diff --git a/test/api/v3/integration/groups/GET-groups_groupId_members.test.js b/test/api/v3/integration/groups/GET-groups_groupId_members.test.js
index e74c6acfa6..126cedaf5e 100644
--- a/test/api/v3/integration/groups/GET-groups_groupId_members.test.js
+++ b/test/api/v3/integration/groups/GET-groups_groupId_members.test.js
@@ -161,4 +161,19 @@ describe('GET /groups/:groupId/members', () => {
     let resIds = res.concat(res2).map(member => member._id);
     expect(resIds).to.eql(expectedIds.sort());
   });
+
+  it('searches members', async () => {
+    let group = await generateGroup(user, {type: 'party', name: generateUUID()});
+
+    let usersToGenerate = [];
+    for (let i = 0; i < 2; i++) {
+      usersToGenerate.push(generateUser({party: {_id: group._id}}));
+    }
+    const usersCreated = await Promise.all(usersToGenerate);
+    const userToSearch = usersCreated[0].profile.name;
+
+    let res = await user.get(`/groups/party/members?search=${userToSearch}`);
+    expect(res.length).to.equal(1);
+    expect(res[0].profile.name).to.equal(userToSearch);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/website/client/components/challenges/challengeDetail.vue b/website/client/components/challenges/challengeDetail.vue
index 392f0c3f16..add3e53011 100644
--- a/website/client/components/challenges/challengeDetail.vue
+++ b/website/client/components/challenges/challengeDetail.vue
@@ -33,10 +33,7 @@
       .col-7.offset-5
         span.view-progress
           strong {{ $t('viewProgressOf') }}
-        b-dropdown.create-dropdown(text="Select a Participant")
-          input.form-control(type='text', v-model='searchTerm')
-          b-dropdown-item(v-for="member in memberResults", :key="member._id", @click="openMemberProgressModal(member._id)")
-            | {{ member.profile.name }}
+        member-search-dropdown(:text="$t('selectParticipant')", :members='members', :challengeId='challengeId', @member-selected='openMemberProgressModal')
         span(v-if='isLeader || isAdmin')
           b-dropdown.create-dropdown(:text="$t('addTaskToChallenge')", :variant="'success'")
             b-dropdown-item(v-for="type in columns", :key="type", @click="createTask(type)")
@@ -51,7 +48,6 @@
             v-on:taskEdited='taskEdited',
             @taskDestroyed='taskDestroyed'
           )
-
     .row
       task-column.col-12.col-sm-6(
         v-for="column in columns",
@@ -185,6 +181,7 @@ import omit from 'lodash/omit';
 import uuid from 'uuid';
 
 import { mapState } from 'client/libs/store';
+import memberSearchDropdown from 'client/components/members/memberSearchDropdown';
 import closeChallengeModal from './closeChallengeModal';
 import Column from '../tasks/column';
 import TaskModal from '../tasks/taskModal';
@@ -211,6 +208,7 @@ export default {
     leaveChallengeModal,
     challengeModal,
     challengeMemberProgressModal,
+    memberSearchDropdown,
     TaskColumn: Column,
     TaskModal,
   },
@@ -388,8 +386,8 @@ export default {
     updatedChallenge (eventData) {
       Object.assign(this.challenge, eventData.challenge);
     },
-    openMemberProgressModal (memberId) {
-      this.progressMemberId = memberId;
+    openMemberProgressModal (member) {
+      this.progressMemberId = member._id;
       this.$root.$emit('bv::show::modal', 'challenge-member-modal');
     },
     async exportChallengeCsv () {
diff --git a/website/client/components/challenges/closeChallengeModal.vue b/website/client/components/challenges/closeChallengeModal.vue
index ea2d93e756..736066ade7 100644
--- a/website/client/components/challenges/closeChallengeModal.vue
+++ b/website/client/components/challenges/closeChallengeModal.vue
@@ -10,10 +10,7 @@ div
       .col-12
         strong(v-once) {{$t('selectChallengeWinnersDescription')}}
       .col-12
-        b-dropdown.create-dropdown(:text="winnerText")
-          input.form-control(type='text', v-model='searchTerm')
-          b-dropdown-item(v-for="member in memberResults", :key="member._id", @click="selectMember(member)")
-            | {{ member.profile.name }}
+        member-search-dropdown(:text='winnerText', :members='members', :challengeId='challengeId', @member-selected='selectMember')
       .col-12
         button.btn.btn-primary(v-once, @click='closeChallenge') {{$t('awardWinners')}}
       .col-12
@@ -74,16 +71,16 @@ div
 </style>
 
 <script>
-import challengeMemberSearchMixin from 'client/mixins/challengeMemberSearch';
+import memberSearchDropdown from 'client/components/members/memberSearchDropdown';
 
 export default {
   props: ['challengeId', 'members'],
-  mixins: [challengeMemberSearchMixin],
+  components: {
+    memberSearchDropdown,
+  },
   data () {
     return {
       winner: {},
-      searchTerm: '',
-      memberResults: [],
     };
   },
   computed: {
diff --git a/website/client/components/groups/groupFormModal.vue b/website/client/components/groups/groupFormModal.vue
index 1d0111eacd..6191217623 100644
--- a/website/client/components/groups/groupFormModal.vue
+++ b/website/client/components/groups/groupFormModal.vue
@@ -8,9 +8,7 @@
       .form-group(v-if='workingGroup.id && members.length > 0')
         label
           strong(v-once) {{$t('guildOrPartyLeader')}} *
-        select.form-control(v-model="workingGroup.newLeader")
-          option(v-for='potentialLeader in potentialLeaders', :value="potentialLeader._id") {{ potentialLeader.name }}
-
+        group-member-search-dropdown(:text="currentLeader", :members='members', :groupId='workingGroup.id', @member-selected='selectNewLeader')
       .form-group
         label
           strong(v-once) {{$t('privacySettings')}} *
@@ -170,6 +168,7 @@
 <script>
 import { mapState } from 'client/libs/store';
 import toggleSwitch from 'client/components/ui/toggleSwitch';
+import groupMemberSearchDropdown from 'client/components/members/groupMemberSearchDropdown';
 import markdownDirective from 'client/directives/markdown';
 import gemIcon from 'assets/svg/gem.svg';
 import informationIcon from 'assets/svg/information.svg';
@@ -185,6 +184,7 @@ import { MAX_SUMMARY_SIZE_FOR_GUILDS } from '../../../common/script/constants';
 export default {
   components: {
     toggleSwitch,
+    groupMemberSearchDropdown,
   },
   directives: {
     markdown: markdownDirective,
@@ -307,16 +307,12 @@ export default {
     isParty () {
       return this.workingGroup.type === 'party';
     },
-    potentialLeaders () {
-      let leaders = [{ _id: this.user._id, name: this.user.profile.name }];
-      // @TODO consider pushing all recent posters to the top of the list if they are guild members - more likely to be the ones the leader wants to see (and then ignore them in the while below)
-      let i = 0;
-      while (this.members[i]) {
-        let memb = this.members[i];
-        i++;
-        if (memb._id !== this.user._id) leaders.push({_id: memb._id, name: memb.profile.name});
-      }
-      return leaders;
+    currentLeader () {
+      const currentLeader = this.members.find(member => {
+        return member._id === this.workingGroup.newLeader;
+      });
+      const currentLeaderName = currentLeader.profile ? currentLeader.profile.name : '';
+      return currentLeaderName;
     },
   },
   watch: {
@@ -356,6 +352,9 @@ export default {
     },
   },
   methods: {
+    selectNewLeader (member) {
+      this.workingGroup.newLeader = member._id;
+    },
     async getMembers () {
       if (!this.workingGroup.id) return;
       let members = await this.$store.dispatch('members:getGroupMembers', {
diff --git a/website/client/components/groups/membersModal.vue b/website/client/components/groups/membersModal.vue
index 7f4baf9737..b961454af0 100644
--- a/website/client/components/groups/membersModal.vue
+++ b/website/client/components/groups/membersModal.vue
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ div
               span.dropdown-icon-item
                 .svg-icon.inline(v-html="icons.messageIcon")
                 span.text {{$t('sendMessage')}}
-            b-dropdown-item(@click='promoteToLeader(member._id)', v-if='isLeader')
+            b-dropdown-item(@click='promoteToLeader(member)', v-if='isLeader || isAdmin')
               span.dropdown-icon-item
                 .svg-icon.inline(v-html="icons.starIcon")
                 span.text {{$t('promoteToLeader')}}
@@ -290,6 +290,9 @@ export default {
       if (!this.group || !this.group.leader) return false;
       return this.user._id === this.group.leader || this.user._id === this.group.leader._id;
     },
+    isAdmin () {
+      return Boolean(this.user.contributor.admin);
+    },
     groupIsSubscribed () {
       return this.group.purchased.active;
     },
@@ -440,10 +443,15 @@ export default {
       });
       this.viewMembers();
     },
-    async promoteToLeader (memberId) {
+    async promoteToLeader (member) {
       let groupData = Object.assign({}, this.group);
-      groupData.leader = memberId;
+
+      groupData.leader = member._id;
       await this.$store.dispatch('guilds:update', {group: groupData});
+
+      alert(this.$t('leaderChanged'));
+
+      groupData.leader = member;
       this.$root.$emit('updatedGroup', groupData);
     },
   },
diff --git a/website/client/components/members/groupMemberSearchDropdown.vue b/website/client/components/members/groupMemberSearchDropdown.vue
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7a383e6de2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/website/client/components/members/groupMemberSearchDropdown.vue
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+<template lang="pug">
+b-dropdown.select-member(:text="text")
+  input.form-control(type='text', v-model='searchTerm')
+  b-dropdown-item(v-for="member in memberResults", :key="member._id", @click="selectMember(member)")
+    | {{ member.profile.name }}
+</template>
+
+<style lang="scss" scoped>
+  .select-member {
+    width: 100%;
+  }
+</style>
+
+<script>
+// @TODO: how do we subclass the other member search or compose?
+import debounce from 'lodash/debounce';
+
+export default {
+  props: {
+    text: {
+      type: String,
+      required: true,
+    },
+    members: {
+      type: Array,
+      required: true,
+    },
+    groupId: {
+      type: String,
+    },
+  },
+  data () {
+    return {
+      searchTerm: '',
+      memberResults: [],
+    };
+  },
+  mounted () {
+    this.memberResults = this.members;
+  },
+  watch: {
+    searchTerm: debounce(function searchTerm (newSearch) {
+      this.searchMember(newSearch);
+    }, 500),
+  },
+  methods: {
+    selectMember (member) {
+      this.$emit('member-selected', member);
+    },
+    async searchMember (search) {
+      this.memberResults = await this.$store.dispatch('members:getGroupMembers', {
+        groupId: this.groupId,
+        searchTerm: search,
+      });
+    },
+  },
+};
+</script>
diff --git a/website/client/components/members/memberSearchDropdown.vue b/website/client/components/members/memberSearchDropdown.vue
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3e24436e69
--- /dev/null
+++ b/website/client/components/members/memberSearchDropdown.vue
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+<template lang="pug">
+b-dropdown.create-dropdown(:text="text")
+  input.form-control(type='text', v-model='searchTerm')
+  b-dropdown-item(v-for="member in memberResults", :key="member._id", @click="selectMember(member)")
+    | {{ member.profile.name }}
+</template>
+
+<style lang="scss" scoped>
+</style>
+
+<script>
+// @TODO: how do we subclass this rather than type checking?
+import challengeMemberSearchMixin from 'client/mixins/challengeMemberSearch';
+
+export default {
+  mixins: [challengeMemberSearchMixin],
+  props: {
+    text: {
+      type: String,
+      required: true,
+    },
+    members: {
+      type: Array,
+      required: true,
+    },
+    challengeId: {
+      type: String,
+    },
+  },
+  data () {
+    return {
+      searchTerm: '',
+      memberResults: [],
+    };
+  },
+  methods: {
+    selectMember (member) {
+      this.$emit('member-selected', member);
+    },
+  },
+};
+</script>
diff --git a/website/client/store/actions/members.js b/website/client/store/actions/members.js
index ed9fb88d0b..864b6d4d5b 100644
--- a/website/client/store/actions/members.js
+++ b/website/client/store/actions/members.js
@@ -6,9 +6,15 @@ let apiV3Prefix = '/api/v3';
 
 export async function getGroupMembers (store, payload) {
   let url = `${apiV3Prefix}/groups/${payload.groupId}/members`;
+
   if (payload.includeAllPublicFields) {
     url += '?includeAllPublicFields=true';
   }
+
+  if (payload.searchTerm) {
+    url += `?search=${payload.searchTerm}`;
+  }
+
   let response = await axios.get(url);
   return response.data.data;
 }
diff --git a/website/common/locales/en/challenge.json b/website/common/locales/en/challenge.json
index d1f3618902..e47e35cd18 100644
--- a/website/common/locales/en/challenge.json
+++ b/website/common/locales/en/challenge.json
@@ -130,5 +130,6 @@
   "categoiresRequired": "One or more categories must be selected",
   "viewProgressOf": "View Progress Of",
   "selectMember": "Select Member",
-  "confirmKeepChallengeTasks": "Do you want to keep challenge tasks?"
+  "confirmKeepChallengeTasks": "Do you want to keep challenge tasks?",
+  "selectParticipant": "Select a Participant"
 }
diff --git a/website/common/locales/en/groups.json b/website/common/locales/en/groups.json
index 128191516f..a421be7f84 100644
--- a/website/common/locales/en/groups.json
+++ b/website/common/locales/en/groups.json
@@ -413,5 +413,6 @@
   "groupBilling": "Group Billing",
   "wouldYouParticipate": "Would you like to participate?",
   "managerAdded": "Manager added successfully",
-  "managerRemoved": "Manager removed successfully"
+  "managerRemoved": "Manager removed successfully",
+  "leaderChanged": "Leader has been changed"
 }
diff --git a/website/server/controllers/api-v3/members.js b/website/server/controllers/api-v3/members.js
index e2690cc74f..dfa6780b1e 100644
--- a/website/server/controllers/api-v3/members.js
+++ b/website/server/controllers/api-v3/members.js
@@ -246,6 +246,10 @@ function _getMembersForItem (type) {
           addComputedStats = true;
         }
       }
+
+      if (req.query.search) {
+        query['profile.name'] = {$regex: req.query.search};
+      }
     } else if (type === 'group-invites') {
       if (group.type === 'guild') { // eslint-disable-line no-lonely-if
         query['invitations.guilds.id'] = group._id;