Our Team

Suzanne is the Founder and President of Acumen Executive Search, a premier boutique firm known for placing high-impact executives and building leadership teams that align with organizational purpose and culture, as well as Hiring for Good podcast co-host. With more than two decades of experience in executive recruiting, strategic planning, and business leadership, Suzanne is widely regarded as an industry-agnostic, trusted advisor to companies seeking transformative talent.

Throughout her career, Suzanne has distinguished herself through her keen strategic insight, her unwavering commitment to excellence, and her ability to foster lasting, trust-based relationships. She brings to the search process not only a sharp business acumen but also a profound sense of heart and purpose. Clients and candidates alike consistently describe Suzanne as someone who makes people feel deeply seen, heard, and supported—someone who leads with integrity and puts people first.

Her philosophy is simple but powerful: “Givers gain, and if you do the right thing, you will be rewarded.” That ethos is at the core of everything she does. Under Suzanne’s leadership, Acumen has earned a reputation for delivering not just top-tier executive placements, but long-term success stories. In fact, 93% of the executives placed by Acumen remain with their companies three years later—a testament to the firm’s commitment to values-aligned hiring and strategic onboarding.

A champion for women in leadership, Suzanne is passionate about elevating smart, innovative, and caring female professionals across industries. She is the co-founder of Leaders and Executives Across Professions (LEAP), a mentorship initiative designed to support and empower professional women through peer connection and shared leadership insights.

In addition to her work at Acumen, Suzanne is actively engaged in the broader business and nonprofit communities. She is a Past President and Board Member of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) Oregon chapter, is a member of Vistage, an Executive Group Leader of ProVisors, and a Board Member of the Pacific Northwest Defense Coalition (PNDC). In every role, she brings her trademark mix of strategic thinking, collaborative energy, and heartfelt service.

Suzanne’s leadership style exemplifies what modern business needs: a balance of head and heart, results and relationships, strategy and service. More than a connector—Suzanne is a powerful catalyst for growth, and a force for good in the professional world.

Tanis Morris is Acumen’s Business Development and Hiring for Good podcast co-host. She resonates with Acumen’s mission of providing high-quality, mission-driven executive search services. She is proud to participate in the process of bringing transformative and impactful leaders to client organizations, to work for a certified Woman Owned Business with a laudable history of placing women and people from underrepresented populations in executive positions, and to collaborate with the dynamic and dedicated Acumen team.

Tanis began her career in corporate sales but quickly transitioned to working with startups. Her early experiences with bringing a product to market, consulting with clients to understand and deliver value, and creating sustainable revenue streams, informed and continues to shape her passion for business development, but her strongest motivation is connecting with and developing strong relationships with clients and contacts.

A true believer in the power of the written word, Tanis has worked as a copy editor and writer for many years. She has written for newspapers, magazines, and websites and served as a contract and on-staff grant writer over the past decade and a half. She also owned a business sourcing and selling sustainably raised meat, and served as a marketing and business development consultant to a wide variety of clients while she was home with her children.

Tanis is an active volunteer who has dedicated time and effort to various causes close to her heart for nearly 20 years. She has served as an elected public official and school board member since 2012, overseeing the successful search for her district’s new superintendent in 2022. She has been an engaged non-profit board member for the last eight years, leading a wide variety of fundraising efforts and opportunities for community involvement. She is a mission-driven leader who believes in working backward from the goal and in the power of a detailed plan. She looks forward to meeting new clients and connecting with leaders and friends in the Portland business community.

Acumen Executive Search is proud to welcome Farrah Burke as our new Director of Business Development. Farrah brings more than 25 years of experience spanning Government, Technology, Retail, Health, and Service industries. Known for her strategic vision and operational leadership, she is recognized as a trusted advisor and respected executive with a deep commitment to organizational excellence.

Farrah’s career began with the Oregon Secretary of State as an auditor, but she quickly transitioned into Technology leadership. She has held impactful roles at organizations ranging from boutique agencies like Metal Toad to large-scale enterprises such as A-dec, the second-largest private company in Oregon, and Nike, where she served for nearly a decade as both a consultant and salaried employee. Most recently, Farrah served as the CEO of the Sherwood Chamber of Commerce, where she drove community and business engagement at the highest level.

Throughout her career, Farrah has served in key executive roles, including CEO, VP of Operations, and Chief of Staff, experiences that now fuel her mission at Acumen to help organizations grow by matching the right leaders with the right opportunities. Her wealth of cross-industry experience and people-first approach align seamlessly with Acumen’s purpose-driven model of Hiring for Good.

Passionate about community service, Farrah serves on the board of the Sherwood Senior Center Advisory Committee and actively volunteers with the Rebekah & Elks Lodges. She was recently Knighted by the Sherwood Robin Hood Festival in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the community. Over the years, she has also volunteered with Ronald McDonald House Charities, Medical Teams International, and Helping Hands.

Farrah is proud to join an all women-owned and operated firm that shares her values of impact, inclusivity, and integrity.

Christine (Chris) Gunter has served as the Operations Manager at Acumen Executive Search since August 2017, where she plays a pivotal role in ensuring the firm’s daily operations run seamlessly. With a strong focus on administration, office management, and bookkeeping, Chris also leads the firm’s digital presence—overseeing social media, website management, and the Applicant Tracking System.

Her multifaceted expertise and proactive approach enable the Acumen team to deliver exceptional service and results to clients. Chris’ dedication to operational excellence and her ability to juggle diverse responsibilities make her an indispensable part of the organization’s success.

With a 16+ year background in retail, Chris is an expert in customer service, supply chain, logistics, merchandising, and management. A life change prompted her to take her career in another direction, which led her to Acumen.

Molly has over 25 years of experience in executive search, global HR, performance management, resume and career strategy, and leadership development in top-tier global management consulting and has worked across the spectrum of industries from global, Fortune 20 high-tech companies to top professional services firms to PE/VC-backed startups to public sector/government institutions, to healthcare, to financial institutions, to non-profits and B-Corps, to small, family-owned entrepreneurial companies that call the Pacific Northwest home.

As Acumen’s Senior Director of Talent, Molly has an exceptional ability to find the right candidate for our clients, often digging deep within trusted networks globally to locate the elusive “unicorn.”

Molly has been influential in developing Acumen and shaping practices in areas such as panel interview development and facilitation, account management, onboarding, executive coaching, resume strategy, and placement. Her most recent project has been to develop a library of DEI resources for Acumen clients covering training, position description development, and team building. Her dedication to the growth of Acumen speaks to her continued desire to be part of a team that strives for excellence while remaining true to her professional values that align with her passion for providing authentic support and care for those around her.

Molly co-founded a diverse, BIPOC, grassroots women’s group, Lake Oswego Stronger Together, an anti-racism organization dedicated to amplifying and elevating the voices of women, BIPOC, and LGBTQ in the region. She has volunteered with Respond to Racism; LO for Love, a 501c3 on a mission to transform Lake Oswego into an inclusive community and celebrate the diversity of all people; Portland Rescue Mission; Oregon Food Bank; Susan G. Komen Foundation; Dress for Success; Blanchet House & Farm; and is a member of LEAP (Leaders and Professionals Across Professions) and Partners in Diversity.

Michelle is passionate about relationships and the discovery process to fill roles with amazing leaders across distribution, manufacturing, government, and healthcare organizations. She has a network of connections and is able to identify top-level executives who may not be actively seeking new opportunities. She has a thorough understanding of the market and provides guidance on current trends and conditions.

She has a background in marketing, product management, business ownership, and most importantly, people. As Director of Talent, Michelle will work closely with candidates, establishing trust and rapport while selling the position and the company, highlighting the benefits of the opportunity, and building a strong case for why the candidate should consider the position. She excels at discerning the nuances of a role, ensuring that candidates align with the goals and values of the company.

Michelle makes it a priority to keep candidates engaged and updated on the recruitment process and respond to any questions or concerns. Communication with candidates is very important to Michelle and many have expressed surprise and delight at her follow-up, whether it be good or bad news. She maintains confidentiality and discretion regarding sensitive client or candidate information.

Michelle founded and leads the Fellowship of Executive Women, an executive women’s networking group. She is also a member of Oregon Business & Industry and is an active volunteer for Future Business Leaders of America, NW Cancer Resource Fund, and Raleigh Hills Assisted Living.