Stanford University launched a national search to appoint its next Jaquish & Kenninger Director of Athletics—and selected Elevate to partner with a committee charged with finding transformative leadership. Their goal: to navigate a complex and rapidly changing collegiate athletics landscape with vision and business acumen.

Stanford was seeking a “nontraditional” athletics director who could lead the department through generational shifts in college sports—think NIL, conference realignment, and revenue sharing—while staying true to the university’s scholar-athlete ideal. The ideal candidate needed not just experience in athletics, but executive-level business leadership, strategic insight, and Stanford ties, making the search particularly nuanced and high-stakes.

The process culminated in the selection of John Donahoe, former CEO of Nike (and other global companies), who brings elite leadership experience, a deep understanding of Stanford (as a GSB alum), and a vision to build financial sustainability, increase external engagement, and support Stanford’s 36‑sport athletics model.