Our team is made up of a unique combination of expertise in the executive search methodology coupled with decades of real-life experience in nonprofit fundraising and executive leadership.

Derric offers clients over 30 years of successful nonprofit and executive search experience. Beginning his non-profit career in 1990 and serving since 2000 as a consultant - first with two other firms and then since 2010 as President of DickersonBakker - Derric has worked with dozens of nonprofits across the USA, Canada, and overseas, large and small, faith-based and secular, spanning a variety of fields of interest. Nationally recognized as an expert in fund development, particularly major gift development, Derric has a keen understanding of the importance of talent... that the most important thing nonprofits can do to advance their mission is to be more deliberate and effective in finding and developing exceptionally talented people to lead them forward.

Amber Christoferson brings to the team of DickersonBakker Executive Search more than a decade of combined experience in corporate executive recruiting and nonprofit leadership. As Group Vice President, her client service role unites her two professional passions – nonprofit leadership and talent acquisition - as well as her range of interpersonal and professional strengths. Her list of past clients and organizations includes such nationally esteemed organizations as The Home Depot, Pandora Radio, and The United Way.  As Director of Development for United Way in Los Angeles and Orange County from 2006-2010, she was charged with oversight of the Loaned Executive Program, a strategic initiative to broaden community impact by securing top professional involvement and support from an array of fields. During her tenure, her record of success and strong client development was recognized by Hillside, Inc., an organization that provides behavioral health support for youth, adolescents, and their families. Recruited from the United Way to Hillside, Amber worked closely with the Board of Directors to advance Hillside’s mission by growing corporate partnerships. In this role, she held a leadership position representing the organization to external stakeholders, markedly improving ties with business leaders and increasing executive engagement through the commitment of volunteer time and financial resources. At both the United Way and Hillside, Amber was tasked with increasing both human capital and capital investment for her organization. After taking time off to start a family, Amber accepted an offer in corporate recruiting with The Home Depot. A side-step from her previous non-profit work, she saw an opportunity to further develop professionally while using talent acquisition to help a world-class organization continue building its culture and excellence. After two successive and highly successful contracts with The Home Depot, she was recruited by Pandora Media where she continued to engage her new-found passion for identifying and recruiting highly sought-after talent for internal managers and stakeholders. Having developed creative sourcing methods for a competitive hiring market and honed incisive interview skills, she loves the transformational impact of matching the right candidate with the right opportunity. She views her role at DickersonBakker Executive Search as the opportunity to leverage her two professional passions: an ideal fit and near-perfect marriage of skills and missional motivation. Outside of work, Amber enjoys spending time with her husband, Michael, their six-year-old son, Hunter, and their boisterous but loving chihuahua mix, Buster. They live outside Atlanta, Georgia.

Ron’s professional career includes over 30 years of retained executive search and consulting experience, successfully conducting engagements for a broad array of clients ranging from non-profits and academics to financial services and electric utilities. His underlying focus has and continues to be on providing high quality, professional executive search and consulting support to clients. Recognizing that people are at the center of any organization’s ability to achieve their goals, Ron’s approach is to focus on the uniqueness of his client and the best, available candidates to be considered. As such, he blends a knowledge and familiarity of the search process and methodology with the art of matching a client’s needs and culture with the candidate’s skills, approach and motivation.

Jeff loves getting the opportunity each day to help ministries, whose work revolves around making much of Christ, grow their mission and vision through improved funding. “My passion is helping ministry executive and development leadership identify areas of great opportunity, formulate the plan to make it a reality, and then bring it to fruition”, he says. Jeff has been on the boards of several nonprofits, ministries, and churches. He has also held several corporate company management and leadership positions, becoming successful within each. Jeff’s professional experiences come together to help leaders of Christian ministries and organizations do more than they could have done otherwise. Over the past twenty-five years, Jeff has worked with hundreds of Christ-centered ministries and organizations to plan and enact the courses of action that will grow both their leadership skills and financial support. His client list has included everything from smaller market ministries to some of the largest international relief and development organizations. With DickersonBakker he comes along brothers and sisters in Christ to encourage and motivate them in the areas of development and leadership.

Jolene has over 20 years’ experience in executive administration and finance, event coordination & hospitality. Canadian born & raised, Jolene and her husband now call Raleigh, NC home. When she’s not coming to the rescue of her co-workers, Jolene enjoys spending time with her husband of 30 years, their 3 married children, 2 grandsons, and of course Finley, the newest 4-legged member of her growing family.

Christina has more than 30 years of experience serving to advance the missions of local, national, and international nonprofits. Her professional career includes two decades of leadership in high-impact organizations specializing in Christian philanthropy, evangelism and discipleship, higher education, Christian media, international relief, holistic child development, international and domestic advocacy, and medical services. Christina has served in advancement leadership for a number of large organizations with international programs and diverse stakeholders. Christina’s goal and passion are to empower organizations to be thoughtful, artful, and effective in ministry to their donors, and thus maximize their missions. She is equally passionate about seeing leaders thrive within their calling. Accordingly, Christina serves as a member of the Advisory Council for the Christian Leadership Alliance. She currently resides in East TN and loves spending time with her family, hiking with her dogs, and advocating for creation care. She enjoys entertaining, planning events, culinary arts, and interior decorating.

Barbara has more than 30 years of experience in nonprofit management and corporate career management, including nine years as the vice-president of advancement for a $46 million global faith-based nonprofit. Prior to that she served ten years with a large chamber of commerce where she served as vice president of member services leading the nonprofit, small business, workforce development, marketing and communications, and leadership training divisions. In addition, Barbara was director of professional services for a large global career management firm that assisted organizations experiencing major workforce development transition such as Hewlett Packard, Eddie Bauer, Novartis, and numerous financial institutions. She earned a reputation as a strategic leader able to bring an organization and its people to the next level of effectiveness. Barbara believes that leaders who have the aptitude to lead effectively, take  personal responsibility, and motivate others  contribute to a thriving culture and  ultimately, greater missional impact. Barbara holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Guidance & Counseling with an emphasis in career management from Colorado Mesa University. She and her husband, who has a 42-year career with Young Life, a global youth para-church ministry, live in Boise, Idaho. They have two adult children.

Jeff comes to the firm with nearly 20 years of major gift fundraising and development experience within the non-profit and higher education sectors. He also has strong retail management and small business ownership background that has shaped his client-focused service. Jeff has over 10 years of experience in faith-based non-profit development leadership. He led the highest volume division for The Salvation Army Texas as the Divisional Development Director. During this time, he focused on team leadership, major gifts, planned giving, strategic planning, direct marketing, and capital campaigns. He successfully led numerous capital campaigns for the Texas division at the multi-million-dollar level. Jeff thrives on helping other organizations achieve their full potential in both ministry and mission. He brings his experience identifying and developing leaders to DickersonBakker's executive search work where he is passionate about seeing clients' missions advanced through the recruitment of exceptionally qualified and well-fitted professionals. For several years, Jeff was a bi-vocational worship leader in a few churches playing guitar and keyboard. He received his undergraduate degree from Oklahoma State University and his professional certification as a CFRE in 2012 through the IU School of Philanthropy. His wife Anita was a certified Speech and Language Pathologist for several years before focusing on raising their 3 children.

Cole has been serving in leadership with the Dickerson-Bakker family of firms since 2015. Originally hired as the Vice President of Strategy and Outcomes and then promoted to firm Senior Vice President and Consulting Team Lead, he had the privilege of helping build and lead the firm’s wonderful team of world-class non-profit and ministry consultants while also providing direct client service in retained executive search and recruitment. In 2018, when the firm split into two sister firms, Cole accepted the position of CEO of DB&A Executive Search and Recruiting, where he serves today. Prior to consulting, Cole spent nearly 20 years working internationally, first in the corporate and public sectors and then in private philanthropy and non-profit leadership. His passion and personal calling are to serve those who serve. Through his time overseas with Coca-Cola, the US Government and NATO, and then as a grant-maker and Executive Director, Cole has been privileged to work alongside leaders from nearly every continent and culture. Positioned at the intersections of senior leadership, strategic funding, and global strategy for most of his career, Cole brings a broad-spectrum perspective to every client engagement. Cole completed his undergraduate studies in Virginia at Washington & Lee University and his master’s with the Middle College Schools of Language in Paris, France, where he focused his research and coursework on international affairs.

Working with non-profit leaders has been a deep passion for Roy. Before joining DickersonBakker as a CEO Coach, he served as President/CEO of Wycliffe Bible Translators, American Bible Society, and The Seed Company. Prior to these executive roles spanning over two decades, Roy held overseas leadership positions with Wycliffe/SIL, in both Ecuador and Guatemala. He enjoyed a successful career in business management in prior years, and has cemented his place as a leader in the nonprofit world. Roy’s goal as a DickersonBakker CEO Coach is to help executives excel with a powerful vision, growing confidence, and transformational ministry impact. His extensive experience and history of overcoming organizational challenges equip Roy to serve with an individualized approach to executive coaching. He’s helping nonprofit leaders from all different size organizations achieve their goals. He is both a CTA Certified Coach and a member of the International Coaching Federation. Roy holds a Master’s degree in Social Science/Leadership Studies from Azusa Pacific University and a Business Administration degree from Roger Williams University. In addition to completing Stanford University’s Executive Education Program, he was awarded Honorary Doctorates from both Eastern University and Taylor University.  He lives in Orlando, FL with his wife Rita. When he takes a break from the nonprofit world, Roy and Rita love to spend time with their family and make memories with their six grandchildren.