The Nexus board unanimously voted Thursday for board chair Anita Byrne to manage the Nexus Louisiana staff in an unpaid role as the organization prepares to transition to a new president and CEO.
Calvin Mills, the organization’s management consultant who handled leadership responsibilities for two years, announced last month that he would not renew his month-to-month contract. His last day with the organization was Wednesday. Byrne’s role is effective immediately. She will work out of the Nexus office a few days per week.
Also, on Thursday, the board approved the selection committee’s recommendation of Tony Zanders and David Collins as finalists in the CEO search.
The selection committee interviewed six candidates on Tuesday and Wednesday before recommending Collins and Zanders.
Zanders is the founder and CEO of Skilltype, a New Orleans-based software company that develops tools for librarians and their teams to analyze, develop and share expertise.
Collins is a management consultant for entrepreneurial development at Innovate Mississippi, a nonprofit organization that assists technology entrepreneurs and emerging companies in the state.
The other candidates interviewed were:
- Na’Tisha Natt
- Cassie Alsfeld
- Coreata Houser
- Bjorn Simmons
Board member and selection committee co-chair Anita Tillman anticipates a new president and CEO will be approved at next month’s board meeting. The board will conduct in-person interviews in February based on the availability of the candidates and the board.
Nexus has been without a permanent president and CEO since Genevieve Silverman departed in June 2022 after 14 years with the organization including three as CEO.
