About Us
Co-Founder, President & CEO, Bethesda, MD
Mariya (Maria) Yurukova, MBA, CFRE
Mariya has a rich background in fundraising, having managed various fundraising programs throughout her career. With over $20 million raised for the organizations she has represented, Mariya has a proven track record of success in growing fundraising portfolios through a wide range of fundraising programs. Her fundraising style is authentic, open, and strategic, which also reflects their approach to recruitment.
As an executive recruiter, Mariya is dedicated to identifying the best fit for organizations of all sizes and candidates with varying levels of skill and experience. With a deep understanding of non-profit management, Mariya collaborates closely with boards and hiring managers to identify the most suitable candidates for success. Having developed an extensive network of professionals across North America, Mariya takes the time to get to know each candidate and their career aspirations to ensure the best possible cultural fit. Mariya has worked with a broad range of organizations looking to transition leadership, with a particular focus on small and medium sized nonprofits.
Mariya’s educational background includes a B.A. in Psychology and an MBA with a concentration in Marketing, both obtained from Brock University. Additionally, she holds a Certified Fundraising Executive designation and is an active member of AFP, CCAE, and CASE. Mariya enjoys presenting at conferences and mentoring fundraisers as part of their ongoing commitment to the fundraising profession. Her speaking engagements and publications include: Currents Magazine, Foundations Magazine, Advancing Philanthropy, Hilborn Publications, and many more.
Co-Founder & COO, Bethesda, MD
Husani Bastien, MIS
Husani is the co-founder of the non-profit the Centre for Human Success. He is a graduate of Sidwell Friends and George Washington University with a Masters in Information Systems. At the National Medical Association (NMA) he helped organize, manage/create events and recruited fundraisers. He has volunteered extensively at the Children's Inn at the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Bethesda. Husani has been involved with multiple volunteer groups in the community. He is also the founder of several startups including A2Digital and 321 AppLabs. At Charity Search Group, he manages the day-to-day operations and the technical aspects of the firm. His entrepreneurial spirit and an eye for innovation create amazing solutions to maximize our talent outreach capabilities.
husani@charitysearchgroup.com
Senior Search Consultant, Phoenix, AZ
Tanya Henry
I didn’t mean to become a fundraiser; rather, I wanted to be an event manager who delivered perfectly planned galas and high-end corporate programs. When I graduated from college, I found the ideal role to suit my goals. I never expected it to be with a non-profit. Close to twenty years later and I’ve never looked back.
Over the span of my career, I’ve had the opportunity to work on a variety of fundraising programs, rooted in corporate and community engagement. I’ve planned million-dollar galas, pro-am golf tournaments and multi-million-dollar nationwide peer to peer fundraisers. I’ve designed and valued complex corporate partnerships and worked with a number of fortune 500 companies. I’ve built multi-layered strategic plans and seen them through to execution. I’ve worked at the executive level in large, complex environments and led teams with over 50 members. I’ve had the pleasure of raising over $150M throughout my career and couldn’t have done it without the support of strong, talented, ambitious people. I value finding skilled individuals that will complement and balance a team; I support them in their growth and development and cheer them on as they move to the next stage of their careers. I consider hiring the right person for the right role to be one of my superpowers and I hope I have the chance to put that superpower to work for you!
tanya@charitysearchgroup.com
Senior Search Consultant, Baltimore, MD
Briana O'Neal
Briana's work at CSG is informed by a decade of impact-oriented experience in higher education and nonprofit leadership. As an award-winning advisor, Briana enjoys helping people define and achieve their professional goals. With experience in nonprofit leadership and project management, she understands people and teams. She takes a comprehensive approach to matching candidates with organizations where mission, values, and skills are aligned. Briana holds a Masters in Higher Education from the University of Pennsylvania and is currently working on her Ph.D. in Higher Education.
briana@charitysearchgroup.com
Senior Search Consultant, Tampa, FL
Pascale Hughes
Pascale is a talent acquisition professional with a Master's degree in Nonprofit Management and Leadership and more than ten years’ experience in human resources operations and talent recruitment. She serves on the Board of Directors for Dress for Success Tampa Bay and chairs the organization's Communications and Marketing Committee which directly supports fundraising and volunteer talent recruitment activities.
Partnering primarily with nonprofit organizations to identify, place, and grow talent, Pascale’s industry scope is broad and includes talent acquisition strategy and execution for education, conservation, finance, health, and technology organizations. Human resources teams and hiring managers partner with Pascale to develop recruiting strategies and build effective teams. Through tailored support that focuses on an organization's Mission, and with resources and tips that support seamless and collaborative recruitment efforts, it is Pascale’s goal to deliver exceptional partnership and service that helps organizations identify, attract, hire, and keep talented, Mission-driven employees.
pascale@charitysearchgroup.com
Senior Search Consultant, Oklahoma, OK
Amanda McReynolds Doran
Amanda is an experienced nonprofit executive who has dedicated her career to improving the lives of women and children. Her career in this sector has taken her to Belize, Canada, and the USA in service to family violence intervention agencies, a children's home, and the first children's museum in the province of Saskatchewan. Amanda has a Masters in Public Administration and over 17 years of experience leading nonprofit organizations, with expertise in fundraising, advocacy, policy development, financial management, strategic planning, human resources, organizational culture, change management, and team building. Amanda thrives on growth and innovation and knows that only the best teams can impact the significant challenges facing our world. Building effective teams from the ground up has been one of the most fulfilling aspects of her career, and she would love to find the right team members to help you meet your mission.
amanda@charitysearchgroup.com
Senior Search Consultant, Austin, TX
Ángela-Jo Touza-Medina
Ángela-Jo Touza-Medina, M.A., LL.M., is a joyful, award-winning professional mentor, changemaker, strategic thinker, and program-person. A dynamic cross-culturally adept leader, Ángela has led and worked on complex quasi governmental, nonprofit, social service and social impact programs, projects and organizations in Latin America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the United States and Canada for over 20 years. In terms of her role at CSG, she is excited about helping individuals and organizations find the right mutual fit to scale up their professional impact and ability to meet their mission, respectively.
angela@charitysearchgroup.com
Senior Search Consultant, Seattle, WA
Monika Whitfield
As a 25+ year professional in the nonprofit space and as a seasoned entrepreneur, Monika Whitfield brings a unique mix of skills and experience to the CSG team. With an unbridled enthusiasm toward fundraising and all approaches to engage communities with mission, Monika takes a holistic approach to identify just-right fits for clients and candidates. She enjoys complex conversations that reveal lived experiences and celebrates the uniqueness of the individual, which often results in recognizing pathways to previously unrealized opportunities.
Monika is a creative by nature and holds a degree in graphic design. She also serves as the Executive Director of a Seattle area NPO, volunteers on the board of a national youth-serving organization, and leads their development committee.
monika@charitysearchgroup.com
Talent Recruitment Coordinator
Kelly MacKenzie
Throughout my career, I have worked with a multitude of international partners and clients, including non-profit organizations in New York City. My experience includes collaborating on initiatives and programs to improve organizational efficiencies.
I pride myself on my ability to match clients with the right candidates and believe communication is critical to building successful relationships.
My educational background includes a BBA in Marketing from St. Francis Xavier University and a Management Certificate in Human Resources from the University of Calgary.
I am thrilled to be joining a talented group of individuals who make matching talented people with important causes their top priority.
kelly@charitysearchgroup.com
Project Coordinator
Preeti Pasupulati
Preeti is a communications and fundraising professional with over four years of experience working in the non-profit and post-secondary sectors. She has experience with grant writing, event planning, and social media. Preeti holds a BA in Media & Public Interest from Western University and an MA in Communication & Culture from York & Ryerson University.
jobs@charitysearchgroup.com
Project Coordinator
Katelyn Cheeseman
Katelyn recently graduated with a BA in Psychology from Toronto Metropolitan University and plans to continue her studies in Research Analysis. She has experience with updating donor databases, market research, and customer service. Katelyn hopes to continue her work in fundraising following the completion of her studies.
katelyn@charitysearchgroup.com
Project Coordinator
Iman Ahmednur
Iman is a digital communications professional with over six years of experience working in the non-profit sector. Iman has completed an iBA in Communication Studies from York University, a Post-Graduate Certificate in Voluntary and Nonprofit Sector Management from Toronto Metropolitan University and an MA in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership from Carleton University.
iman@charitysearchgroup.com