Sona Stroud is Senior Vice President, Executive Search, and Senior Partner at Slone Partners. With more than 20 years of experience in healthcare and life sciences, Sona has extensive market knowledge and a proven track record of successful key executive and leadership placements across multiple verticals and a wide array of companies.
A proud graduate of Ohio University, where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, and of Kent State University, where she earned a Master’s Degree in Counseling, Sona spends much of her free time writing and traveling and spending time with her husband and three children. We recently spoke with Sona to learn more about her career and what motivates her.
Q: Tell us about your career journey and how you got to Slone Partners.
A: My career hasn’t followed a straight line, and I’m grateful for that. After completing my degrees, I began counseling, first with children and later with individuals with disabilities, helping them reenter the workforce. From early on, I knew I wanted to work with people — listening to their stories, understanding what motivates them, and helping them find meaningful paths forward.
I later transitioned into sales at Pfizer, which was a very different experience but gave me valuable exposure to the business side of healthcare. What I loved about that role was again the people aspect — building relationships, learning how organizations work, and growing familiar with an industry I would eventually come back to in a different way.
When my children were young, I stepped away from my career for a couple of years to be home with them. During that time, I realized I didn’t want to simply “go back” to something for the sake of going back. I wanted work that felt impactful. I wanted flexibility. And most importantly, I wanted to continue working with and helping people.
A dear friend told me about Slone Partners. At the time, executive search was new to me. Slone Partners took a chance on me — someone coming from a nontraditional background, asking to work part-time with three young kids at home. That meant more than I can say. Our founder and other company leaders embraced remote work and flexibility long before it became common, and for a working mom trying to balance ambition and family, that made all the difference. It gave me a professional home that provided me with the space and support I needed as a parent.
As my children grew, I grew with the firm. I learned the business from the best, took on more responsibility, and built incredible relationships along the way. What I discovered is that executive search sits right at the intersection of everything I care most about: people, purpose, and impact. The work is meaningful to me because it’s not just about filling roles — it’s about helping organizations grow and helping people step into opportunities that can change the course of their careers and lives.
“The best searches require looking beyond what’s on a résumé and understanding the full picture — culture, leadership style, timing, team dynamics, and where the company is headed. When those pieces start to come together, you see the potential for a truly strong match between a leader and an organization — and helping bring that together is incredibly rewarding.“
Q: What does a “typical” day look like for you — and what part of the work energizes you most?
A: I like to start my mornings quietly — reviewing priorities, thinking through the day ahead, and creating space to focus before everything gets moving. From there, every day is different, but much of my time is spent in deep discussions — with clients, candidates, and our internal team — shaping leadership strategy, defining what success truly looks like for a role, and executing searches that align with where an organization is headed. A big part of the work is listening: hearing people’s stories, understanding their career journeys, and learning what organizations are trying to achieve as they grow and evolve.
Hence, a meaningful part of my day is spent advising clients — thinking through leadership structure, team dynamics, and the type of leaders who will help move the organization forward. Often, these are pivotal leadership hires that can shape a company’s direction for years to come, making the partnership with clients especially important.
What energizes me most is putting the puzzle together. The best searches require looking beyond what’s on a résumé and understanding the full picture — culture, leadership style, timing, team dynamics, and where the company is headed. When those pieces start to come together, you see the potential for a truly strong match between a leader and an organization — and helping bring that together is incredibly rewarding.
Q: What do you enjoy most about partnering with clients during critical leadership searches?
A: What I enjoy most is getting to know my clients beyond the job description. I like understanding what they’re trying to build, what matters most to them as leaders, and the kind of culture they want to create within their organizations.
Leadership searches often happen at important moments for a company — periods of growth, transition, or change — and being trusted to help navigate those decisions is something I take very seriously. I value being a thought partner during that process — asking the right questions, helping define what success should look like 12 to 24 months into the role, and making sure we’re thinking holistically about how the new hire will add value throughout the organization.
When the work is done thoughtfully, it’s not just about filling a position. It’s about bringing in a leader who aligns with the organization’s vision and can have a lasting impact.
Q: What are some of the biggest challenges companies face today when hiring executive leadership — and how do you help them navigate that?
A: One of the biggest challenges today is how competitive the market has become for strong leadership talent. The best candidates are often not actively looking and are approached frequently, so attracting and engaging them requires a thoughtful, credible process.
At the same time, organizations are thinking more intentionally about the kind of leadership they truly need — someone who can perform in the role today and guide the organization through the next phase of growth.
I try to bring transparency to the process — sharing market realities around compensation, candidate motivations, and the broader landscape — so clients can make informed decisions. The strongest searches start with alignment and trust. When those are in place, it is easier to identify the right leader for the organization’s next chapter.
Q: As an avid traveler, what are your favorite cities or regions in the world and why?
A: I love traveling almost anywhere and experiencing different cultures and ways of life. It doesn’t have to be a major city or even another country; it’s just as meaningful to explore a small town or head to the mountains.
What I enjoy most is seeing how people live — their traditions, their food, and the everyday moments that make each place unique. Those differences are fun to experience, but they also remind me how much we all actually have in common.
My favorite trips are the ones with my family. Watching my kids experience new places, foods, and cultures makes me incredibly happy. It’s a chance for them to step outside our everyday bubble and appreciate how diverse and wonderful the world is.
Travel keeps me curious and grounded, and that perspective carries into how I approach my work and the people I meet along the way.
