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. 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 delighted to join Acumen Executive Search as Director of Business Development. 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.

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.

Christine (Chris) Gunter joined Acumen in 2017 as Operations Manager. With her solid people skills and desire to create order, she has excelled at handling the Acumen team’s operational needs.

Chris, a native Oregonian, received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Western Oregon University. Starting her career at Intel, she ultimately decided to take a break from the corporate world after the birth of her first daughter. After a couple years and another daughter, she decided to get back into the workforce and became the owner/operator of an emerging retail store. After a successful exit, Chris went to work as a manager for a retail chain. After 16+ years in the retail space as 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.

She currently lives in Beaverton, OR with one of her daughters. She enjoys reading, dining, and wine tasting.

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.