Karen Mathis, Chief Executive, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America

Background: Ms. Mathis was previously executive director of the Central European and Eurasian Institute, a nonprofit group that provides postgraduate legal education. She is also a past president of the American Bar Association.

Education: Earned a bachelor's degree in history, political science, and secondary education from the University of Denver, and a law degree from the University of Colorado.

Why she was hired: To help turn more of Big Brothers Big Sisters volunteers into donors and to help the charity win more financial help from federal and state governments, says Frank Bracken, chairman of the organization's search committee.

Her agenda: Seeking broader support from the public. "Many people think of us as a place where you've got to have several hours a week of time to volunteer," she says, "but we've got to make people understand giving is as important in terms of monetary support as it is being a volunteer."

Salary: $325,000