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About Us

DGW Group provides first class executive search to organizations across the nation.

Our Story

Founded in 2012, DGW Group (DGWG) is a national Black female-owned retained executive search firm committed to identifying and placing diverse talent. Many of our clients have personally sought our services because they know that we can deliver on their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

We specialize in placing C-level leaders, primarily CFOs and COOs, in several sectors including nonprofit, social & racial justice, philanthropy, and education. We build deep relationships with our clients and provide a customized approach for each assignment.

Our Value Propositions

  • We get to know our clients, understand their talent needs, and work in partnership with them to fill the role.

  • Our CEO is a seasoned business executive with a background in finance and operations. She understands the soft and hard skills needed to be successful in C-level roles.

  • Each client is unique, so we listen deeply and design a customized search process that meets their needs.

  • We are passionate about building talent pools of mission-driven leaders who look like and have similar life experiences as the organization’s constituents.

  • We ensure a positive candidate experience, which increases the client's chances of hiring the best talent.

  • We support clients in building an equitable and inclusive hiring process.

  • We work with a sense of urgency and typically close searches within 3-4 months and have a 98% closure rate. More than 85% of our placements identify as people of color.

Our CEO

Headshot of DGW Group CEO, DeRonda Williams

DeRonda Williams has over 20 years of business experience across multiple industries. She served as Finance Director for the KIPP Foundation, a national charter school organization for five years. Prior to joining KIPP, DeRonda spent over ten years at Pearson Education as a business unit CFO for the K-12 and college publishing divisions. She also has experience in manufacturing, where she worked as an Industrial Engineer for Olin Corporation.  

In 2012, DeRonda founded DGW Group (DGWG) and is the organization’s CEO. DGWG provides executive recruiting services and specializes in placing diverse C-level leaders, primarily CFOs and COOs, in organizations across the country. DeRonda is actively involved as a volunteer and board member with several community organizations. She is a 2018 Pahara-Aspen Education Fellow and a board member and board Treasurer of Education Leaders of Color (EdLoC). DeRonda has a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Northwestern University and an MBA in Finance from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. She and her husband have three children and live in Las Vegas.