Building Relationships That Drive Great Hires: Team Spotlight on Serena Moy

At Edgility, our people are at the heart of everything we do. Each team member brings not only skill and expertise but also passion and care for the organizations and communities we serve. Serena Moy has been with Edgility since the early days, recently celebrating her 9 year anniversary with our team, and her much deserved promotion to Associate Partner. As a long-time team member, her commitment, wisdom, and leadership have shaped countless searches and left a lasting mark on both our firm and the clients we partner with.

In this special spotlight, Serena shares insights from her career, what inspires her work, and how she and the Edgility team make an impact for mission-driven organizations every day.

Lessons Learned and Carried Forward

With years of experience at Edgility, Serena has developed a deep understanding of what it takes to lead a successful search. At the top of her list? Building strong relationships from the very beginning. “It’s imperative to take the time to establish trust with the hiring manager and the team that will be responsible for engaging in the search process,” she reflects, “trust becomes essential in navigating critical conversations about candidates and decisions later in the process”.

She also highlights the importance of clear communication and thoughtful timelines. By setting milestones and holding dates early, she ensures teams can stay focused and organized, even when unexpected delays arise. “It’s important for us to maintain our timeline, finishing on-time, or even better, wrapping up sooner than anticipated. A new leader is integral to maintaining and growing operations. We want to make sure that we’re finding the right person within the timeline so that mission-critical work can continue.”

Living the Find/Hire/Keep Philosophy

At the core of her work is Edgility’s mantra: Find. Hire. Keep. For Serena, success means helping clients cast a wide net to find the right people, ensuring the hiring process is inclusive and equitable, and most importantly, seeing placed leaders thrive in their roles a year or more down the line.

“There’s nothing better than hearing from a board member, hiring manager, or the candidate themselves that the process felt meaningful and that the placement is happy in their role,” she says.

A Team with Heart and Soul

When asked what makes Edgility different from other search firms, Serena is quick to point to the people. “This team has a lot of heart and soul. We are hard working and want to do a good job, executing on the process and timeline that we’ve presented to our clients. Each team member is highly capable, and it shows every day.”

But it’s not just about the work. It’s also about connection. Whether bowling together, sharing meals, or laughing in meetings, this team finds joy in being together, and that camaraderie shines through in client relationships as well.

Inspired by People and Purpose

For Serena, the “why” behind the work is crystal clear: people. From her colleagues at Edgility, to the candidates she shepherds through the search process, to the organizational leaders she partners with, it’s the human connections that fuel her passion. Knowing that her work ultimately supports organizations serving vulnerable communities makes it even more meaningful.

“I have recruited for many different industries throughout my career, but I have found recruiting for schools and mission-driven organizations to be the most fulfilling,” she shares. “I feel really passionate about these engagements, because I know their work directly affects the communities they serve, and the right leader is so impactful in leading that important work.”

• Check out the lasting impact of one of her placements, Omar Wandera of SEO Scholars, SF. Read it here!

Looking Ahead and Celebrating the Impact

As for the future, Serena hopes Edgility continues to grow in reach and reputation. “My hope is that the Edgility Search team continues to be recognized as a ‘go to’ firm for social impact organizations seeking out search and talent consulting services.”

Her advice to organizations considering a search is simple: “If you have questions, just reach out! This is what we excel at and we would love to map out a thoughtful process and timeline for your search.” 

• Learn more about our service lines and unique approach. Or read more of Serena’s apt advice for board members, what it means to run a timely search, and why you have to stop looking for a unicorn!

Serena embodies the very best of Edgility. She is dedicated, thoughtful, relationship-driven, and deeply motivated by the mission-driven organizations we serve. Her passion and dedication shines through every engagement and her clients think so, too. Here’s what a few of them had to say:

• “We had 5 highly talented semi-finalist candidates of color who were mission aligned and well prepared. In the finalist round, we had two great candidates and the choice was difficult. This was the best search of my career. Huge props to Serena and her team.” - PBLWorks

• “We appreciated Edgility's in-depth process to make sure we got the best candidate. Thank you to Serena and the team!” -Georgia Charter Schools Association

• “It’s always a pleasure working with Serena and Nora!” - Kindango

Serena’s commitment to her clients, reminds us that search is about more than filling a role. It is about building trust, advancing equity, and ultimately helping organizations find, hire, and keep the leaders they need to thrive. We are grateful for Serena’s lasting contributions and look forward to many more years of impact together. 

If you’d like to connect with Serena, reach out to us here or follow her on LinkedIn.