Staffing Advisors is proud to have partnered with the International Society of Travel Medicine (ISTM) in the selection of its Executive Director, Michelle (Missy) Zagroba. ISTM is a $3MM international society committed to advancing the practice and science of travel medicine globally, serving more than 2,000 members from more than 100 countries. ISTM operates with seven staff members. Read more about ISTM’s leadership here.
About the Search for ISTM’s Next Executive Director
After a deep discovery process to identify the organization’s most critical business issues and strategic priorities, Staffing Advisors sought a highly experienced executive with a proven track record in business model innovation and revenue generation strategies to ensure long-term financial stability and increase the Society’s visibility, reach, and impact worldwide. Like many in the travel sector, ISTM and its members were significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The new leader would meet the challenge of evolving ISTM beyond its grassroots operational approach into an era of transformative growth as membership and revenue steadily rebound.
The search was led by Staffing Advisors Founder & President Bob Corlett, with the support of Vice President of Operations and Strategy Brooke Lockhart and the entire Staffing Advisors team.
Working closely with the search committee, board, and key stakeholders, Staffing Advisors surfaced several key focus areas in which the new leader would drive impact. A summary of each is listed below:
- Board Governance and Strategic Planning. Partnering with the Executive Board to provide stability and surface emerging issues; leading strategic planning.
- Business Model Innovation. Driving revenue diversification and assessing opportunities within the travel medicine landscape.
- Global Outreach & Cultural Awareness. Expanding global outreach by engaging diverse audiences and engaging low- and middle-income countries where travel medicine is emerging.
- Membership Value Proposition & Growth. Strengthening the membership value proposition by understanding practitioner needs and delivering targeted resources, education, events, and credentialing opportunities.
- Staff Leadership. Leading a fully remote staff by fostering a collaborative and supportive work environment, defining roles and responsibilities, and guiding the team in implementing strategic initiatives.
- Strategic Partnerships. Identifying, cultivating, and sustaining relationships with mission-aligned partners across the travel medicine sector, adjacent fields (the travel industry, travel insurance, evacuation services, etc.), the broader nonprofit community, and government agencies.