women’s healthcare is now considered a job benefit and there’s an uptick in nonprofit unionization, and it all means organizations seek a very particular skill set in their legal executives. This rapidly changing world necessitates a new kind of leader, one who is flexible, embraces change, and has the emotional intelligence to foster an environment in which open and respectful conversations can occur among those with differing opinions. Angela, Maria, Erica, and Derwyn exemplify this new kind of leader.”
Angela Ciccolo, Chief Legal Officer, HSUS
Ciccolo joined HSUS in August, reporting to President & CEO Kitty Block. She is a member of the executive leadership team, and serves as an advisor to the officers and to the Boards of Directors. Most recently, Ciccolo was Chief Legal Officer and Secretary of Special Olympics International, where she also served as co-chair of the organization’s Diversity & Inclusion Taskforce.
Maria Hermida, General Counsel, Accion
Hermida, who started with Accion in April, oversees all legal areas of the global nonprofit’s work, spanning investments, partnerships, and operations. Prior to that, she served as Chief Compliance Officer for anti-bribery and corruption, legal, conduct risk, and regulatory remediation programs for the United Services Automobile Association (USAA). Previously, she was the Global Chief Ethics Officer for Citigroup and the General Counsel for Citigroup Women & Co., a multi-channel platform that served the financial planning needs of women.
Erica McKinley, Chief Legal Officer, Sierra Club
McKinley began working with Sierra Club in April as counselor to the organization’s Executive Director, its Board, and staff, and she serves as a member of the executive leadership team. Most recently, she was Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel of the Big Ten Conference, where she was a key advisor to Commissioner Kevin Warren. Prior positions include Chief Legal Officer, University of Mississippi; Chief Operating Officer, National Basketball Players Association; Associate General Counsel, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.; and Chief of General Litigation and General Counsel, D.C. Department of Human Resources.
Derwyn Bunton, Chief Legal Officer, SPLC
This month Bunton joins SPLC, where he will lead all impact litigation strategy for the organization and serve on the executive leadership team while advising CEO Margaret Huang. Bunton will be based out of SPLC’s New Orleans office, where he has practiced since graduating law school. Most recently, he was Chief District Defender at the Orleans Public Defenders (OPD), which he had led since 2009, following significant statewide reforms in public defense and a complete reformation of OPD post-Katrina. Bunton has spent his entire legal career advocating and fighting for the rights of vulnerable and marginalized communities. Prior to OPD, Bunton served as Executive Director of Juvenile Regional Services, the first standalone juvenile defender office in the nation.
“Progress on DEI has been slow in GC/CLO roles, but we are excited to have partnered with these incredible organizations to increase DEI on their leadership teams,” said Debbie Tang, Partner, Bridge Partners. “Placing four GC/CLOs of color, Ciccolo, Hermida, McKinley, and Bunton in the top legal positions at HSUS, Accion, Sierra Club, and SPLC respectively, with immediate impact on their executive teams, is something we are very proud of.”
In a sign of continued market interest in seasoned legal executives, Bridge Partners is currently leading General Counsel searches for two major philanthropic organizations: Wellspring Philanthropic Fund in New York and the Sequoia Climate Foundation on the West Coast.
About Bridge Partners
Bridge Partners is a retained executive search firm founded in 2003 and led by a diverse team of women and leaders of color. We have an unrivaled track record of nearly two decades leading inclusive searches and centering our work and our culture in equity and inclusion. We bring extensive experience and credentials in leadership and senior-level recruitment. Speaking multiple languages, with experience living on three continents, and having led search assignments in more than 15 countries, we have a deep understanding of the multifaceted needs of our clients. We have built our reputation on maintaining high-quality relationships and consistently achieving superior results in the execution of our inclusive assignments. Bridge Partners is a minority-owned business. To learn more visit https://www.bridgepartnersllc.com/