Isaacson, Miller is a national executive search firm devoted to recruiting exceptional leaders for mission-driven organizations. Since our founding in 1982, we have built our business placing outstanding leaders who strengthen organizations that advance the public good.
As one of the country's premier search firms, we have nearly four decades of experience in recruiting senior executives for leading colleges and universities, foundations, human service agencies, research institutes, academic medical centers, economic development enterprises, arts and cultural groups, conservation and environmental organizations, and social justice and other national advocacy organizations. Almost all of our clients are not-for-profit organizations meeting demands of both mission and market.
Our belief in the power of exceptional leadership and an unwavering commitment to service excellence, integrity, and impact animate our firm. We identify and recruit exceptional candidates from a broad range of backgrounds across nonprofit, corporate, and government sectors, and contribute to increasingly diverse leadership in our client organizations – in 2020, 55% of our placements were women and 38% people of color.
Team Member Bios
JULIE FILIZETTI, PARTNER
As a leader in our San Francisco office, Julie focuses primarily on higher education leadership roles in public and private institutions, including presidents, provosts, vice presidents, deans, and directors. She also conducts searches in a range of areas, including academic medicine, training and development, advancement, research, and technology. Since coming to Isaacson, Miller in 2007, she has developed strong relationships with many clients who turn to Julie for her ability to adapt to an organization's needs and grow their leadership capacity.
Prior to transitioning to the search world, she served as the associate provost for academic affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey and as a fellow of the American Council on Education, the nation's premier higher education leadership development program. She also spent 12 years as a naval officer, rising to the rank of lieutenant commander.
Julie is a member of the Willamette University Board of Trustees and has served on advisory boards for Villanova University, Santa Clara University, and the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. She is a Menlo College Trustee Emeritus and chaired the board from 2010-2014. A graduate of Leadership California and Leadership Monterey Peninsula, she is a frequent speaker on how to best prepare for the search process. She holds an EdD in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania and is a graduate of Villanova University and the Naval Postgraduate School.
RAFAEL ESCOBEDO, ASSOCIATE
Rafael (Rafa) Escobedo joined Isaacson, Miller as an Associate in 2021. Prior to joining the firm, Rafa was an Assistant Director of Admissions at Dartmouth College, where he worked on access initiatives. Before that, he worked on the Global Initiatives team at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Office of Admissions and Recruitment. Rafa holds an MS in Administrative Leadership in Higher Education from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a BA in Political Science from University of Florida.
KATIE PUSECKER KILCAWLEY, MANAGING SEARCH COORDINATOR
Katie Pusecker Kilcawley joined Isaacson, Miller in 2014 in the firm's San Francisco office. She provides administrative and logistical leadership in searches led by Julie Filizetti. As a Managing Search Coordinator, she also supports internal recruiting, training, and management of the California Search Coordinator cohort. Katie previously worked in project management, event planning, and food and beverage operations for Army Resorts in Germany, Korea, and Hawaii. Katie holds a BS in Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management from the University of Delaware.
NAZIA NAZIM, SEARCH COORDINATOR
Nazia Nazim joined Isaacson, Miller as a general search coordinator in 2022. Prior to joining the firm, Nazia worked as a Lab Specialist for the Newhouse School of Communications in Syracuse University. Prior to that, Nazia worked as a Medical Assistant for GMed Healthcare Family Medicine. Nazia graduated from Syracuse University with a BS in Biology.