BRYANT GROUP Founder and President Chris Bryant is a recognized leader in the recruitment of advancement, development and fundraising professionals.
He began his search career as vice president of the executive search division of an international fundraising and campaign management consulting firm. In 1988, he co-founded AST/BRYANT, a firm that became the industry leader in philanthropy recruitment. BRYANT GROUP is a successor firm, established in 2002.
Prior to becoming an executive recruiter, Chris enjoyed a highly successful career as a development and advancement professional and senior executive in higher education and healthcare.
Chris has served in volunteer leadership positions with the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP), and is often recruited to the faculty of regional, national and international conferences and seminars hosted by these and other professional organizations of the independent sector. He has served his alma mater as a member of the Annual Giving Committee of the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California and as a Mentor to USC’s MBA and undergraduate business students.
SALLY BRYANT DeCHENNE - Senior Vice President
Ms. Bryant DeChenne has 19 years experience managing and consulting with highly successful development and advancement programs. She managed her own fundraising consulting company (DeChenne Company) from 2001 to 2008, serving a wide variety of non-profit clients, including colleges, universities, hospitals, and independent schools.
Prior to establishing DeChenne Company, she served five years as Dean of Institutional Advancement at Marymount College in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, where she was responsible for the development and alumni relations offices, as well as creating and managing the offices of advancement services and public relations. Under her leadership, the College's private gift income increased 10-fold and the College launched its first capital campaign.
Ms. Bryant DeChenne has also served in leadership roles at the University of Puget Sound, in Tacoma, Washington; at the Hope Heart Institute in Seattle, Washington; and at her alma mater, Washington State University (WSU), during its $275 million capital campaign.
Her many volunteer activities include serving as a Trustee of the WSU Foundation and chairing its Committee on President's Associates. She has also been an advisory council member for WSU's Honors College and for the Office of Undergraduate Education. She has served as an advisory board member, group leader and promotional video speaker for the Los Angeles Skirball Institute's Intentional Conversation and has served on the Robert H. Williams Diabetes Research Council at the University of Washington, among other volunteer activities.
Ms. Bryant DeChenne is frequently an invited speaker at advancement conferences throughout the country.
