WBCP Team

Personable and Professional
Meet our outstanding team members

Wendi Brown, President

Wendi is the President of WBCP, an executive search and human resources consultancy serving clients in six states and expanding. Wendi is passionate about serving our clients’ needs while also fostering a positive work culture where WBCP staff can develop their careers and feel eager to provide exemplary customer service. She has over 20 years of experience in marketing and advertising and combines this with her background in recruiting to successfully place hard-to-fill, management, and executive-level positions. She has worked in various industries — advertising and public relations, real estate, and global manufacturing – and has experience working with nonprofit and public sector organizations since 1999. Formerly, she was an internal Human Resources Consultant for the County of Orange, California, providing countywide communications, human resources, executive search and recruiter training services to the Assistant Chief Executive Office/Human Resources Director and, at that time, 25 decentralized departments, with 17,000 employees, serving a community of 300,000. She has a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing from Colorado Technical University; has earned several certificates in Project Management, Global Business, Marketing and Human Resources; and is working toward a Master’s in Management at Southern Oregon University.

Sam Sackman, Vice President

Sam is WBCP’s Vice President, and is part of WBCP’s executive leadership team. Sam has a wealth of business and public sector experience and brings in-depth analytical and project management skills and experience supporting executive leadership with special projects, program development, contracts and administration support, including executive recruitment. Prior to joining the WBCP team, she spent five years working at Valley Water (formerly Santa Clara Valley Water District) where she was an expert in leading complex projects and organizational change management practices supporting the CEO, Chief Officers, and various departments, such as Facilities, Contracts, Human Resources, and Government Affairs. She brings a wealth of knowledge of the inner workings of government agencies, political sensitivities, and their recruitment policies and processes. Sam has a Master’s in Anthropology with an emphasis in Program Development, and an undergraduate degree in Anthropology with an emphasis in Sociology and Behavior Driven Health, both from Creighton University.

Heather Jack, Chief Operating Officer

Heather Jack is WBCP’s Chief Operating Officer and lead Project Manager. Since starting at WBCP in 2015, she has grown into an integral part of the business. Heather uses her strong organizational skills and attention to detail to support all recruitments from start to finish, coordinate timelines, and oversee the team’s productivity. Meeting clients’ deadlines and major milestones is one of Heather’s top priorities, making her our go-to person for all things calendar and project management-related. Heather also assists with projects in human resources with several municipalities in Oregon and California. Other aspects of her role include supporting employee engagement, salary and benchmark studies, and business operations. During her time at WBCP, Heather has modernized processes and scaled technology systems for the company. Prior to working with WBCP, Heather worked at Hannon Library, developing organizational, research, and interpersonal skills. Heather has a Bachelor of Science degree in Anthropology and a double minor in Environmental Studies and French from Southern Oregon University.

Terri Maus-Nisich, Senior Executive Recruiter

Here at WBCP, Terri Maus-Nisich holds a pivotal role as one of our Senior Executive Recruiters, leveraging her extensive background as a distinguished leader in local government. With a local government career spanning over 40 years, Terri’s journey includes transformative roles within the County of Santa Barbara, where she ascended from Parks Director to Assistant County Executive Officer, overseeing vital municipal and health/human service departments. Her remarkable impact encompasses leadership in Homeless Services, Communications, and Emergency Management, driving community engagement, disaster recovery, and support for vulnerable populations. Before her tenure in Santa Barbara, Terri spent 15 years with the City of Santa Clarita in roles ranging from analyst to Deputy City Manager. Throughout her remarkable career, Terri prioritized strategic planning, organizational development, and innovative problem-solving, garnering numerous awards. Holding a Bachelor’s Degree from UC Santa Barbara, a Master of Public Administration from Cal State Northridge, and a graduate certificate from Harvard University’s JFK School of Government, Terri’s commitment to excellence underscores her role as an invaluable asset in identifying top-tier executive talent for local government.

Lexie Graf, Director of Marketing & Communications

Lexie Graf is WBCP’s Director of Marketing & Communications. As a marketing professional, she has been primarily focusing on copywriting, content creation, and brand strategy in her career. Lexie has a knack for understanding each clients’ unique needs, allowing her to adapt her writing voice and branding as needed. Along with developing and overseeing the creation of social media, marketing materials, and advertising plans for WBCP, Lexie collaborates with the recruitment team in meeting clients’ needs and deadlines. Before working at WBCP, Lexie wrote for Indeed and the University of Wisconsin Colleges, helping her develop a deep understanding of career development, recruitment, and public sector careers. Throughout her marketing career, Lexie has produced a wide variety of campaigns and deliverables, such as blogs, digital and print ads, website content, brochures, social media posts, eBooks, and magazines. Notable projects throughout her career include developing content for two websites and collaborating on an email marketing campaign that won an American Advertising Award in multiple categories. Lexie has a Bachelor’s in Communications with certificates in Digital Studies and Environmental Studies from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

Maggie Alexandre, Executive Search and Class and Compensation Associate

Maggie Alexandre is a Human Resources professional with over 30 years of experience, and is WBCP’s key consultant performing all classification and compensation studies. Prior to working at WBCP, Maggie was a Human Resources Director in the San Francisco Financial District and led an 80 person team of human resource professionals. She began her career in HR at Robertson, Stephens & Company, a boutique investment bank, and continued in the HR Director role at other investment banks and private equity firms until 2016. Maggie has worked in all areas of HR as a generalist with a focus in employee relations, recruitment and classification and compensation. She has been working as an Executive Search Associate and Classification and Compensation Specialist for WBCP since 2018. Maggie studied Anthropology at California State University, Long Beach and received her Human Resources Management Certificate from California State University, San Francisco.

Lauren Gerson, Executive Recruiter/Senior Project Manager

Lauren serves as an Executive Recruiter at WBCP, where she excels in managing the entire recruitment process. Beginning her career in operations and events for renowned breweries and restaurants, she later transitioned to business operations and career services. Prior to joining WBCP, she assisted jobseekers overcoming employment barriers through a career coaching company. Lauren’s diverse background encompasses project management, client relations, resume writing, HR operations, and risk management. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy with a minor in English Literature from Whittier College, showcasing her analytical and communication skills. Her multi-faceted expertise and dedication make her an asset to WBCP’s executive recruitment endeavors.

Stephanie Lawson, Recruitment Manager

Stephanie started working for WBCP in 2019. She acts as support for all facets of the recruitment process, as well as any other tasks to assist the WBCP team. Some of her core responsibilities include candidate and panel coordination, candidate review, calendar and timeline management, and interview material preparation. Prior to working for WBCP, Stephanie had several roles in hospitality where she further developed her client relations, communications, and clerical skills. Stephanie has a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business Administration with a focus in Hospitality from Southern Oregon University.

Naomi Orr, Senior Project Manager

Naomi is one of WBCP’s Senior Project Managers and is part of WBCP’s support team. She has project management experience in report writing coupled with data entry and client relations experience. She directly supports the executive leadership team with project management, candidate coordination, and rigorous attention to detail. Prior to joining the WBCP team, she spent three years working at an environmental research laboratory where she aided clients in regulatory compliance, sample collection, and report production. Naomi holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Policy from Southern Oregon University.

Christa Youngern, Associate Recruiter/Project Manager

As an Associate Recruiter/Project Manager, Christa supports the full cycle of the recruitment process from candidate review and copywriting to interview facilitation and candidate coordination. Prior to joining WBCP, Christa worked in higher education where she recruited blue-chip athletes, built multiple championship teams, and managed complex and politically sensitive projects. She brings an incisive interpersonal skillset as well as deep experience in organizational change management and leadership. Her talent for identifying the oft intangible elements that make a person successful in their role makes her an asset to our clients. Christa has Bachelor of Arts degrees in both Political Science and English from California Lutheran University as well as a Master of Arts degree in Education from Whittier College.

Levi Kuhlman, Associate Recruiter/Project Manager

Levi serves as one of WBCP’s Associate Recruiters/Project Managers and plays an integral role in managing our recruitments. Some of his primary duties include meeting with clients, screening candidates, preparing for interviews, leading headhunting efforts, and overseeing candidate coordination. Levi’s strong interpersonal skills coupled with his eagerness to work with others helps him create lasting relationships with clients and candidates. Prior to his time with WBCP, Levi was the President of a real estate company where he oversaw a residential real estate team in the Willamette Valley. In addition to the great work he does for WBCP, our clients, and our candidates, Levi also operates a small catering company on the side. Currently, Levi is dually enrolled at Oregon State University and Western Governors University pursuing his MBA/MPA.

Karlee Beckstead, Social Media & Marketing Specialist

Karlee Beckstead is WBCP’s Social Media & Marketing Specialist. She works to build WBCP’s online presence and develop strategies to market our services, especially through online engagement with potential clients. Her duties include, creating social media posts, running ad campaigns, networking with candidates, reviewing resumes, and brainstorming new marketing strategies. Karlee has a strong interest in business growth and development, having founded and run two small businesses in the past seven years. Prior to joining the WBCP team, Karlee worked in customer service and social media management, where she sharpened her skills in customer relations, communications, and marketing. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Southern Oregon University in Communication Studies, with minors in Political Science and International Studies.

Ellen Schweikert , Copywriter

Ellen Schweikert is WBCP’s Copywriter, who works to craft compelling and engaging career brochures for clients. She strategically builds the WBCP reputation online through her internal marketing efforts, including blog writing, email marketing, and other deliverables. Prior to working at WBCP, Ellen was an entrepreneur, first building her business as a Virtual Assistant, then as a Freelance Copywriter and Content Writer, eventually contracting as a Copywriter for marketing agencies across North America. With experience in all facets of marketing, Ellen has a keen sense of how to maximize the potential of written copy and content across all channels. Ellen holds a BA in Art with an emphasis in Printmaking from Southern Oregon University. Before that, she attended Portland State University Honors College.

Ryan Brown, Recruitment & IT Coordinator

Ryan is one of WBCP’s Recruitment Coordinators. He primarily assists our recruitments by posting job advertisements, reviewing resumes, gathering and assembling interview materials, communicating with clients, and serving as our in-house tech support. Before his time here, Ryan worked in customer service where he developed customer relations and communication skills, along with how to work in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment. Ryan is enrolled at Southern Oregon University studying Political Science to further his knowledge of government, public policies, and political behavior.

Christian Vieira, Recruitment Coordinator

Christian is one of WBCP’s Recruitment Coordinators and has been with the company since 2021. The primary purpose of his role is to support WBCP’s Executive Team. His other duties include panel/candidate coordination, resume review, and time/schedule management. Christian quickly learned how to interact with WBCP clients, as he has several years of experience working in customer service. Some of his other strengths include communication, organization, and relationship building. Christian is currently enrolled at Colorado Technical University, working toward his Bachelor’s in Business Administration with a focus on Project Management.

Jami Gilman, Recruitment Assistant

Jami is one of WBCP’s Recruitment Assistants, bringing her passion for organization and efficiency to keep our recruitments moving smoothly. Throughout her career, Jami supported high-level executives in various industries, including finance, healthcare, and technology. She is skilled in prioritizing competing tasks, managing complex calendars, and handling confidential information with discretion. She is known for her dedication to her community, positive attitude, and proactive approach. She takes pride in her work and is committed to providing exceptional support to the entire WBCP team.

Casey Lei, Recruitment Assistant

Casey is one of WBCP’s Recruitment Assistants whose primary focus is supporting WBCP’s Executive Recruiters. She excels in panel and candidate coordination, resume review, and schedule management. Casey’s rich career history includes prior roles as a skilled secretary and housing assistant at the Jackson County Housing Authority. She has also actively engaged in the non-profit sector, demonstrating her passion for making a positive impact in the community. For the last 15 years Casey has been an entrepreneur, having founded and operated her own photography business. Casey’s entrepreneurial background has honed her talents in business growth, brand development, and outstanding customer service, making her an invaluable asset to the WBCP team.

Maria Reyes, Executive Assistant & Scheduler

Maria is the Executive Assistant & Scheduler at WBCP, bringing a wealth of experience in calendar management, event coordination, and organizational expertise. With a proven track record of seamlessly handling competing priorities, Maria’s meticulous attention to detail and adeptness in processing confidential information make her an invaluable asset to the team. Her strong interpersonal and communication skills foster a collaborative work environment, while her dedication to precision and efficiency help to ensure smooth operations at WBCP. Maria’s ability to anticipate needs and proactively streamline processes showcases her exceptional foresight and problem-solving abilities, contributing significantly to the seamless functioning of the organization.

Human Resources / IT / Organizational Development

Carl Crown, Human Resources, IT & Facilitation Consultant

Carl has over 35 years of experience in Human Resources and Training. He served as Director of Human Resources for the County of Orange (retired), where he supported 25 decentralized departments in all human resource capacities. His many accomplishments include redesigning and implementing the County’s new selection rules (a comprehensive approach to marketing open positions), streamlining the selection process, recruiter assessment, and overall improvement in the efficiencies and effectiveness of recruiting throughout the County. During his time with the U.S. Coast Guard, Carl served as the Commanding Officer for Coast Guard bases in Honolulu, HI and Southern California, before ultimately retiring as the Director of Training and Development.

Throughout his career he worked on various initiatives including agency and department reorganizations, comprehensive classification and compensation reviews, job redesign efforts and decentralization of Human Resources functions. He also oversaw application development and support and business development, and was responsible for day-to-day operations of the Orange County Data Center and delivery of all Wide Area Network services across the County.

He holds a Master’s of Arts, Organizational and Human Resource Development from George Washington University; a Bachelor’s of Science, Biology, University of Florida.

Cindy Charan, MA, Senior Human Resources Consultant

Cindy Charan is a Senior HR Consultant with WBCP, Inc., bringing 18+ years of human resources management experience, the last 13 years of which have been in an executive management capacity in public sector human resources.

As an HR practitioner, Cindy is passionate about helping organizations with talent management by attracting, retaining, and developing their human capital through workforce development, transforming and modernizing human resources (nuts and bolts), and helping to advance the long-term health and performance of the organization. She has notable experience in strategic human resources planning, organizational development, change management facilitation, workforce development, performance management, recruitment/retention, and executive coaching.

Prior to joining WBCP, Cindy served as the Human Resources Director with the State Bar of California where she managed all aspects of human resources functions. Previously, Cindy served as the Human Resource Director for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission with the City and County of San Francisco, and as the Human Resources Director with the Alameda County Health Care Services Agency. In all her positions, Cindy focused on developing a best practice approach in the modernization of human resources, organizational development, compliance, policy development, talent management, recruitment/retention, strategic planning, staff development, labor and employee relations, performance management, and HRIS systems design and implementation.

She holds a Master’s Degree in Human Resources and Organizational Development from the University of San Francisco and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from University of Phoenix. Cindy is a member of the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM). Cindy is also a member of the California Public Employers Labor Relations Association (CalPELRA), and International Public Management Association – HR (NCCIPMA).

Organizational Leadership

Christy Wurster, City Manager Consultant

Christy Wurster is a consultant aiding in the recruitment of city managers and other organizational leaders. She has worked in local government in Oregon since 1995 and has served in various positions up to and including City Manager. She also helps cities going through leadership transitions and works as an interim city manager until they can recruit a new manager. Christy holds a master’s degree in Public Administration from Portland State University and a bachelor’s degree from Western Baptist College (now Corban University). She has served as president for the Oregon City/County Management Association, the Oregon Public Purchasing Association, and the Silverton Rotary Club. She also held one of three city manager positions on the League of Oregon Cities Board of Directors between 2015 and 2018. Christy is known for her work in budget development and oversite as well as project management of infrastructure projects. She loves traveling and helping cities secure excellent leaders!

Public Safety & Fire

Chief William O. Landis, Public Safety Consultant

Chief Landis specializes in public safety searches including police, EMS, medical examiner, 911 dispatch, and fire leadership positions. With over 30 years of law enforcement and Fire experience, he has served in multiple roles including Police Officer, Firefighter, School Resource Officer, Corporal, Patrol Sergeant, Detective, Detective Sergeant, SWAT Team Member/ Commander, Negotiations Team Member, Operations Lieutenant, Deputy Chief, Police Chief, and Public Safety Director. Chief Landis was certified as a Firefighter I, Deputy Medical Examiner and holds an Executive Management Certification from DPSST (highest police certification in Oregon). He is a former member of the International Association of Police (IACP), Oregon Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP), and served as an adjunct criminology professor at Rogue Community College for 10 years.

While serving as Public Safety Director, he created programs such as a “Sobering Center” which required changes in legislation but was an alternative to arrests, mobile food kitchens which served food to the homeless without impacting specific neighborhoods, a Nuisance Intervention Team which addressed nuisance issues affecting the community, and created a “School Marshal Program” which utilizes retired police officers to assist with school safety at an affordable price.

He served 25 years in the United States Navy (6 years active and 19 in the Reserves). He retired from the Navy in 2008 as a Navy Chief Submariner having served in the Navy’s nuclear submarine service.

He holds a Master’s degree in Justice Administration and Crime Management from Bellevue University, a Bachelor’s degree in Fire Service Administration from Eastern Oregon University, and an Associate’s degree in Criminal Justice from Rogue Community College.

William Racowschi, Fire Consultant

William Racowschi is one of WBCP’s Fire and Public Safety Consultants, bringing over 35 years of public sector experience. William served as the Fire Chief, and previously the Administrative Division Chief, for the City of Torrance before his retirement in 2015. As the Department’s Administrative Division Chief, William was responsible for its Direction, Control and Communications programs. In that capacity, he was responsible for the administrative and communication functions of the Torrance Fire Department. He oversaw the directing, testing, and hiring of personnel as well as integrating the Department’s dispatching function with the Police Department’s public safety communication center. As a Shift Battalion Chief, he directed the Department’s Fire Suppression and Technical Rescue programs, overseeing training, budget, inventory, and implementation of new systems that brought efficiency to departmental operations. During his time as Fire Captain, he served as a Station Supervisor for an area responsible for a 150,000 barrels-per-day production refinery. While serving as the Department’s Training Coordinator, he was responsible for training several fire recruits classes. William holds a bachelor’s degree in vocational studies from California State University, Long Beach.

Health & Human Services

Patrick Duterte, Health and Human Services Consultant

Patrick has over 35 years of experience in Health and Human Services in California public sector organizations. He served as the Director of Health and Social Services for Solano County, where he directed an integrated department (including public health, social services and behavioral health) and oversaw over 1,200 staff and a budget exceeding $280 MM. Previously, he worked as Director of Employment and Benefit Services in Santa Clara County, and additionally has managed child welfare programs and employment programs in San Francisco and San Mateo counties.

Highlights of Patrick’s public sector service include:

• Pioneering the first national model for insuring all children; Santa Clara County’s Children’s Health Initiative.
• Transforming the County health clinics into Federally Qualified Health Centers as well as integrating behavioral health with physical health. (One of the first nationally). These transformations not only made “self-sustaining” programs but delivered higher quality services and outcomes.
• Appointed to the National Association of Counties (NACo) – Health Steering Committee, Chair of Health Disparities Subcommittee, President’s Advisory Committee on Transitional Foster Youth, and President’s Advisory Committee on Healthy Communities.
• Winner of two prestigious awards: SPUR Award- 1991-Managerial Efficiency Award (San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association); 2014 CSAC Circle of Service Award (California State Association of Counties).

Patrick served his country in Vietnam and received his Bachelor’s from the University of California and a Master’s from San Francisco State University.

Susan Klein Rothschild (MSW), Health & Human Services Consultant

Susan is one of WBCP’s strategic partners, helping our firm with health & human services recruitments. With a career of more than 40 years of improving the well-being of others, Susan has been a leader in health & human service programs including child welfare, human services, and mental health. Susan served as an executive in state and local government across three states. She was Manager of Child Welfare Services for the state of Colorado, providing leadership, vision, and guidelines for 64 counties serving 50,000 children statewide. She also served as the Director of the Department of Family Services with over 500 full-time staff and a budget of more than $132 million, in Clark County (Las Vegas), Nevada. She was Deputy Director at the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department leading all Community Health programs and initiatives serving a California community of approximately 450,000 residents. Susan also expanded her horizons as Managing Director of Executive Education at Stanford University, in the Graduate School of Business. Susan earned her Master’s in Social Work at San Diego State University. Finding, nurturing, and mentoring others to be servant leaders in local communities is ultimately what Susan does best!

Library

Rivkah Sass, Library Consultant

Rivkah Sass received her master’s degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Washington and spent 40 years working in public and state library environments throughout the country as well as in the private sector as a product manager. For the past 12 years, Rivkah has been the Library Director & CEO of Sacramento Public Library, the first library to receive the Gerald M. Kline Community Impact Prize (2019). Rivkah was also Library Journal’s 2006 Librarian of the Year, the 2018 University of Washington iSchool Distinguished Alumna, and the 2020 recipient of the Public Library Association’s Charlie Robinson Award.