Kathleen Duffy
President & CEO
Rather than accept the limits of traditional recruitment models, Kathleen Duffy chose to redefine them. Known for her vision, perseverance and willingness to challenge the status quo, she founded Duffy Group in 1991 to help organizations uncover passive talent using a proprietary research-based methodology known as Duffy Recruitment Research™.
As President and CEO, Kathleen enables organizations to make confident, future-defining decisions about their most critical asset: leadership. Her work is grounded in a belief that executive search should deliver insight, not just resumes. She pioneered this new form of informed search as an alternative to longstanding retained and contingent models, giving leaders unprecedented access to market data and a transparent fee structure not tied to a candidate’s compensation.
Kathleen’s innovative approach is also detailed in her book, Revolutionizing Recruitment: How Recruitment Research is Reshaping the Industry. Here, she outlines her unique process for identifying, evaluating and securing top talent.
Under Kathleen’s leadership, Duffy Group has emerged as a highly respected and recognized force in executive recruitment. Within the organization, she champions an inclusive culture that prioritizes well-being, shared accountability, and meaningful work that sustains both people and performance.
A committed advocate for women in leadership, Kathleen has held leadership roles with the National Association of Women Business Owners and is a founding member of the Arizona Human Resource Executive Forum. She previously co-chaired the Phoenix chapter of 50/50 Women on Boards and currently serves on its leadership committee, advancing greater female representation in executive leadership and boardrooms.
Through her service on the Board of Trustees at Arizona State University, Kathleen helps shape the future of student success and institutional leadership. A proud ASU alumna, she is an ASU SPARKS Success honoree and a member of the President’s Club. Her service includes the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean’s Council, the Futures Center Advisory Board and prior leadership as chair of the ASU Alumni Association’s National Board of Directors and Council.
Throughout her career, Kathleen’s leadership and impact have been widely recognized across executive recruitment, business and the communities she serves.
- AzBusiness Leaders, Az Business Magazine (2021–2026)
- Sun Devil 100 Honoree, Sun Devil 100 (2016–2025)
- Phoenix Titan 100, Titan 100 (2023, 2024)
- Most Influential Women in Arizona, Az Business Magazine (2020)
- Most Admired Leader, Phoenix Business Journal (2019)
- ATHENA Businesswoman of the Year, Private Sector (2018)
- Al O’Connor Lifetime Achievement Award, Arizona Society for Human Resource Management
