Our staff includes experienced search consultants who have expertise in specific industries and whose assignments are targeted accordingly. We take a great deal of pride in saying that we complete our searches successfully and much of our work is for "repeat" clients.

Stacy Holland
Tel: 415.388.PROS (7767)
stacyh@exceptionalpeople.com

Stacy Holland founded the executive search firm, Exceptional People, Inc. in 1994, with a strong resume of success completing challenging management searches in technology and finance.  The Bay Area executive search firm has been distinguished as one of the fastest growing private companies in San Francisco by the San Francisco Business Times.

Ms.Holland’s 20 year executive search career has leverages strong sales and management experience. Stacy Holland’s career prior to search includes consumer goods and distribution experience in management positions as Vice President at General Mills, Inc., where she built and directed a New York based sales organization. Earlier, Ms. Holland held management positions at Bristol-Myers, Inc., New York, and directed Institutional Sales for the Raeford Division of Burlington Industries, New York. Prior to Bristol-Myers she was with Foote, Cone and Belding in New York and London.

She has received entrepreneur and leading businesswoman awards on both coasts, including finalist recognition as a leading entrepreneur for the Business and Professional Women's Club, San Francisco chapter and Young Career Woman of the Year for New York State. She is a long-term advocate of The Girl Scouts of America and participates in mentoring programs for future business leaders. She is involved in educational initiatives at the national level.  Ms. Holland is currently a graduate student at Dominican University as a masters candidate in Dominican’s School of Education.  Concurrently she is a masters candidate in the school’s theology program.  She and her husband, Michael O’Donnell, live in Tiburon, California. They have three daughters.

Ellen Hathaway
Tel: 707.766.6545
eahathaway@earthlink.net

Ellen joined Exceptional People in 1998 as a Partner, with the goal of building an organization that provides hands-on expertise to executive searches in marketing, sales, business development and services to leading and emergent consumer and enterprise technology companies creating next generation solutions. She prides herself in building long term relationships with her clients, some of whom include: BEA Systems, Citrix Systems, Hyperion Solutions, MontaVista Software, Schwab & Co., Sparkpr, OnVantage Software, VISA USA, VantagePoint Venture Partners as well as additional early and late stage VC funded consumer and enterprise technology companies. Ellen’s inside industry perspective comes from her previous careers in business analysis, professional services and communications consulting. Ellen was a Director at UpStart Communications, a Fleishman-Hillard company, launching start-up technology companies and managing established firms' communications programs. Previously, Ellen also managed the western region professional services organization for Information Builders, Inc. and prior was a business analyst consultant at GE Consulting Services. Her background also includes working with non-profit organizations including: Senior Resources, Project Open Hand, Hospitality House and participating in the AIDS Ride. She also served as a board member to the Transitional Housing Fund. Ellen holds a BS in Computer Science from Connecticut State University and resides in the North Bay with her husband and daughter.

Meg Jacobs
Tel: 415.404.6885
Megan4harv@yahoo.com

Meg Jacobs is a dynamic and tremendously effective contract and project based recruiter. She has hired hundreds of engineers, marketing, sales and creative professionals and currently is working with four companies focused on social networking and eCommerce technology. She has exceptional relationships with the VC community and emerging companies for creating and implementing full cycle hiring programs for entry level to VP level roles. Meg’s recent clients include, Marketlive, Scene7, Blowtorch, Marketmetrix, Quinstreet, Sonin Technologies, and Vernier Networks.

Diana Groesser Duval
Tel: 408-778-5877
diana@dkduval.com

Diana has extensive experience in placing senior marketing, communications and business development professionals within enterprise and consumer software and wireless industries. With over fifteen years of hands on experience in project and product management in the telecommunications industry, Diana has a concrete understanding of organizational and personality requirements required to successfully assist global companies, both emerging and established, in building executive teams with superior individuals. Some of Diana’s recent clients include: BEA Systems, Digitas, Genesys Labs, NetGear, Sparkpr and Wind River Systems. Diana holds a BS in Computer Science from the University of Phoenix.  

Bruce Kunkel
Tel: 707-292-9032
bkunkel@sonic.net

Bruce Kunkel is a senior executive search professional with Exceptional People. He has gained many unique perspectives and great insight in his experiences, not only as a top executive search consultant to some of the most progressive technology companies, but also in the capacity as an innovative entrepreneur. In the eighties, Bruce founded and ran Dovetail, Inc., a high tech Silicon Valley based executive search firm. Earlier, Bruce enjoyed success as founder and recording artist with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and later, was founder and CEO of Zenbod Corporation, an innovative “mass customization” fashion apparel company. Bruce is a successful hi-tech search consultant for a wide range of management and engineering personnel.

Colleen D.C. Marquez
cdcmarquez@gmail.com

Colleen has been an integral part of Exceptional People for many years. She brings 20 years experience locating exceptional talent in technology, including sales, marketing, and senior level product management. Colleen has built a strong Bay Area network of professionals in GIS, Display, and enterprise software. Her ability to understand new technologies and effectively network with our extensive database is of particular strength in successful closure and meeting deadlines. Some of Colleen's recent clients include PureDepth MLD technology, and Autodesk GIS. She has a BS in Business Administration from St. Mary’s College. Her avocations are as lifecoach and literary artist. Colleen and her husband, Mickey, live in Pleasant Hill . They have two children.

Lynne Collins
Tel: 415.306.6778
lynniecollins@gmail.com

Lynne Collins joined Exceptional People in 2007 with 13 years providing strategic PR and marketing services to technology and consumer lifestyle companies, including: CNET Networks, Cunningham Communication Inc., David Bunnell (computer publishing mogul), Overstock.com and Weber Shandwick.
 
Lynne’s career prior to search includes founding two virtual consulting practices for entrepreneurs, startups and established leaders. One example of her success is launching shopping Web site Overstock.com, acting as co-PR director for more than two years, and managing its consumer PR for five years as the company blossomed into a near billion-dollar business. Her client portfolio also includes launching Dave Bunnell, founder of PC Magazine, PC World and MacWorld, as an anti-aging health advocate (he’s now the editor of baby boomer magazine ELDR); introducing OurHealthCircle.org, a “health 2.0” start-up for online support groups; and acting as interim PR director for CNET Networks’ Games & Entertainment brands.
 
Lynne first parlayed her PR experience to search when she managed the entire recruiting process for finding and hiring an in-house PR director for Overstock who was later promoted to assistant vice president of corporate communications and stayed at the company for more than four years. She expanded this skill-set to include career coaching by working one-on-one with senior executives, entrepreneurs and Ph.D. students to define and pursue their dream jobs. They now hold key roles for Gap Inc., PodShow and Yelp.
 
Lynne also held management positions for Silicon Valley tech PR agency Cunningham Communication Inc. and Red Whistle Communications, a consumer technology practice led by Lee Caraher for The Weber Group (now Weber Shandwick). She holds a BA in English from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo.