Meet our team.
Agile and relationship-driven, the Ksquared team brings artistry to executive recruiting. We paint a comprehensive picture of your organizational needs and then apply it to each search, finding top talent for dynamic organizations nationwide.
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Deborah Kaufman
Founder & CEO
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Avi Rosenzweig
Chief Operating Officer
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Kathryn Stauss
Managing Director
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Lisa Linehan
Principal, Head of Business Development
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Mark Rounds
Principal
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Wendy Zang
Principal
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Jeff Minich
Principal
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Vicky Brooks
Principal
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Wendy Clark
Research & Recruitment Coordinator
Deborah Kaufman
Founder & CEO
For over two decades, Deborah has been a trusted talent advisor to senior executives from venture-backed disruptive start-ups to global Fortune 500 organizations. Her passion, drive, and laser-like focus on delivering extraordinary talent to her clients led her to eventually launch Ksquared Search. Deborah’s mission has been to build a best-in-class team that provides a personalized, creative, and high-touch experience to her clients while delivering against their critical executive talent needs. Today, Ksquared Search headquarters are in New York City, with consultants in multiple locations across the U.S. who serve clients at a global scale.
Prior to launching Ksquared Search in 2006, Deborah was a partner in an international executive search firm based in New York City. During her tenure, Deborah opened and managed multiple offices in South Africa and Europe, and went on to become the COO and managing partner of the company. Deborah began her career in the retail industry working with Toys “R” Us and eventually joined NIKE in their corporate headquarters, where she focused on various aspects of Human Resources, including Talent Acquisition, Learning & Development, and Executive Leadership Development.
Deborah serves on the board of the Boy Scouts of America, while also actively supporting United Way. Deborah received a BA in Organizational Psychology from Missouri State University and completed her Master’s work in Organizational Development at NYU.
Avi Rosenzweig
Chief Operating Officer
Avi serves as the Chief Operating Officer for Ksquared Search. She manages the day-to-day for our professional recruiters and brings a wealth of experience in operational and internal financial management. As part of the Ksquared executive search network, she oversees internal research, clients, candidates, and financial management processes — allowing our client-facing teams to leverage structured, scalable service platforms.
Joining the executive search industry from the nonprofit sector, Avi held various senior administrative and management positions prior to her time at Ksquared Search. Her experience shines in the design and implementation of educational training programs, database management and optimization, office management, and project management.
Kathryn Stauss
Managing Director
Kathryn has a passion for pushing businesses into new eras of growth. As managing director, she plays a key role in cultivating relationships by educating, counseling, and problem-solving for both candidates and clients.
Previously, Kathryn was a human resources business partner at American Express, working with their Global Marketing and Strategic Mergers, Acquisitions, and Alliances organizations. She also held similar roles within the Finance organization, Worldwide Staff Groups, Global Brand, Marketing and Digital Partnerships organization, Global Compliance & Ethics organization, and the Strategic Planning Group. In those roles, Kathryn advised leadership teams on a broad range of matters — from organization design and effectiveness to talent acquisition. Prior to becoming an HR business partner, Kathryn was part of the company’s Global Executive Recruitment team, where she developed the company’s executive search network and assisted in placing numerous candidates in leadership roles across the company.
Before American Express, Kathryn was a member of the legal search practice at Spencer Stuart leading global executive search firm. There she specialized in senior-level legal and compliance searches across industry sectors.
Lisa Linehan
Principal, Head of Business Development
With strengths in human resources and marketing, Lisa has a passion for sourcing and developing candidates. Since joining Ksquared Search, she’s maintained an impressive track record of placements in Fortune 500 companies and nonprofit organizations alike.
Lisa began her executive search career with Heidrick & Struggles in the Life Sciences practice in Los Angeles. Earlier in her career, she was selected for J.P. Morgan’s management training program in New York and London and subsequently managed investments for foundations and individuals for the J.P. Morgan Private Bank in Los Angeles.
Lisa has previously led marketing and project management for the Grammy Foundation, the House of Blues, the National Association of Social Workers, and MENTOR. Inspired by her work with women and children, Lisa wrote and recorded an album called “Attachment Theory” to enrich families through music. She also actively volunteers as director of Chick Singer Night — the world’s longest-running talent showcase for women. Lisa earned a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from the University of Virginia and a Master of Social Work from UCLA.
Mark Rounds
Principal
Mark serves as our data, digital, and analytics leader, executing cross-industry searches with experience targeting Financial Services, Technology, Retail, and Management Consulting talent. In addition, Mark has extensive experience developing innovative leaders for product management, GM, and P&L roles in Financial Services and FinTech companies, with a particular focus on Payments, Global Transaction Banking, and Retail Banking/Lending businesses. He is accustomed to leading searches for Fortune 100 and early/mid-stage companies in the U.S. and internationally, as well as working with private equity and portfolio companies.
Mark entered the executive search industry with a position at Muller & Associates in New York City, focused on Global Financial Services. Mark graduated from Tulane University with a double major in History and Psychology. He currently resides in Miami Beach, FL with his wife and two young sons.
Wendy Zang
Principal
A key member of Ksquared Search’s Communications and HR practices, Wendy has a track record of securing exceptional talent for Fortune 500 clients, as well as private equity-owned companies. She emphasizes diversity in every search she executes, and her strengths include developing creative recruitment strategies, building collaborative relationships, and securing hard-to-find talent. Building off her history as a journalist and leader at major news organizations such as Knight Ridder and McClatchy, Wendy now applies her tenacity and passion for storytelling to the challenge of executive search.
Wendy previously worked with a boutique search firm, where she placed senior leaders at public and private organizations. She specialized in placing candidates in highly technical roles as well as women in male-dominated fields. Her work led to speaking engagements at national and regional conferences, including Women Who Build and Professional Women in Construction.
Wendy holds a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Ohio University, as well as an Advanced Certificate in Executive Search and Leadership Consulting from Cornell University. She lives with her husband and son in Pittsburgh, PA.
Jeff Minich
Principal
Jeff took the helm of the Ksquared Search Financial Services Practice in 2008, and since that time, he’s played a key role in establishing the firm as a leader in financial services recruiting. Jeff has also helped to build Ksquared Search’s Diversity Practice, designing and leading the execution of strategies that deliver partial and fully diverse slates for the firm’s clients across various industries. Jeff is one of our most talented, experienced recruiters — envisioning and executing highly targeted sourcing and candidate development strategies for unique or complex leadership positions.
Prior to Ksquared Search, Jeff served in a series of search execution leadership roles for several well-regarded financial services recruiting firms based in New York City. He served as a principal for Muller & Associates in the firm’s Financial Services Practice, as a manager of the North American Research & Recruiting Group for Egon Zehnder, as a senior associate at Ray & Berndtson, and as a search and research manager for TMP Executive Search. Before working in executive search, Jeff performed global business analyses for American Express, worked as an associate in Morgan Stanley’s Real Estate Investment Bank, and worked as a writer for the Economist Intelligence Unit.
Vicky Brooks
Principal
With a focus on human resources, communications, and marketing, Vicky brings a unique perspective to our team of professional recruiters. Her entrepreneurial thirst for understanding market position aids her in placing highly qualified candidates in premium organizations — leveraging brand and strategy to drive results.
Before joining Ksquared Search, Vicky owned a boutique consultancy firm focused on candidate generation and executive search network expansion. Her early career included strategy, sales, and client management at Xerox Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, and the Hershey Company.
Wendy Clark
Research & Recruitment Coordinator
Wendy serves as the research and recruitment coordinator for Ksquared Search, executing processes behind the scenes to keep our executive search network operating smoothly. She supports our team of professional recruiters in all things, handling the details and logistics within each search for increased efficiency and a positive client experience.
Throughout her time in the executive search industry, Wendy has demonstrated a history of success in human resources and full-charge bookkeeping. Her organizational skills and attention to detail have proved to be crucial components in providing both clients and candidates with exceptional service.
Beyond the executive search industry.
As a woman-owned business advancing diversity in the workforce, we’re driven to develop leaders and drive growth while making a difference. Fueled by a connection to our community, we strive to engage with causes close to our hearts — making an impact by sponsoring multiple non-profit organizations that support the health and happiness of Americans everywhere.
Start your search.
Every executive search starts with a connection. Our team is ready to assess your needs, expectations, and preferences to identify your organization’s ideal leadership candidate.