An Organization Upholding Governor Hunt’s Legacy - Anonymous employee Hunt Institute Employee Review

Startup-Inspired Culture: Unlike many nonprofits, The Hunt Institute embraces a startup-inspired culture that values agility, adaptability, and a relentless pursuit of results. This means you'll have the opportunity to work on projects, collaborate with talented individuals, and contribute to a high-performing team. Networking Opportunities: You are able to connect with education leaders, elected officials, and thought partners through our extensive network and events. Driven and Collaborative Team: You have the chance to work alongside many passionate and dedicated team members committed to making a continued positive impact on Governor Hunt's legacy. National Impact: The Hunt Institute touches all 50 states in some way shape or form through our programming such as Task Forces, Early Childhood Leadership Summit, State Legislators Retreats, Hunt - Kean Fellows program, State Transition Committees, or Webinars. You have a chance to contribute to educational initiatives across the country, making a lasting difference in the lives of students and communities.

To attract and retain the right talent, the org needs to communicate our mission, values, and non-partisan approach, differentiating ourselves from traditional non-profits and making sure we are very clear to candidates upfront before they join the organization.

Your coworkers. Somehow this place hired genuinely good people who care about the work and each other. They deserve better.

The leadership is the problem. The CEO creates instability. Leadership's management style is disorganized and inconsistent, which creates confusion for teams trying to execute work. Strategic priorities shift without explanation. When problems arise, staff receive blame for systemic issues outside their control. The Chief of Staff position was created recently and has not improved organizational function. Communication from senior leadership often lacks professionalism. HR serves leadership interests over employee wellbeing. In one meeting, staff were advised to modify how we dress to avoid sexual harassment—placing responsibility on potential victims rather than addressing inappropriate behavior. HR also made culturally insensitive suggestions for observing Indigenous Peoples Day. The Assembly published reporting in November 2024 documenting "culture of fear" and 100% annual staff turnover. This aligns with my experience. I received positive performance reviews until I questioned a promotion decision made during a stated hiring freeze. Within one week, I was placed on a Performance Improvement Plan. Six weeks later, I was terminated for "performance issues." Financial decision-making lacks transparency. The organization discussed potential layoffs while simultaneously creating new senior positions. Staff questions about budget priorities went unanswered.