CEO Arrivals

Nadershahi to lead dental association

Nader A. Nadershahi has been appointed executive director of the $237M-revenue American Dental Association, effective March 23. He succeeds Elizabeth Shapiro, who has served as interim executive director since February 2025 and will return to her role as chief of governance and strategy management.

“The American Dental Association is pleased to select Dr. Nadershahi as its next executive director,” said ADA president Richard J. Rosato. “His leadership style is defined by a profound commitment to mutual respect, attentive listening and collaborative decision-making, while his long-term outlook for the association centers upon unifying generations to solve for today’s challenges while also planting seeds of opportunity for our future generations of dentists.”

Nadershai joined the ADA in 2025 as senior vice president of education and professional affairs after nine years as dean of the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. There he managed a $100 million academic and clinical portfolio and directed a team of more than 1,000 faculty, staff, students and residents.

A past chair of the American Dental Education Association board, Nadershahi has held leadership roles in the ADA and California Dental Association and currently chairs the California Health Workforce Education and Training Council.  

Russell Reynolds Associates assisted in the search.

Tatum moves from interim to permanent CEO at governors’ group 

Brandon Tatum has been named permanent chief executive officer of the $16M-revenue National Governors Association after serving as acting CEO since November 2025. He succeeds Bill McBride, who retired at the end of last year.

“Brandon knows governors’ priorities inside and out, and he brings a steady and calm leadership style matched with strategic thinking and innovation,” said NGA Chair Gov. Kevin Stitt (R-Okla). 

Tatum previously served as senior advisor for the NGA Chair’s Initiative, Reigniting the American Dream. He was also Stitt’s chief of staff and served as CEO of the Regional University System of Oklahoma, where he oversaw six public universities, 42,000 students, and more than 8,000 employees. 

“I am honored to lead this storied organization into its next chapter,” said Tatum. “It is a privilege to work with the incredible team at NGA to demonstrate what good governance looks like.

Heidrick and Struggles assisted in the search.

Staff Arrivals

National Institute of Building Sciences — Shirley K. Albritton has been promoted from vice president to senior vice president of operations of $23M-revenue NIBS. She will lead delivery for NIBS’ mission-critical programs, with a portfolio encompassing federal, state and commercial partnerships. Shirley has previously served as a program manager at Deloitte, specializing in critical infrastructure planning and AI-enabled asset management for federal and state agencies. 

Additionally, Eric Rawdon was promoted from a director role to vice president of infrastructure at NIBS. He will oversee infrastructure and resilience initiatives that fortify national preparedness, sustainability, and performance. Rawdon has more than 15 years of experience managing global, large-scale, multidisciplinary programs, such as developing rural water systems in Tajikistan to delivering the latest bioenergy facilities valued at over $250 million. 

U.S. Travel Association — Ellen Davis has been promoted to chief operating officer and executive vice president of the $36M-revenue U.S. Travel Association. Davis joined U.S. Travel in 2023 as executive vice president of business strategy and industry engagement, growing revenue by 37%. In her new position, she will lead the organization’s operational strategy, growth, and performance, while continuing to oversee her previous functions.