Keystone Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology (Keystone Symposia), in partnership with Korn Ferry, invites nominations and expressions of interest for the position of President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Founded in 1972 by Professor C. Fred Fox and headquartered in Silverthorne, Colorado, Keystone Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that convenes approximately 50-60 open, peer-reviewed conferences annually, across diverse life science topics. Subjects bridge basic and clinical research across academic, industry, and global health sectors, to promote translational advances with medical impacts, and 2022 marked the 50th anniversary of Keystone Symposia’s leadership in driving life science advances and innovation in research and medicine.

Since its inception, Keystone Symposia has served as a catalyst for the advancement of biomedical and life sciences by connecting scientists within and across disciplines at conferences and workshops held at venues that create an environment conducive to information exchange, generation of new ideas, and acceleration of applications that benefit society. With most of their conferences held in mountain venues across the American and Canadian West, and a select handful of events dispersed globally across six continents, Keystone’s signature meeting format is designed to maximize informal networking among field leaders and students alike, to drive innovative and cross-disciplinary discussions and collaborations. Today, Keystone’s operations are funded by two sources: registration fees (~70-75%) and generous support from biotechnology and pharmaceutical corporations, foundations with a global health and/or disease research focus, government entities, and individuals (~25-30%).

When the COVID-19 pandemic halted in-person conferences and meetings, Keystone Symposia launched eSymposia virtual meetings to bring together global research leaders and rising stars in a particular field to discuss the latest research advances and directions virtually, while broadcasting live to global audiences. With current and emerging digital technologies, Keystone is able to engage global audiences, giving scientists from limited resource settings and remote locations the rare opportunity to present their work and network with global research leaders. As Keystone continues to evaluate alternative strategies, identify obstacles and challenges, capitalize on new technologies for both in-person and virtual conferences, and diversify their revenue stream, the outgoing CEO and Board of Directors have embarked on the journey of recruiting a new President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to continue to make scientific advancements and support the next generation of research leaders. A national search is underway.

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the President and CEO will provide overall leadership and direction of the organization, and in partnership with the Board, Chief Scientific Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Senior Staff, determine the mission, vision, and both short- and long-term goals to continue Keystone’s success. They will oversee and manage Keystone’s scientific and educational programs, develop the annual budget and long-term financial strategies, spearhead new partnerships, be influential in fundraising for the organization, and overall, lead the evolution of the organization in terms of vision, culture, and succession. The ideal candidate will have earned a PhD and/or an MD degree (or other doctorate, e.g., PharmD, ScD, etc.) and have senior-level research and administrative experience and knowledge of a relevant research program covered by Keystone Symposia.

Korn Ferry is assisting Keystone Symposia with this important recruitment. Applications should include a detailed curriculum vitae and a letter of interest. To ensure full consideration, inquiries, nominations, and applications should be submitted electronically, in confidence, to tara.vittese@kornferry.com

Equality of opportunity is of utmost importance in the pursuit of scientific discovery and collaboration. Keystone Symposia therefore strives to provide appropriate and effective services without discrimination on the basis of an individual's geographic place of residence, national origin, race, color, gender, sexual orientation, religion, political views, marital status or other criteria protected by US law. It will thoroughly investigate and address any breaches of this policy.

Keystone Symposia on Molecular & Cellular Biology

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President and Chief Executive Officer