Laird Desmond
Laird Desmond has more than 20 years’ experience assisting executive leadership searches in higher education. Ms. Desmond has assisted searches for a wide variety of positions within academia for institutions ranging from small private liberal arts colleges to large public systems.
In past searches, Ms. Desmond has been responsible for all aspects of a search, including researching institutions, locating and vetting potential candidates and coordinating and assisting the interview process. In searching for potential candidates, she enjoys the creative challenge of finding unusual sources and the thoroughness required to ensure a broad and deep outreach.
Before joining AGB Search, Ms. Desmond worked as an associate with the higher education practices of Heidrick & Struggles and Korn/Ferry International, and as a research associate with Academic Search, Inc. Prior to beginning her career in search, she was an analyst with the management consulting practice of Arthur Young (now Ernst & Young).
Ms. Desmond is active with regard to sustainability issues in her community. She obtained a grant to fund and oversaw the installation of a rain garden at her son’s school, and is a member of her town’s Sustainability Advisory Committee. She lives near Tacoma, Washington with her husband, two teenage sons, cocker spaniel, and Russian tortoise.
Ms. Desmond earned her Bachelor’s degree in economics from the College of William and Mary.