Built by Educators Dedicated
to Strengthening Schools
Our Leadership Philosophy
The best leader for your school is not always the one with the longest résumé. It’s the one who understands your mission, reflects your values, and can strengthen your community from day one. That’s why our search process centers on fit, not just credentials. We listen deeply, get to know your school’s culture, and identify leaders who can thrive in your environment. Because when the right leader is in place, everything, from operations to student experience—moves forward with purpose.
Hacker Burr,
President & Managing Director
Why We Specialize in Finance and Advancement Roles
A rising tide lifts all ships, and this is why we are so passionate about Finance and Advancement roles. These roles are often unsung and somewhat behind the scenes, but they can deliver the highest ROI of any positions on campus–outside the Head of School. The “fit” and effectiveness of these leaders can swing a school’s budget 6-8 figures, and when a school gets it right the impact is meaningfully felt by everyone on campus. The program gets better, the student experience gets better, compensation, benefits and overall staff wellbeing gets better–and ultimately the Head of School’s life gets better too! This opportunity to improve the lives of many via the hiring of the perfect Finance or Advancement professional is what drives us in our work.
Our Story
Big Back Pack was founded on a simple belief: schools thrive when the right people are in the right roles.
Steve Mandell launched Big Back Pack in 2017 after decades in independent school leadership. His philosophy was straightforward - show up early, work hard, and care compassionately for others. Steve built the firm around trust, relationships, and a deep respect for the educators and administrators who shape school communities. After Steve’s passing in 2022, Hacker Burr, a longtime colleague, friend, and former Head of School, acquired Big Back Pack with a commitment to carrying Steve’s mission forward.
Today, Big Back Pack continues that legacy: a leadership search firm grounded in integrity, humanity, and genuine care for both schools and candidates. We don’t simply fill roles. We strengthen communities..
In Honor of
Steve Mandell, Founder
Our Values
Mission First
We begin every search by understanding your school’s mission, history, and vision.
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Human Centered Approach
We care deeply for candidates, schools, and communities, ensuring every interaction is respectful, transparent, and relationship-driven.
Integrity in Every Step
We believe leadership hiring should be thoughtful, ethical, and grounded in trust. Our process reflects the responsibility of placing people in roles that shape communities.
Service & Stewardship
A portion of every search fee is donated back to education-focused nonprofits.
Long-Term Alignment
We don’t measure success by filling a position, we measure it by the lasting impact a leader has on the school, students, and mission.
Our Team
Hacker Burr
President & Managing Director
Hacker Burr is a people person and a connector. Coming from a long line of independent school educators (St. Marks, Webb School, St. Andrews, Westminster, Nobles, McCallie, GPS), and having started his advancement career at the age of 14--giving tours at Holderness School--he found a natural fit in the advancement world, eventually making him one of the youngest Heads in the country.
Tucker Hastings
Senior Search Consultant
Tucker brings 20+ years as a teacher and as an administrator in boarding and day schools. Tucker served in a variety of roles at Brunswick School (Greenwich, CT), including Dean of Admission of the Upper School, Dean of Student Life and Academic Dean. Tucker prides himself on effectively engaging in the relational nature of school life and believes strongly in the potential independent schools have to shape the character, interests, and abilities of young people.
Paul Baly
Senior Search Consultant
Paul Baly brings more than 25 years of experience as an educator and senior leader in independent schools, with deep expertise spanning academic leadership, operations, admissions, and institutional advancement. His career has been shaped by a commitment to building strong, mission-aligned teams and helping schools navigate leadership transitions with clarity and care.
Emily Schallert
Marketing Director
Emily Schallert serves as Marketing Director for Big Back Pack, partnering closely with the leadership team to shape the firm’s brand, messaging, and growth strategy. She brings a strategic, human-centered approach to marketing, grounded in a deep understanding of relationship-driven organizations and mission-based work.
Read more.
“Big Back Pack and Hacker Burr handled a complicated search - replacing the mid-year departure of a successful 25 year CFOO - with urgency, aplomb, nuance, and professionalism. Big Back Pack maximized their campus visit, and the result was a position statement that simultaneously captured the exciting opportunity, while also accurately conveying the school culture. Hacker was responsive to every request we made and his personal approach - after vetting hundreds of candidates - generated a highly qualified pool of semi-finalists and finalists. Additionally, he was instrumental in helping us navigate the sometimes complicated final stages of an offer. We are exceedingly happy with our hire, and the work of Big Back Pack has left us poised to move forward confidently.”
"I can’t begin to describe how impressed I was with the turnaround time and the backgrounds of the potential applicants Big Back Pack brought to us. Throughout the entire process, Paul ensured seamless communication and support, ultimately leading us to hire a candidate we never would have found without his expertise and dedication. We were thrilled with our final appointment and beyond appreciative of the service Paul and Big Back Pack provided…and I recommend him and Big Back Pack without reservation."
“We have used Big Back Pack for several searches across several departments of the school. In every case, things went very smoothly. They focused on sending us well screened candidates for the position, not simply a list of applicants. The process was expedited for the school because of the excellent recruiting they do on the front end. Big Back Pack takes the time to listen to a school during the process and then works to find candidates that are excited about the opportunity.”
Ready to hire your next mission-driven leader?
Contact Us
Big Back Pack
1596 Headquarters Plantation Dr, Johns Island South Carolina 29455
(843) 478-3139
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