Partner with our executive search team

Ms. Shanahan co-founded accelHRate and brings 25+ years of business and executive search experience. She has completed over 600 HR executive searches, including 200+ with accelHRate and has interviewed over 10,000 HR executives. Prior to co-founding accelHRate in 2014, she spent eight years with Korn Ferry International holding multiple leadership roles, including Managing Director, North America Human Resources Practice and leading an office P&L (simultaneously). Ms. Shanahan has worked closely with boards and CEOs throughout her career across all industries, geographies and types of companies experiencing growth, restructuring and change. Prior to joining Korn Ferry in 2006, Ms. Shanahan led Wireless Corporate Strategy and Business Development for MCI. Earlier, she spent four years with Heidrick & Struggles where she focused on executive searches. She began her career in consulting with DFI International focused on defense product commercialization.​

Ms. Shanahan serves on multiple Advisory Boards for Virginia Tech, including the Pamplin College of Business (PAC) and is the outgoing Chair of the Apex Center for Entrepreneurs. She is a General Partner and Founder of Lunch Pail Ventures. She also is also Co-Chair of Lunch Pail Defense Foundation. Ms. Shanahan has been published and/or featured in multiple publications, including Fortune Magazine, Chief Executive Magazine, National Defense Magazine, The Washington Post and has been co-host on “The CEO Show” on Executive Leaders Radio. She was named one of Washingtonion’s 100 Tech Titans. Ms. Shanahan holds a B.S. degree with a double major in finance and communications from Virginia Tech where she served as the Commencement Speaker for the Business School in 2021.

As accelHRate’s co-founder and co-lead of the Human Resources Practice, Ms. McPherson focuses on Chief People Officers, Heads of Total Rewards and Heads of Talent roles. She brings over 20 years of Recruiting and Management experience to the firm. Her clients range from Fortune 500 organizations to private equity portfolio companies across a range of industries including technology, consumer products, industrial, healthcare, B2B services, financial services, defense, retail and consumer services.​

Prior to joining accelHRate, she built and led the enterprise talent function for National Security Partners (NSP). NSP provided high-end strategic consulting, technical development, and mission execution programs for a wide range of government and industry clients. Ms. McPherson successfully steered the talent team through five acquisitions over seven years, including the initial private equity investment and ultimate sale. Prior to this, she held a variety of senior management roles, overseeing a portfolio of programs including consulting services both on the commercial and defense sectors. Earlier in her career she served as an Associate with Heidrick & Struggles where she supported the International Technology Practice. Ms. McPherson began her career in pharmaceutical sales with Eli Lilly overseeing a coastal territory in southern California. ​

Ms. McPherson holds a B.S. degree in psychology from Virginia Tech.