John Thornburgh’s executive search practice builds on a foundation of broad-based executive leadership and governance in higher education, healthcare, a Fortune 50 corporation and several not-for-profit organizations. He combines this experience with a 20-year track record of success in executive search to partner closely with boards and leadership teams in pursuit of college and university presidents/chancellors, provosts, deans and other senior administrators as well as leaders across the spectrum of hospitals, health systems and academic medical centers.
As a senior partner, John is an acknowledged practitioner and thought leader, and has been an active contributor to WittKieffer’s success – having served as a board member, director of the Education Practice and chief quality officer.
Prior to joining WittKieffer, John maintained an executive leadership consulting practice and provided counsel to boards, search committees and CEOs of for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. In addition, he was president/CEO of a financial services firm and managing director of the Pittsburgh office of a global executive search firm. Earlier in his career, John was president of a not-for-profit economic development organization and gained significant executive experience in marketing, public relations and sales roles at Verizon Corporation.
John is currently Chairman of The Children’s Institute, a nationally renowned children’s medical and education center in Pittsburgh. In the higher education field, he has served on the Council of Trustees of Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, as a member of the Board of Governors of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education, as a trustee of California University of Pennsylvania and as a member of the Board of Visitors of the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Information Sciences. He was a member of the Association of Governing Boards and the Pennsylvania Association of College Trustees. John has had extensive leadership experience in community organizations, among them serving as the Chair of Leadership Pittsburgh.