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Working to make the world a more charitable place, one day and one person at a time.

About Shadyac Strategies

For over three decades, I've been driven by a deep belief: purpose is the most powerful engine for growth—for business, nonprofits, and leaders.

As the immediate past President and CEO of ALSAC—the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital—I had the privilege of partnering with mission-driven leaders and organizations to scale their impact, unlock transformative growth, enhance their brand, and build lasting legacies. And prior to becoming CEO in 2009, I practiced law for 27 years, helping individuals and businesses through myriad challenges and opportunities. Now, through Shadyac Strategies, I bring this wealth of experience to help organizations and leaders at the intersection of purpose and progress.

At Shadyac Strategies, I work closely with changemakers, helping them grow and succeed by embedding purpose and proven business strategies into the very DNA of their operations. My journey includes leading ALSAC/St. Jude to become the world’s largest healthcare charity and one of the largest charities in the world—quadrupling revenue, achieving 60 consecutive quarters of year over year growth, and building one of the most trusted brands globally. I’ve also had the honor of advising CEOs and C-suite executives through strategic counsel and partnership, and also advising over 130 foundations in more than 60 countries, driving healthcare equity through capacity building and strategic advice.

The unique blend of legal and business expertise, innovation, and civic stewardship I bring to the table fuels a distinct, values-based approach to strategy and storytelling. I partner with those who believe that doing good and doing well aren’t just compatible—they are essential.

What

I help organizations harness their purpose, power, and potential to achieve their most important brand and business goals.

How

Through business strategy, marketing and brand, corporate purpose, fundraising and growth strategies, and risk and reputation management

Under my leadership at ALSAC St. Jude, we achieved:

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    Consecutive quarters of year-over-year growth

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    Most Trusted Non-Profit & Brand Overall

    Morning Consult

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    Top Health Non-Profit Brand

    9 years in a row, Harris Poll EquiTrend

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    Brand That Matters

    Fast Company, 2023

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    Best Workplace for Innovators

    Fast Company, 2020; top 20 for 5 straight years

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    Most Desired Employer

    The National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS), 2024

Bringing 30+ years of expertise in:

Growth Strategies

Whether it’s guiding nonprofits into new areas, brand building, performance measurement, or making the most of your data and analytics functions, Shadyac Strategies can help organizations design sustainable revenue models, engage donors and customers meaningfully, and evolve their brand for long-term growth and scale.

A stage at a Domino's Pizza event featuring the Domino's logo prominently displayed, with a man (Rick Shadyac) in a suit speaking and a large screen showing the logo of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Brand, Culture & Civic Transformation

During my tenure as CEO of ALSAC/St. Jude, I helped elevate the St. Jude brand to iconic status, including being named the “Most Trusted” nonprofit brand for three years in a row and the “Most Trusted” among all brands—for profit and not for profit—as recognized by Morning Consult. I also helped lead the rebranding of the City of Memphis.

Let Shadyac Strategies bring that same transformative approach to your business, organization, and collaborative by reshaping your narrative, reimagining your future, and building community, consumer, and donor trust.

Purpose-Driven Leadership Advisory Services

I advise executives, boards, and C-suite teams on how to align their mission with measurable impact. This is the work I've done with organizations like Domino’s, Signet/Kay Jewelers, Chili’s, and Tri Delta, and more helping them lead with purpose at their core.

An older man (Rick Shadyac) in a suit speaks to a group of people in a retail store, with balloons and a Best Buy sign in the background.

How We
Can Partner

  • Shadyac Strategies offers a wide range of advisory services including strategic leadership, planning, reputation and risk management, crisis management, brand building, and advertising and media strategy.

    Shadyac Strategies can help you embed the philosophy of living charitably into your organizational DNA—where purpose becomes not just a marketing angle, but a lens through which you make decisions, build culture, and create impact. Watch purpose transform your organization, increasing productivity, employee retention, and recruitment.

  • Let’s share insights, co-author white papers, or collaborate on a Substack to help elevate your organization’s role in social impact spaces.

  • I’d be honored to speak at conferences, retreats, or in classrooms to inspire your workforce or students to consider what it means to live charitably—and how that mindset can transform the way they lead, work, and engage with the world.

  • With 16 years of experience as a CEO, I’m uniquely positioned to step in where leadership is most needed. Whether you’re scaling, restructuring, or navigating transition, I can help with succession planning, leadership transitions, executive recruiting, talent evaluation, and beyond, providing steady leadership to help move your organization forward.

Where I’ve Spoken

My Ethos & North Star:
Living Charitably

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