The Milken Institute, a global think tank, appoints Kevin Herglotz to lead business development, partnerships, and strategic growth initiatives.

Headshot of Kevin Herglotz as Executive Vice President of Institutional Advancement at The Milken Institute

Client: Milken Institute | Role: Executive Vice President, Institutional Advancement | Candidate: Kevin Herglotz

Recruiters: Jane Howze, Managing Director; Sarah Mitchell, Director

Overview

The Milken Institute, a globally recognized nonprofit think tank advancing solutions to the world’s most critical challenges, partnered with The Alexander Group, a global executive search firm, to recruit an Executive Vice President of Institutional Advancement. As the Institute expanded its global impact, it sought a dynamic executive leader to drive business development, institutional partnerships, fundraising, marketing, and government engagement initiatives.

Key Leadership Need

The Milken Institute was looking for an Executive Vice President of Institutional Advancement who could lead cross-functional teams spanning business development, global events, marketing and communications, and external affairs. The role required a leader with proven expertise in scaling nonprofit and mission-driven organizations, building international partnerships, and developing high-impact strategic initiatives.

The Alexander Group’s Approach

Managing Director Jane Howze and Director Sarah Mitchell conducted a national search targeting senior executives with experience across nonprofit advancement, business development, strategic partnerships, and global communications.

Search priorities included:

  • Proven leadership scaling nonprofit, governmental, or mission-driven organizations
  • Expertise in building global partnerships, marketing, and event management strategies
  • Strong strategic planning and team leadership capabilities

Kevin Herglotz emerged as the leading candidate with more than three decades of experience in executive leadership roles spanning government, business, and nonprofits, including his prior leadership at HPA Strategies, the National AIDS Memorial, and Safeway.

Successful Placement and Impact

Kevin Herglotz joins The Milken Institute as Executive Vice President of Institutional Advancement. He will lead efforts to expand the Institute’s partnerships, drive business and program development, and elevate the Institute’s visibility and influence globally.

Immediate Impact:

  • Oversees global business development, marketing, communications, and government relations initiatives
  • Leads strategic partnerships to support the Institute’s global conferences and policy platforms
  • Develops growth strategies aligned with the Institute’s long-term mission objectives
  • Strengthens internal team performance across advancement functions

About The Milken Institute

The Milken Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank that advances collaborative solutions to global challenges by connecting leaders in finance, public health, technology, philanthropy, and public policy. Through events, research, and partnerships, the Institute drives impactful initiatives that improve lives worldwide.

About The Alexander Group

The Alexander Group is an executive search firm based in Houston, known for delivering transformative leadership across nonprofit, healthcare, legal services, financial services, life sciences, technology, and energy sectors. The firm partners with organizations seeking growth, innovation, and global impact through strategic leadership placements.

Seeking proven leaders to elevate your mission-driven organization? Partner with The Alexander Group to secure the executives who create impact.

The American Heart Association, a national nonprofit organization, appoints Sharlene Jenner to drive digital marketing innovation and engagement.

Headshot of Sharlene Jenner as SVP of Digital Marketing at The American Heart Association

Client: The American Heart Association | Role: SVP, Digital Marketing | Candidate: Sharlene Jenner

Recruiters: Amanda K. Brady, Managing Director; Jean Lenzner, Managing Director

Overview

The American Heart Association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. It partnered with The Alexander Group, a global executive search firm, to recruit a Senior Vice President of Digital Marketing. As the organization sought to strengthen its digital-first engagement strategy, it needed a visionary marketing leader to amplify its science-driven mission through digital innovation, emerging technologies, and strategic storytelling.

Key Leadership Need

The American Heart Association sought an SVP of Digital Marketing who could drive integrated digital marketing strategies, leverage emerging technologies like AI for personalized engagement, and align marketing initiatives with the organization’s mission-driven goals. The ideal candidate would bring deep expertise in digital ecosystem leadership, omnichannel marketing, and data-driven decision-making in a nonprofit or large-scale mission-driven environment.

The Alexander Group’s Approach

Managing Directors Amanda K. Brady and Jean Lenzner lead a national search to identify digital marketing executives with proven success in scaling engagement strategies, driving innovation, and aligning digital ecosystems with organizational impact goals.

Search priorities included:

  • Expertise in digital transformation, omnichannel marketing, and marketing technology leadership
  • Proven ability to lead high-performing teams and integrate emerging technologies into marketing strategy
  • Experience aligning digital marketing strategies with organizational missions and revenue growth initiatives

Sharlene Jenner rose to the top with over two decades of leadership experience at organizations such as Vizient, AbelsonTaylor, and Hilton Worldwide, where she specialized in driving digital innovation, marketing transformation, and audience-centered storytelling strategies.

Successful Placement and Impact

Sharlene Jenner joins The American Heart Association as SVP of Digital Marketing. She oversees the strategy and execution of digital marketing initiatives, content strategy, and the integration of emerging technologies to drive relevance, engagement, and revenue growth across both consumer and scientific audiences.

Immediate Impact:

  • Leads digital engagement strategies aligned with the AHA’s brand and mission
  • Introduces AI-driven personalization and data analytics to enhance marketing campaigns
  • Strengthens omnichannel marketing efforts across consumer, professional, and donor audiences
  • Elevates the AHA’s digital brand presence through innovative content and storytelling

About The American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a nonprofit organization devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke, the two leading causes of death worldwide. Through groundbreaking research, education, and advocacy efforts, the Association helps millions live longer, healthier lives.

About The Alexander Group

The Alexander Group is an international executive search firm headquartered in Houston. Serving nonprofits, healthcare organizations, legal services, technology firms, and more, The Alexander Group helps mission-driven organizations secure transformative leadership to drive strategic impact and sustainable growth.

Looking to elevate your organization’s digital strategy? Partner with The Alexander Group to find the visionary leaders who drive engagement and growth.

Lykos Therapeutics appoints Allison Rosenthal to lead the commercialization of its transformative mental health treatment platform.

Headshot of Allison Rosenthal with Lykos logo

Client: Lykos Therapeutics | Role: Chief Commercial Officer | Candidate: Allison Rosenthal

Recruiter: Beth Ehrgott, Managing Director

Overview

Lykos Therapeutics, a purpose-driven biopharmaceutical company pioneering novel mental health treatments, partnered with The Alexander Group, a global executive search firm, to recruit a Chief Commercial Officer. As Lykos prepared for a groundbreaking commercial launch, the company sought a strategic commercial leader with deep experience in CNS, global commercialization, and patient-centric go-to-market planning.

Key Leadership Need

Lykos’ Chief Commercial Officer would need to `build and scale the organization’s commercial operations, including marketing, market access, sales, distribution, and patient support. The ideal candidate would combine enterprise-level experience with a founder’s mindset—capable of translating science into market impact while navigating a fast-moving regulatory and cultural landscape.

The Alexander Group’s Approach

Managing Director Beth Ehrgott led a targeted search across global biotech and pharmaceutical leadership. The search focused on executives who have built successful commercialization strategies in CNS, neuropsychiatry, or similarly complex therapeutic areas.

Search priorities include:

  • Experience leading commercialization in regulated and emerging markets.
  • Proven ability to scale commercial teams and infrastructure from early stage to launch.
  • Deep knowledge of the U.S. healthcare system, market access, and patient engagement strategy.

Allison Rosenthal emerges as the ideal fit with decades of experience at companies like Otsuka and Bristol-Myers Squibb, where she leads large-scale CNS commercial teams and advises executive leadership on launch strategy, brand positioning, and revenue growth.

Successful Placement and Impact

Allison Rosenthal joins Lykos Therapeutics as Chief Commercial Officer. She oversees commercialization strategy for the company’s groundbreaking therapeutic platform, working closely with the CEO, COO, and Board to bring a new mental health treatment model to market.

Immediate Impact:

  • Leads go-to-market strategy across sales, access, marketing, and patient support.
  • Builds commercial infrastructure to support rapid and sustainable growth.
  • Partners with executive leadership on launch planning, stakeholder alignment, and scalability.
  • Positions Lykos as a category-defining force in modern mental health care.

Insights from the Recruiter

“Allison has tremendous commercial leadership experience in psychiatry and mental health, and is the perfect cultural fit for the Lykos team with her warmth and contagious enthusiasm to bring psychedelic-assisted therapy across the finish line to those suffering [from] PTSD. She is and will continue to be an inspiring champion for all who struggle with mental health issues.”

– Beth Ehrgott, Managing Director, The Alexander Group

About Lykos Therapeutics

Lykos Therapeutics is a public benefit corporation dedicated to transforming mental health care through science-backed innovation. With a focus on developing breakthrough therapies in neuropsychiatry, Lykos combines rigorous research, ethical leadership, and patient-first commercialization.

About The Alexander Group

The Alexander Group is a global executive search firm based in Houston. With expertise spanning biotech, life sciences, healthcare, and mission-driven organizations, the firm helps high-growth companies recruit the transformative leaders who move science from bench to bedside.Bringing innovation to market starts with the right leadership. The Alexander Group helps build the teams that drive breakthrough science forward.