Sustainable Nantucket narrowing search for new executive director
BY PETER B. BRACE INDEPENDENT WRITER
In the spirit of its own Think Local - Buy Local - Hire Local campaign most of the applicants for Sustainable Nantucket's executive director position live on the island.

ROB BENCHLEY/The Independent file

The island nonprofit, which is engaged in a search to replace outgoing executive director Christine Silverstein, does not discriminate against potential hires from the mainland, but only two or three candidates for the job - out of a pool of 12 to 14 applicants - are from off island.

Silverstein is on the job through Sept. 28, but Sustainable Nantucket's executive director job qualifications and background sheet said that the organization would like its new director to begin work no later than Oct. 1.

Wendy Hudson, chairman of the search committee and of Sustainable Nantucket's Board of Trustees, said that the committee is in the process of conducting informal, telephone interviews in order to narrow the field of contenders. Formal, in-person interviews should begin around the end of August. Hudson said she and the rest of the search committee that includes Mary Novissimo, Alvin Topham and Michael Kopko are all impressed with the breadth and knowledge of the executive director hopefuls.

"I think we are seeing a lot of people that we're really excited with, a variety of people who have applied [and] their backgrounds are all very different," said Hudson. "It's going to take extra time to evaluate everyone. As a process, it's very interesting interviewing people and seeing what issues we need to look at for the island."

The eight-year-old island community preservation group that helped the Nantucket Shellfish Association and Nantucket Housing Office get going said it is "seeking a strategic, entrepreneurial, persuasive leader with strong operational and interpersonal skills, a demonstrated passion for the organization's mission, and the ability to collaborate

with community leaders, other nonprofit organizations and the general public in a variety of program areas."

Applicants must possess a bachelor's or master's degree in management or another related field, preferably in the nonprofit or private sector. Getting specific as to what Sustainable Nantucket wants to see in its new executive director, Hudson pointed to the following job description sent out to its members in a request seeking more applicants:

"The executive director coordinates and implements programming and fund-raising activity; manages budget and staff; fosters collaborations with municipal leaders and other local organizations; acts as the spokesperson for Sustainable Nantucket; and otherwise acts in an entrepreneurial role to forward the mission of the organization. Applicants should have management and fundraising experience, outstanding communication, administrative and organizational skills, and demonstrated success in working cooperatively and collaboratively with diverse constituencies."

All of the above are qualities that will walk out the door with Silverstein when she retires from her post at the end of September to start writing a book about the sudden death of her late husband. She is not able to devote the time needed to write the book while she is Sustainable Nantucket's executive director.

If Sustainable Nantucket does not hire its new director before Silverstein leaves, its board members and Development Associate Tara Grunwald will run things until it does. On her leaving an organization she helped found with her seemingly endless energy and a yen for meetings, Silverstein had this to say: "I think you have to have a constant sense of humor about everything and probably skin on the thick side, but I think it's the best job

on the island." I