CEO Succession During Turbulent Times, Part 3: Thinking Beyond Stability and Leading with Courage

A leadership transition changes things, but that shift doesn’t start when the new leader arrives—it begins the moment the current one announces they’re stepping down. You can sense it before anything official happens. Board members start asking different, often brave questions. Teams begin to see their work with fresh eyes. Long-standing habits loosen their grip. It’s as if the entire organization takes a deep breath, sensing that something new is on the horizon.

I believe that this early moment—the space between what was and what’s next—is one of the most underused opportunities in our sector. We often rush to stabilize, reassure, and cling tightly to the familiar. But if we can resist that impulse, even briefly, something else happens: clarity, renewal, and a deeper kind of insight and ambition. This is when a meaningful search truly begins—not with active recruitment, resumes, or interviews, but with the courage to imagine what the next chapter should be. I’ve seen this happen in ways I won’t forget, recently for two exceptional organizations. At the Santa Barbara Zoo, the departure of a beloved, long-serving CEO opened the door for a leader with fresh eyes and a grounded sense of purpose. In Los Angeles, at Chrysalis, courage meant choosing the candidate who didn’t fit the traditional template but met the moment perfectly.

In the first two parts of this series, I discussed how effective Boards begin succession planning early, reconsider what “ready” really means, and choose leaders who are rooted in mission and adaptability. For our final installment in this series, I focus on two more truths: the value of thinking beyond stability and the courage needed to make the right decisions, not the easiest ones.

Think Beyond Stability

For many Boards, a leadership transition naturally becomes a test of continuity: Can we keep the wheels turning? Can we avoid disruption? Can we preserve what’s working? Those questions are important, but they aren’t enough. Stability alone is too limited a goal for a moment full of potential. A transition is a turning point. It’s a chance to pause and ask not just how the organization can keep going—it is a chance to be aspirational and define where the organization goes next. When Boards shift from focusing on maintaining to imagining, they open the door to more thoughtful, purposeful decision-making.

Great searches start when Boards see a transition as a chance to honestly evaluate what might have quietly outlived its usefulness. It could be a reporting structure that no longer fits the work. It might be a habit formed out of convenience rather than purpose. Or it could be an assumption that no longer reflects the community. Whatever it is, this is the time to identify it. Strong Boards assess what should stay, what should change, and what the next chapter really needs.

After 26 years under the leadership of a highly respected CEO—a period marked by significant growth, strong community trust, and a valued organizational culture—the Santa Barbara Zoo Board realized they weren’t just replacing a leader. They were beginning a new chapter. They needed someone who could honor what had been built while bringing courage, perspective, and strategic clarity to reimagine what could come next. From the beginning, the Board approached the search intentionally. They weren’t limited to finding a sitting CEO; they were also open to considering someone eager to prove themselves, someone with motivation and curiosity often seen in first-time CEOs. That leader was Charles Hopper.

Before joining the Santa Barbara Zoo, Charles served as Chief Operating Officer at Birch Aquarium at Scripps and spent nearly 14 years at the Seattle Aquarium, progressing through roles in business and event operations. Charles, an Air Force veteran, stood out for combining deep mission authenticity with a founder-like energy to elevate the work. He understood Santa Barbara’s unique community ecosystem but was not afraid to ask big questions or challenge long-held assumptions.

Since stepping into the role, Charles has approached the work exactly as the moment required: collaboratively, boldly, and with a strategic perspective that invites possibility rather than fear. He is currently leading the Zoo through a comprehensive strategic planning process, partnering closely with the Board and engaging every major stakeholder, including staff, community partners, his executive coach, and, at times, inviting my input in transparent, thoughtful dialogue as he reimagines the leadership structure. His instinct has never been to move fast for its own sake but to move wisely for the sake of long-term impact. The results are beginning to take shape. Under Charles’ leadership, the Zoo is leaning more deeply than ever into conservation, accessibility, and education. He is now spearheading the CSU Channel Islands partnership and helping shape the developing Conservation Center, which will offer student-centered experiential learning and specialized care for vulnerable local wildlife. Paired with the Zoo’s preschool and teen conservation club, Charles is creating a true continuum of conservation education—a pathway where young people can see themselves growing into this work. New and reimagined exhibits, like the Tropical Wonders habitat, reflect this commitment. Recent arrivals, including Tamur, the critically endangered Amur leopard, strengthen the Zoo’s contribution to global conservation through the AZA Species Survival Plan. Recognition is also following. The Zoo earned the Mayor’s ADA Legacy Award for its longstanding commitment to accessibility. It was honored again by the community in multiple categories of the Santa Barbara Independent’s Best Of poll. These accolades signal not just operational excellence but a deep and growing trust in the Zoo’s role as an inclusive, conservation-centered institution.

Jane Goodall’s handprint and her words—“Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference.”—greet guests at the Zoo. Under Charles’ leadership, that ethos isn’t just displayed; it shapes the work every day. Charles is guiding the Zoo with clarity, courage, and a vision strengthened, not overshadowed, by his legacy. This type of leadership is what organizations achieve when they think beyond stability.

Lead With Courage

We often talk about how a new leader will shape an organization's future, but the Board or hiring manager makes the earliest and most influential decisions. Many believe the pressure of a leadership transition falls solely on the incoming executive. The key choices are made long before the new leader steps into the role. This is where the tone is set, expectations are defined, and the next chapter begins. During this period, the Board and search committee must decide what future they want to build and what kind of leader is necessary to achieve that vision. Accomplishing this requires clarity, honesty, and genuine courage.

I witnessed this firsthand at Chrysalis, where CEO Mark Loranger began the search for the organization’s next Vice President and Chief Financial Officer with an approach that reflected its core values: Respect, Empowerment, Equity and Inclusion, Innovation, and Integrity. As Chrysalis prepared to serve an estimated 25,000 job seekers over the next five years in a region where unemployment and financial instability remain the leading causes of first-time homelessness, it needed a financial leader who could uphold the mission and support the ambitious goals of its strategic plan. This required more than just technical skill; it needed someone who could strengthen the systems supporting an increasingly complex and vital mission. Mark led the search with a kind of vision that often goes unnoticed. Instead of limiting the process to a small group, he expanded it. He involved staff, Board members, and key partners in the conversation, creating a collaborative, transparent process that honored Chrysalis’ values at every stage. This kind of shared leadership demands confidence, humility, and a willingness to trust the strength already within the organization. The CEO's fearless leadership enabled Laura McQuay to rise to the top.

Although Laura had fewer years of experience on paper, she brought a formidable financial background from nearly seven years at Inner City Law Center, where she ultimately became CFO. She also held earlier leadership roles overseeing accounting, payroll, human resources, and grant management at the San Francisco Conservation Corps. Laura offered a fresh perspective that might be overlooked in a more rigid process. It became clear she possessed exactly what was needed: well-developed financial skills combined with strategic insight, a collaborative approach, unwavering integrity, and a natural curiosity to ask why—not out of doubt, but out of a genuine commitment to doing what is smart, right, and aligned with the mission.

Today, Laura is already fulfilling that promise. Beyond her role as CFO, she is leading enterprise-wide system improvements to unify and streamline processes. For a growing organization that serves thousands of people facing employment barriers, this work is truly transformative. Strong systems strengthen the entire infrastructure of empowerment, and Laura is the kind of leader who identifies problems and collaborates to find solutions. Still unafraid to ask why, Laura’s perspective ensures the work remains honest and purposeful.

When a CEO refuses to let outdated assumptions determine the future, an organization moves onto a different trajectory of impact. Chrysalis prioritized alignment over comfort, mission over convention, and potential over predictability. This courage resonates throughout the organization, encouraging everyone to think bigger. It reaches individuals who turn to Chrysalis for support, helping them on their path to stability, security, and fulfillment.

Leadership transitions are among the most vital moments in an organization’s life. They require Boards, search partners, and executives to slow down, listen carefully, and make decisions that honor both the mission and the people advancing it. When we look beyond stability and lead with courage, we create conditions for new leaders to succeed and for organizations to grow intentionally. I’ve seen what’s possible when this process is done well. It builds trust, deepens alignment, and generates momentum that endures long after the transition. I hope this series reminds us that these moments are not just about choosing a leader—they are about shaping and transforming the future.