Our Endorsements

May 16, 2025

“Welcome Tyler Harding, AVP for Development. We are excited to launch into Commencement Weekend officially introducing our newest team member, Tyler Harding. Tyler joins us from Syracuse University where he served as the Senior Director of Development, Head of Major Gifts at the Whitman School of Management. In addition to raising major and principal gifts while a leading team of fundraisers, Tyler developed and launched the Whitman Leadership Circle, an exclusive leadership giving society, managed four alumni advisory boards, and recently established a new donor stewardship program that is steeped in the technique of cultivation.

Tyler recently completed a Master’s of Science in Entrepreneurship at the Whitman School as well as a Google Artificial Intelligence Essentials certification. Having served Syracuse for eight years in a fundraising role, I am confident Tyler has the expertise, energy, and collaborative spirit to help our executive leadership team thrive as we work toward launching a campaign. Many thanks to Doug Cooney, Deerfield Associates, for his collaborative work in search of our next AVP for Development.

Keep an eye out for Tyler on campus this weekend and beyond. We are thrilled to welcome him to the Skidmore College Family!”

April 17, 2025

“I had the pleasure of working with Doug Cooney and Deerfield Associates on our recent search for a Chief Financial Officer. From the outset, Doug impressed me with his thoughtful listening, insightful questions, and genuine interest in understanding the specific needs of our school. He approached the search with a clear commitment to finding the right match and worked diligently to cultivate a strong, diverse pool of candidates.

The first-round group was appropriately sized and impressively qualified—each candidate was a serious contender. The reference checking conducted by Doug and his colleagues was the most thorough I’ve seen. Their reports gave us a deep, nuanced understanding of each candidate before they even stepped on campus.

Doug was an exceptional partner throughout the process. He remained in close communication with both our team and the candidates, and every finalist commented on how positive their experience was working with him. His accessibility, responsiveness, and professionalism were unmatched.

I am absolutely thrilled with the outcome of the search and grateful for Doug’s expert guidance and coaching along the way. I would enthusiastically recommend Doug and Deerfield Associates to any school seeking a thoughtful, well-executed, and mission-aligned search process.”

April 15, 2025

“I am pleased to announce the appointment of Kate Polson as our new Chief Financial Officer, who will begin her service at ECFS on June 1. Kate joins us from the NYU School of Law, where she currently serves as Associate Dean and Chief Financial Officer. She has an impressive career spanning over 20 years, during which she has supported educational institutions in financial management, budgeting, and strategic planning. Kate has a proven track record of leading high-performing teams and implementing long-term financial strategies to support institutional priorities. I am grateful to Holly Jones (HR Director) for leading this search, as well as to search consultant Doug Cooney and his team from Deerfield Associates. Doug, A pleasure working with you as always and good to have another member of the “Doug Club” with us!”

April 12, 2025

“I have worked with Doug Cooney three times in my long career. Once as he was searching for a boarding school’s next permanent CFO (Mercersburg Academy, Pennsylvania in 2005) when Doug placed me with a wonderful head of school, Doug Hale. After 18 years at Mercersburg, when I was leaving headed towards retirement, Doug called me again and this time introduced me to Joy McGrath, head of School, St. Andrew’s School, Middletown, Delaware. So, the second opportunity was at St. Andrew’s School where I currently serve as the interim CFO. Most recently, Doug recruited me to serve as the incoming Interim Chief Financial and Operating Officer for The Hotchkiss School. During all these experiences, Doug was the ultimate professional. He understands the importance of making sure that the match between an organization and a job candidate are in sync and more importantly, that if they are not, there could be a failure in the hire. In my case, Doug made sure that I understood the culture and expectations of the institutions while also understanding my goals and expectations for my next “right” job. The outcomes of all searches with me were terrific.”

January 10, 2025

We are pleased to share the recent announcement from Heather Krajewski, senior vice president for development and alumni relations at Bowdoin College. “Stephanie Ward Ball ’94 has joined our team as the new Director of Gift Planning. Stephanie is a proud Bowdoin alumna where she received a degree in Sociology, minor in Education, and was the Captain and National All-American on our Women’s Varsity Lacrosse Team. Stephanie spent thirteen years at Penn Charter, a PK-12 independent school in Philadelphia, where she held leadership roles in all areas of development, providing her with a breadth of knowledge of fundraising and team building. For the past four years she has served Rice University, most recently as Acting Executive Director of Gift Planning.”

Doug Cooney, who headed up the search from Deerfield Associates added. “it was a sincere pleasure getting to know Stephanie and we congratulate her on the appointment to this important position. I would also like to thank Scott Meiklejohn, retiring SVP for development and alumni relations at Bowdoin, and the new SVP, Heather Krajewski, for the opportunity to work on this search. Deerfield Associates has enjoyed a long and productive association with Bowdoin College with this being the ninth search that our search firm has conducted for the polar bears”.

November 21, 2024

“I was very pleased that we were able to hire Jane Clapp from WPI as our new CFO. Doug and his team listened to our needs and presented a slate of very fine candidates for our review in a timely fashion on our schedule and made the whole process very smooth. Doug is a very experienced recruiter and demonstrated once again his ability to recruit, assess and present a highly qualified candidate pool. The staff at Deerfield Associates were very professional and pleasant to work with. It was a great experience from start to finish. Thanks to Doug and his team.”

July 10, 2024

“Doug Cooney and his team were wonderful partners in placing a new Director of Leadership Gifts and several Leadership Gift Officers at Bates. Doug offered thoughtful guidance about the marketplace and in crafting job descriptions, while recruiting a strong and diverse pool of candidates. The reference checks were exceptional, gave detailed insights into the strengths and weaknesses of each applicant, and what they would bring in furthering the mission of the college. Doug worked tirelessly in each step of the process to help us hire a first rate team and we are thrilled with the results. Doug was in constant communication, and his experience, combined with exceptional customer service and personal attention, is at the heart of his firm and his success. Thank you Doug!”

July 5, 2024

“Doug Cooney and his team were excellent partners in our Chief Financial Officer search and placement at The Baldwin School. Doug personally visited our school spending a full-day meeting with members of the school community, including Trustees, to learn about our mission, culture and people. They diligently and expertly curated a strong and diverse candidate pool for our team to interview and worked closely with candidates throughout the search process to ensure they were an excellent fit for this position and our school. Their reference checks and interview notes were detailed and thorough and gave our committee strong insight into the strengths and challenges each candidate would bring to the role. The high quality of Doug’s work and his timely communication were greatly appreciated along the way. We are thrilled with the outcome of our search and our new Chief Financial Officer!”

June 1, 2024

Deerfield Associates was retained to conduct a search for an Assistant Vice President for Alumnae and Donor Relations for Smith College located in Northampton, Massachusetts. Here is what the hiring manager had to say. “Thanks Doug for your great partnership! We are so pleased with the results of this search.”

May 28, 2024

“In the past several years, we have had the privilege of partnering with Doug Cooney and his talented colleagues at Deerfield Associates on three searches (Director of Institutional Advancement 2019, Director of Major Gifts 2022 and Chief Communications Officer 2024). We are a repeat client because of DA’s exceptional service, support, and results. While each search presented unique challenges, Doug always presented us with outstanding candidates, which is no small feat in this highly competitive environment. From crafting the position description and providing comprehensive vetting of prospective candidates all the way to helping onboard the successful finalist, Doug was with us every step of the way. His relentless focus and consistent communication are a potent combination and are of great value to the client and the candidates.”

May 16, 2024

“As a potential career changer, coming from a corporate business background, I recently explored an opportunity for a new Chief Financial Officer with my alma mater, St. Andrew’s School (Delaware). I ended up having the good fortune of being hired. I worked closely with Doug Cooney, principal of the search firm of Deerfield Associates, who was conducting the search on behalf of St. Andrew’s. Right from the start it was apparent that Doug cared about the hiring client, Joy McGrath, head of school, and was most knowledgeable about the challenges and opportunities having spent considerable time visiting the school. Doug also took the time to get to know me and my background. Doug’s extensive experience with search work was obvious in the many thoughtful and direct questions he asked of me. What impressed me most was that Doug and I met for lunch during which we covered many important topics in great detail. It was all about making the right match for both sides. I have a deep appreciation for Doug Cooney and the Deerfield Associates team for supporting a world class search process.”

April 20, 2024

“I am delighted to welcome Matthew Park to Kent Place School as Chief Financial Officer! Thank you Doug Cooney of Deerfield Associates for another successful search. Doug and I previously partnered on Kent Place’s Chief Advancement Officer search six years ago.”

February 12, 2024

“Although I have known Doug for well over a decade, I only recently had the pleasure of working with him directly on a CFO search for Episcopal High School. Doug and his team are consummate professionals, and work towards the best interests of both the candidate and the institution. They have deep relationships throughout the country, and are incredibly discerning and insightful about the schools and personalities that they represent. Culture and fit are very important to Doug, which shows in his commitment to making the match between candidate and school work. This is what separates Doug and Deerfield Associates from other search firms, and the reason that they are the best in the business. Thanks for all your help Doug!”

February 7, 2024

“I have known Doug for over 15 years. We’ve had many wonderful chats over the years and I’ve seen how thoughtful and hard-working he is on behalf of both his client schools and candidates. He builds strong relationships and always seeks to make a great fit for both parties. When I entered the CFO search at Trinity, I knew he would represent me well and that I would get honest feedback from Doug throughout the process.”

January 9, 2024

“I worked with Doug Cooney and Deerfield Associates last spring when we were hiring a Director of Advancement. Doug and his team were terrific partners in the search. They identified a highly qualified candidate pool that represented a wide range of experience and expertise, and the team was incredibly helpful in structuring the interview process and visit schedule. Doug was very accessible to me throughout the entire process, and I very much appreciated his guidance and expertise. We are absolutely thrilled with our Director of Advancement!”

January 9, 2024

“Dear Doug,

Thank you so much for the support that you provided to Berkeley Carroll during our Director of Advancement search. You and the team were consummate professionals, sharing observations and guidance with insight and grace. Your expensive knowledge of the field, coupled with your understanding of our school, made for an efficient process that was targeted yet thorough. I appreciate tremendously the extent to which you remained in touch, deftly managing the search from initial consultation through to completion. It was a great pleasure working with you once more.”

December 19, 2023

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Doug Cooney and Deerfield Associates for three critical positions here at St. Andrew’s School. Two years ago, we needed to find a chief advancement officer, and as a new head of school, Doug was my first call. We successfully completed that search and hired Ann Wardwell.

A year later, our current search for a CFO is coming to a close and I continue to be impressed by Doug’s, and his team’s, attention to detail in both getting to know his candidates, and making sure he understands the needs of his client. Doug remained at the ready as we communicated throughout the process, helping all participants feel informed and being certain that all questions and concerns were addressed.

Prior to our CFO search kicking off, I contacted Doug regarding the need for an interim CFO. Doug immediately thought of a past placement who he’d remained in close contact with and put me in touch with her. As a result of that introduction, I hired Maria Kimsey as interim CFO while our search for a full-time CFO search was underway. It speaks to Doug’s personable nature and his care for the people he’s placed that he has such a large network of highly qualified professionals to reach out to in times of need.”

September 23, 2023

“I first met Doug in 2011 at the Mayflower Hotel mezzanine for coffee. It was a get-to-know-you conversation, and we have remained in touch ever since. Somehow in that 30-minute or so conversation, Doug got me. He picked up on my approach, my style, my strengths and I suspect areas for growth as an advancement professional. And over time, he would check in and on occasion share a job with me that he thought I might be interested in. When the Grace Church School Director of Advancement role, became available, and we worked together, I was thrilled. Because I was sure, that Doug could accurately represent me as a candidate, genuinely understand why I wanted the role, and understand why I could be a good fit for the School. Doug has loads of experience, and a vast network, but he also has heart and a deep curiosity that keeps him at the top of the field.”

May 23, 2023

“Doug and his talented team at Deerfield Associates did an outstanding job managing our recent search for an Associate Vice President of Development at Marist College. They took the time and care to get to know Marist and understand the dynamics of our Advancement organization. I was especially impressed with the extensive personal outreach they extended to hundreds of prospective candidates from their deep national network. Their proactive, targeted efforts helped build an exceptionally strong applicant pool for this important leadership role that ultimately led to the hiring of an ideal candidate who is now on board and already making a meaningful impact. Doug’s deep experience and highly tailored approach was a perfect fit for Marist. I sincerely hope that we’ll have an opportunity to collaborate again on future searches.”

May 18, 2023

“Doug,
I want to thank you and your team for your tremendously thorough and “high touch” approach in working with Williston for our successful CFO search. True to form, as you have been in past searches for the school, your hands-on approach and thoughtful give-and-take with the stakeholders has resulted in a terrific outcome and match for Williston. The information provided at each step of the process was timely and relevant, and you showed your experience and reach in the multitude of candidates that you provided. Well done!”

May 18, 2023

“I have worked with Doug Cooney and Deerfield Associates for two recent senior-level and critical administrative searches, having just finished a CFO search in what is the most competitive CFO hiring market in recent memory. I called Doug immediately for this search because we were so happy with the service he and Deerfield Associates provided on our earlier Director of Advancement search, several years ago, which resulted in a long-term placement and an exceptionally good fit.

The level of service and professionalism that Doug and his team have provided for us has been truly exceptional. In my experience, they have a talent for identifying and cultivating extremely qualified candidates who were not necessarily engaged in a search. Additionally, Doug and his team have demonstrated an extremely high level of competence in vetting potential candidates based on the very specific needs and expectations of the institution they are serving. They really get to know the school and they really get to know the candidates, and this results in placements with a high likelihood of success for both school and administrator.

February 5, 2023

“Working with Doug and his colleagues made a somewhat daunting, ill-timed search for a director of development manageable, smooth, and even a bit exciting. Working together, we moved quickly but deliberately, and he and his team assembled a pool of talented, experienced candidates with diverse profiles. Whenever I needed to think through a question during the search, Doug made himself available, and he coached me wisely through my first-ever development search as a head of school. Though I hope not to have a similar hiring need anytime soon, I know whom I’ll call if I do.”

July 12, 2022

“Doug and his team were a true joy to work with on our search for a new Chief Financial Officer. Their thoroughness both in getting to know us and in getting to know the candidates was remarkable. Doug personally spent a day on-campus getting to know our staff and Trustees. They worked hard to understand the idiosyncrasies of our community and culture, and vetted the candidates with unparalleled rigor. Everyone who participated in this process from our community was deeply impressed with the quality of their work, their attention to detail, and their genuine desire to help us fill the position with the best possible candidate.”

June 1, 2021

“After nearly five months of unsuccessfully leading our own internal search for a Director of Institutional Advancement, we enlisted Deerfield Associates and they immediately centralized all communications and outreach. Our efforts to proactively recruit or expand our candidate pool were almost immediately eclipsed by Doug who did not slow down for the subsequent four months, until we had completed the hiring of our ideal candidate. We are extremely grateful to Deerfield Associates and even more excited about the outstanding candidate they have helped us to hire.”

April 5, 2021

“I am thankful and appreciative of the Deerfield Associates team for their approach to how they conduct candidate searches and support their clients. As a candidate in the search process, I always felt that the process was honest and demonstrated care. Doug Cooney and team not only have the client in mind but the candidates as well. The process of contemplating a career change is exciting and stressful. I felt at every turn during the search process that I could reach out to Doug and team to get insight, perspective, and an honest assessment. Having Deerfield Associates involved in the process made the entire experience and decision-making process less stressful, extremely transparent, and enjoyable.”

April 3, 2021

“The Academy hired Deerfield Associates to conduct the search for a new CFO. This was one of the most effective — and speedy — searches for a major position that I have been involved in as a Head of School, and Doug led the process skillfully from top to bottom: working with me to flesh out the position description, reaching out to and vetting hundreds of candidates, helping develop a deep and diverse, pool of qualified semi-finalists from a range of institutions (sitting independent school CFO’s, CFOs of leading non-profits, candidates from higher education) and a short list of exceptional finalists. Doug was in touch often, always available whenever I called, worked beautifully with candidates and was instrumental in helping us land our top candidate (Matthew Sheehy/Williams College) offering advice and perspective every step of the way.”

April 1, 2021

“Williston Northampton has been pleased to work with Deerfield Associates many times throughout the years, most recently for our Director of Advancement search. Doug Cooney and his team at Deerfield Associates can always be relied on for their professional, thoughtful, and persistent approach to finding the right match between the candidate and our team. I always appreciate their responsiveness and depth of communication throughout the entire process. Doug takes the time to understand my objectives at the outset, laying the groundwork for a successful search at the end. His high-value and responsive approach saves me time, identifies a pool of quality candidates, and allows me to focus on making the right hiring decision for the institution. I’m grateful to Doug and everyone at Deerfield Associates for their comprehensive approach and quality work.”