Chief Executive Officer

Korn Ferry has partnered with our client on their search for the role, Chief Executive Officer.

Purpose of the Position

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) serves as the organization’s chief executive, strategic leader, and primary ambassador, responsible for advancing its mission, strengthening the respiratory care profession, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of one of the nation’s most influential healthcare professional associations. Reporting to the President of the Board of Directors, the CEO will lead a complex, member-driven organization supporting more than 41,000 respiratory care professionals through education, advocacy, professional development, accreditation, publications, and thought leadership. The CEO will work closely with volunteer leaders, staff, members, industry partners, educators, policymakers, and healthcare stakeholders to maintain AARC’s position as the leading voice for respiratory care. As the organization enters a pivotal period of opportunity and transformation, the CEO will guide AARC through evolving healthcare delivery, workforce, technology, and member engagement dynamics, with responsibility for driving membership growth, enhancing educational offerings, diversifying revenue, modernizing technology, elevating advocacy, and reinforcing the value of respiratory care across the healthcare continuum.

The CEO will serve as the steward of AARC’s culture, people, and organizational effectiveness, fostering trust, collaboration, and alignment across staff, volunteer leadership, specialty sections, the House of Delegates, and industry partners. Building on AARC’s strong foundation in education, accreditation, and member service, the CEO will lead thoughtful change that strengthens organizational performance while preserving the culture, relationships, and mission that underpin the organization’s success. In partnership with the Board and executive leadership team, the CEO will ensure strong governance, financial stewardship, accountability, and execution of strategic priorities, while providing continuity across changing volunteer leadership cycles and maintaining an unwavering focus on AARC’s mission, its members, and the patients whose lives depend on respiratory care expertise.

Key Responsibilities

The Chief Executive Officer will provide visionary, mission-driven, and disciplined leadership for AARC, ensuring the organization remains the premier professional association for respiratory care while operating as a high-performing, financially sustainable enterprise. In partnership with the Board of Directors, volunteer leaders, and executive leadership team, the CEO will guide the organization's strategic direction, strengthen its educational and advocacy impact, foster a culture of collaboration and accountability, and position AARC for continued growth and relevance within an evolving healthcare landscape.

• Lead the development and execution of AARC's strategic vision, ensuring organizational priorities align with the evolving needs of respiratory therapists, healthcare systems, educators, students, and industry partners.
• Translate mission, strategy, and market opportunities into measurable outcomes that strengthen member value, organizational relevance, and professional impact.
• Anticipate emerging trends affecting healthcare delivery, professional education, workforce development, artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and other technologies to proactively position AARC for future success.
• Balance innovation, growth, and operational discipline while preserving the mission-driven culture and organizational strengths that have historically defined AARC.

Governance, Volunteer Leadership and Board Partnership

• Partner closely with the Board of Directors to support effective governance, strategic oversight, fiduciary responsibility, and organizational accountability, while maintaining distinction between the Board’s governance role and the CEO responsibility for operational leadership and performance.
• Foster productive, transparent relationships with volunteer leaders, the House of Delegates, specialty sections, committees, and advisory groups.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to volunteer leadership while ensuring continuity and effective execution across changing governance cycles.

Financial Stewardship and Revenue Diversification

• Ensure the long-term financial sustainability of the organization through disciplined fiscal management, strategic investment, and operational excellence.
• Develop and implement strategies that diversify revenue streams across membership, education, meetings, sponsorships, partnerships, products, and other growth opportunities.
• Lead annual budgeting, forecasting, financial planning, and performance management processes that support strategic priorities and prudent stewardship of resources.
• Establish clear performance measures and accountability systems that support sustainable organizational growth and operational effectiveness.

Culture and Talent Development

• Lead, inspire, and retain a high-performing executive leadership team and professional staff committed to excellence, innovation, and service.
• Strengthen organizational alignment by breaking down silos, improving cross-functional collaboration, and ensuring staff are empowered to contribute to strategic outcomes.
• Promote professional growth, succession planning, and leadership development to ensure the long-term strength and stability of the organization.
• Champion data-informed decision-making and continuous process improvement across all areas of the enterprise.

Advocacy, External Engagement, and Industry Leadership

• Alongside the President, serve as a spokesperson and ambassador for AARC, representing the organization with members, healthcare leaders, industry partners, policymakers, educators, and regulatory stakeholders.
• Advance AARC's advocacy priorities and strengthen its influence on legislative, regulatory, and professional issues impacting respiratory care and healthcare delivery.
• Build and cultivate strategic partnerships that enhance the organization's reach, visibility, member value proposition, and long-term sustainability.
• Advance initiatives that strengthen the respiratory care workforce and position the profession for the future, evolving models of care, career paths, new technologies, and opportunities to elevate the visibility, credibility, and impact of the profession throughout the healthcare ecosystem.

The Candidate

Experience and Professional Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated record of senior executive leadership within a professional association, healthcare organization, membership society, certifying body, educational organization, nonprofit enterprise, or similarly complex, stakeholder-driven environment, with the ability to navigate governance structures, align diverse constituencies, and translate strategy into measurable organizational outcomes.

Equally important, the successful CEO will be an authentic and trusted relationship builder who values transparency, collaboration, and thoughtful change while fostering a culture of accountability, innovation, and high performance. The leader must understand the unique responsibility of guiding an organization that operates both as a sophisticated business enterprise and as the national voice for a profession, balancing financial sustainability, revenue diversification, membership growth, and operational modernization with an unwavering commitment to advancing respiratory care, supporting professional excellence, and delivering exceptional value to members.

Candidates should possess many of the following qualifications and characteristics:

• Progressive executive leadership experience within a professional association, membership organization, healthcare organization, nonprofit enterprise, educational institution, certifying body, or similarly complex stakeholder-driven organization.
• Demonstrated success partnering closely with a Board of Directors and navigating volunteer governance environments characterized by multiple constituencies and competing priorities.
• Strong business and financial acumen, including experience overseeing budgeting, forecasting, resource allocation, revenue generation, and long-term organizational sustainability.
• Experience leading membership-based organizations, including initiatives related to member recruitment, retention, engagement, and value creation preferred.
• Demonstrated success identifying and developing diversified revenue streams, including education, events, sponsorships, partnerships, publications, certifications, or other mission-aligned business opportunities.
• Experience working within healthcare, allied health, clinical education, workforce development, professional credentialing, accreditation, or related sectors is preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to serve as an effective spokesperson, relationship builder, and ambassador with members, elected leaders, industry partners, healthcare executives, regulators, educators, and other external stakeholders.
• Knowledge of respiratory care is not required; however, candidates should demonstrate a genuine interest in healthcare, professional advancement, workforce issues, clinical education, and the future of the respiratory therapy profession.

Education

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university is required.
• An advanced degree in business administration, healthcare administration, public health, nonprofit management, association management, education, or a related discipline is preferred.

Compensation

• The estimated base compensation will be $300k - $350k. AARC offers a comprehensive benefits package.