Baltimore City Public Schools is on the hunt for a new CEO, and the Board of School Commissioners has inked a deal with Alma Advisory Group, a consulting firm out of Chicago, to lead the search. This firm has history with the district, having already filled two pivotal roles — the chief human capital officer and executive director of special education — and will now apply its expertise to find a successor for the outgoing CEO Dr. Sonja Santelises whose contract draws to a close on June 30, 2026, according to Baltimore Fishbowl.
The search for Santelises' replacement, described by Board Chair Robert Salley as representing "a generational change for our district," is aimed at finding a leader whose vision dovetails with the aspirations of families in the Baltimore community, and inclusivity and transparency have been emphasized as the search proceeds, with the new CEO slated to assume the role on July 1, 2026, as "We're looking for a leader who can pick up that baton to help us to continue to think and shape about all those things we know families really care about," Salley told CBS News Baltimore, the Board has set its hopes on Alma Advisory Group to be a partner in this critical phase of transition.
The partnership with Alma Advisory Group isn't just about finding qualified candidates, it's a comprehensive alliance that involves developing a robust recruitment strategy, refining the job description, and ensuring a competitive stance in the market for top educational leaders; Alma Group's contract, approved on a Tuesday board meeting, comes with a $107,926 estimated price tag for the two-year scope of work, which CBS News Baltimore reported.
Earlier this March, the school board brought Kremer Communications on board to focus on community engagement concerning the CEO search Alma's role ensures that candidates are vetted based on stakeholder-provided qualities but also that there's community engagement all through the process to reflect the district’s needs and supports the board's goals for a smooth leadership transition, "The Board is thrilled to begin our partnership with Alma Advisory Group," Salley said in a statement, his enthusiasm mirrored in a commitment to a search that "reflects the voices and values of our entire community" as reported by Baltimore Fishbowl.
