New York, NY – December 10, 2025

Today, Cause Strategy Partners, the technology-powered board placement​ and governance training provider that connects executives and employees from the world’s leading companies with high-impact nonprofit organizations, is announcing the promotion of Whitley Richards to Chief Executive Officer. Richards has been an integral part of Cause Strategy Partners’ growth over the past 11 years, including most recently serving as its Chief Operating Officer and helping to accelerate the adoption of its flagship BoardLead program.

“When I launched Cause Strategy Partners nearly 11 years ago, it was with a bold vision: to elevate and transform board service in the nonprofit sector by connecting exceptional professionals from great companies to high-impact nonprofits, training and supporting them to be social impact board leaders,” said Rob Acton, Founder of Cause Strategy Partners. “I am fully confident in Whitley Richards’ readiness to take the helm of Cause Strategy Partners and continue that mission. She embodies our organizational values and brings to the CEO role a powerful combination of personal integrity, operational excellence, and unshakable purpose. There is no better individual to lead Cause Strategy Partners into its next phase of impact.”

Since 2015, Cause Strategy Partners has built a global network of 1,500 nonprofit organizations, placing over 3,000 employees from its 60+ corporate partners on their boards. By connecting talented professionals from Fortune 500 companies with opportunities that align with the causes they care about, Cause Strategy Partners delivers leadership development opportunities that provide an effective HR strategy for companies while simultaneously helping nonprofits secure the board leadership they need.

“I’m energized by Cause Strategy Partners’ growth and the clear demand for solutions that create shared value between leading companies and the nonprofit sector,” added Richards. “Today’s companies are reimagining professional development through purpose-driven engagement, while nonprofits are seeking board leaders who bring both expertise and a deep commitment to impact. I’m honored to lead Cause Strategy Partners into its next chapter—strengthening our services, deepening our partnerships, and continuing to innovate at the intersection of business and social good.”

In her nearly 10 years with the company, Richards has helped design, build, and lead key initiatives that strengthen diversity in nonprofit boards and leadership, including the development of innovative programming. She began her career in public service, working in the education sector both domestically and internationally. Richards holds a Master of Public Administration in International Policy & Management from New York University’s Wagner School of Public Service and a Bachelor’s Degree in Global Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Acton remains onboard as principal and founder to support the innovation and expansion of services, including leading governance training engagements and serving senior executives through Concierge Board Placement. He remains committed to his personal passion of supporting the arts.

To date, Cause Strategy Partners has trained over 30,000 professionals and nonprofit leaders in governance, leading to over 126,000 hours of volunteer service every year.

To learn more about this leadership transition, view this video.

To learn more about Cause Strategy Partners, visit causestrategypartners.com.

About Cause Strategy Partners

Cause Strategy Partners​ is the technology-powered board placement​ and governance training provider that connects executives and employees from the world’s leading companies with high-impact nonprofit organizations. With a track-record of successfully placing ​more professionals on nonprofit boards​ than anyone in the industry​, Cause Strategy Partners wrote the book on connecting busy professionals with their cause. As a Certified Benefit Corporation, Cause Strategy Partners’ award-winning BoardLead program and Executive Concierge Board Placement service ensures board members​ are ​engaged and effective from day one​. Cause Strategy Partners provides the purpose-driven pathway for fulfilling service and experiential leadership opportunities that drive professional development, increase employee engagement and ultimately, strengthen the nonprofit sector. Cause Strategy Partners boasts a global network of 1,500 nonprofit partners and has trained 30,000 Fortune 500 professionals.

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