SRA Conference 2023 Partners

Jeremy Anderson, President, Anderson Search Group

Jeremy Anderson founded The Anderson Search Group in 2011; after five years with MRI, he was a top-producing Pacesetter for five straight years. The Anderson Search Group specializes in commercial banking and private banking retained and exclusive executive search nationally. The Anderson Search Group is a remote firm with team members in Michigan, Ohio, and Texas. The Anderson Search group joined SRA in October 2019. In 2021, the firm had its best year ever, and in 2022, the firm more than doubled its revenue from 2021. Jeremy is a graduate of Central Michigan University and lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with his wife Sarah and 14-year-old daughter Finnlie, 16-year-old daughter Hudsyn, and his Goldendoodle Blu.

Jon Bartos, Chief Investment Officer, Starfish Partners, Chief Operating Officer, Dimensional Search

Jon founded Jonathan Scott International in 1998. As part of the Management Recruiters International Network, JSI quickly achieved industry-leading success as one of an elite group of executive recruiters who billed over $1 million annually while building a multi-million dollar Top 10 Office. Jon sold his recruiting firm in 2012 to a large healthcare consulting firm, and after a three-year stint as President, he founded Global People in 2015. Specializing in mutually committed search and contract staffing, focusing on Warehouse Automation technologies.

In 2008, Jon also built the leading performance analytics tool for the recruiting industry: Revenue Performance Management’s RPM dashboard, which is used by staffing and recruiting professionals worldwide to help them achieve their performance potential.

In his role as Chief Investment Officer with Starfish Partners, Jon is uniquely qualified to connect with partners looking to monetize the value of their firms, take on strategic advisors, and receive capital to ignite their business growth. With the combination of cash for the owner, investment capital in the business, and equity in the overall enterprise of Starfish Partners, this is a rare opportunity designed to transform our industry for those who are capable, successful, eager, willing, and hungry to grow.

Through Dimensional Search, Jon provides “new to the recruiting industry professionals” a vehicle to start their own search firm.

Erin Bent, Senior Advisor Client Success, Sanford Rose Associates

As Senior Advisor of Client Success, Erin Bent leads new office development for Sanford Rose Associates. Erin began her career in search of as a recruiter in the Consumer Products industry, dedicating over a decade to serving both clients and candidates before transitioning to a leadership role within the organization. Erin’s experience in search created a natural pathway for her to mentor and train new recruiters entering the industry, as well as tenured recruiters desirous of elevating their competencies and capabilities. Due to Erin’s depth of experience, prospective and new SRA owners rely heavily on her insights and guidance as they enter this next phase of their professional careers. Erin brings her best practices from running a successful search practice and the best practices gathered from coaching and consulting recruiters and owners around the globe.

An alumna of the University of Washington in Seattle (Go Dawgs!), Erin holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Communications. Erin resides in Plano, Texas, with her husband, Brian, their two children, Madison and Griffin, and their faithful canine companion, Addy.

Joanie Bily, Chief Experience Officer: EmployBridge & Incoming ASA Board Chair

Joanie brings over twenty-five years of experience in professional and commercial staffing, including executive leadership roles with two of the world’s largest employment firms. In 2019, Joanie was named to the board of directors of the American Staffing Association and, in 2020, became an officer on the board. She was named to the Women in Staffing Global Power 100 and North America 50 by Staffing Industry Analysts for six consecutive years. As an employment industry expert, she has appeared on ABC, CNBC, CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC and has been quoted in numerous publications, including the Wall Street Journal.

A published author, Joanie’s latest book, Dive In DEEP, provides real-world advice on pursuing your passion and interests to advance your career and live the life you desire and deserve. The four strategies (Design, Experience, Execute, Persevere) offer a framework for pursuing life goals, facing fear and failure, and embracing it all to advance your career, find balance, and live your best life.

With a passion and commitment to inspire and guide individuals and organizations to reach and achieve their highest potential, there is tremendous alignment with the ‘why’ for so many of our Sanford Rose Offices and Recruiters, and we are excited for Joanie to kick off our 2023 Conference!

Kent Burns, Founder & CEO, Simply Driven

Kent Burns is the Founder and CEO of Simply Driven Executive Search. Simply Driven has grown over 500% in the past three years and is consistently ranked in the Top 10 amongst 170+ offices that comprise the Sanford Rose Associates network. Simply Driven delivers talent in Automation, Robotics & Engineering, Finance/Accounting, Information Technology, Point of Sale Retail Technology, Human Resources and Workforce/Staffing Solutions. Simply Driven achieves client results that rival any search firm in the United States. Historical performance metrics are as follows:

• 4:1 Interview to Hire Ratio
• 10 days to deliver the winning candidate
• 99+% First-year retention
• 34% of placements promoted within 24 months
• 41% diverse hire placements

In 2019, Burns received the Corporate Mystic Award, the highest individual honor within Sanford Rose Associates. He is a former CPA and corporate CFO who entered the recruiting business in 1999. Before founding Simply Driven, Burns was a Partner with MRINETWORK. His success there included being the Top-Producing Individual Account Executive worldwide, outperforming approximately 3,500 recruiters in 38 countries.

He is the author of “What’s Your Why?” and “The Why Guide to Your First Job – College Edition.” He has been featured in publications such as Fast Company, Forbes, CFO Magazine, HR Magazine, The Journal of Accountancy, The Boston Globe, Reuters, The Houston Chronicle, The Indianapolis Business Journal, and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Scott Chadbourne, President, Global Executive Solutions Group

Scott is President and Co-founder of Global Executive Solutions Group-a global leader in executive search for the Transportation, Logistics, and Supply Chain Management industries. He manages the firm’s strategic growth, organizational culture, and career development. Since the inception of GESG in 2001, Scott has been instrumental in building it into the largest single-site Executive Search firm dedicated to strategic leadership placement. Scott believes strongly we are in a relationship-driven business. The firm’s leadership has developed a unique business model that segments a team of dedicated subject matter experts to acquire a deep knowledge of their distinctive area of executive search. Scott and his partners are committed to providing each team member with the tools and resources to succeed. They all share the philosophy that data plus efficiency equals market mastery. Scott enjoys travel, golf, snowboarding, and spending time with his family and friends outside of work.

Dan Charney, Managing Director, Starfish Partners

Dan Charney is President & CEO of Direct Recruiters, Inc. (DRI) and Managing Director of Starfish Partners. With 25 years of experience in the recruiting industry, Dan brings a unique blend of business acumen, industry perspectives, and executive search expertise that continues to drive growth at DRI and now other search firms under the Starfish umbrella. In addition, his leadership style and personable approach are respected by DRI and Starfish’s Partners, associates, and clients.

Named President & CEO of Direct Recruiters in 2013, Dan has led strategic initiatives, company culture, and growth, resulting in DRI being recognized as a top workplace and top recruiting firm by Forbes, Hunt Scanlon, Inc, the Plain Dealer, Northcoast 99 and more.

Dan was named in Crain’s Cleveland Business Magazine’s ‘Forty Under 40,’ co-founded the Ohio Recruiters Association (ORA), Cleveland Chapter, and has been the keynote speaker at several national events.

Yosef Colish, President, Leah Yosef International

As Managing Director of Leah Yosef International, Yosef Colish partners with top-tier Registered Investment Advisors and Single & Multi-Family Offices to attract and retain the top-performing talent in the industry.

Specializing in executive search for more than 15 years, Yosef has always had an affinity for the RIA and Family Office arenas. He finds the leaders in this space to be true fiduciaries with deep-rooted entrepreneurial spirits and prides himself on making their companies great. A strong believer in the Fee-based/Fee-Only Independent RIA and Family Office industry, he is on a mission to place professionals at every level, from associate to senior management, who have superior qualifications and the ability and spirit to deepen relationships and grow businesses.

Starting as a part-time researcher in the industry in 2005, Yosef quickly progressed to a junior recruiter within months. Less than ten years later, he’d worked up to partner specializing in Wealth Management, building long-term relationships with leading multi-billion-dollar Financial Services firms. In 2017, Yosef founded Leah Yosef International, becoming a Wealth & Investment Management Division leader. Leah Yosef International, Inc. is a proud member of the Sanford Rose Associates® network of offices and is recognized as a Top 9 Retained Executive Search Firm in the USA/Americas.

In his spare time, Yosef enjoys sharpening his skills by attending investment management and recruiting-related seminars and conferences, international travel, spiritual retreats, aerial yoga, Krav Maga, volunteering in his local Long Beach community, and spending quality time with Leah, his better half, and their remarkable children.

Chad Dean, Managing Partner, Integrated Management

Chad Dean is the owner, operator, and lead recruiter at Integrated Management Resources. Chad was born and raised in Scottsdale, AZ. During his collegiate undergrad program, Chad played Varsity Golf while managing his schooling and work. College golf brought Chad to many places including Spain, Texas, and Kansas. His recruiting career began in 1996 with Aerotek in Austin, Texas, recruiting tech engineers. Chad returned to his native Arizona in 1998, while continuing to recruit engineers for the technology and aerospace industries. In 2002, while working full time and going to school in the evenings for his MBA, Chad met Barry Franklin, the founder of Integrated Management Resources. Chad quickly joined Barry, and learned the financial industry, which coincided nicely with his MBA finance classes. In 2009, Chad took over ownership of Integrated Management to continue the legacy that Barry Franklin had built. Chad is passionate about his family, competing in triathlons, and enjoys the great outdoors. He has a Bachelors in Biology from Fort Hays State University, and an MBA from Arizona State University.

Greg Doersching, Senior Advisor Client Success, Sanford Rose Associates

For over 25 years, Greg Doersching has been recognized as one of the most innovative, if not loudest, voices in the recruiting industry, having mentored and trained thousands of recruiters and hundreds of search firm owners with a thorough style, step-by-step training approach, and camouflage wardrobe he has created a presence that is uniquely “Doersching.”

Greg has a rare combination of the in-the-trenches tactical ability to train even the newest recruiters and credibly consult with the most veteran owners in the industry. Greg’s coaching for our Sanford Rose organizations is designed to fill an ever-increasing need in our industry for individualized consulting at both a desk and an owner level. Throughout his career, Greg has presented hundreds of workshops and keynote addresses for organizations such as the National Association of Personnel Services, the American Staffing Association and the Association of Canadian Search, Employment and Staffing Services, the Fordyce Forum, and numerous Regional, State, and Local groups. He is consistently rated as one of the top presenters for each conference and received the NAPS Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the Recruiting Industry.

Recognized as one of the “Top Producers” for the state of Wisconsin, he served for two years as the President of the Wisconsin Association of Personnel Services and now sits on their Board of Directors. Remember, if you have access to hunting or fishing property, Greg is always open to discussing an “in-house” training event!

Tom Erb, CSP, President, Tallann Resources LLC

With a career spanning over 25 years, Tom Erb has established himself as one of the top subject matter experts in the staffing and recruiting profession. Since opening his consulting firm Tallann Resources in 2010, Tom has advised over 1000 firms in the US and around the globe.

Tom is one of the most highly sought-after speakers in staffing and recruiting, presenting to various industry organizations, including the American Staffing Association, National Association of Personnel Services, Techserve Alliance, and dozens of others.

Tom is the author of Winning the Staffing Sales Game and currently writes the monthly Recruiting Today column for ASA’s Staffing Success magazine. He is also the host of Staffing In Sync, a podcast dedicated to the staffing and recruiting profession. HR Examiner named Tom one of the Top 25 Online Influencers in Staffing.

Tom is the immediate past chairman of the board for the National Association of Personnel Services (NAPS), past chairman of ASA’s Professional-Managerial Section Council, past President of the HR Association of Central Ohio, and past President of the Ohio Staffing and Search Association. Tom is a Certified Personnel Consultant (CPC) and a Certified Staffing Professional (CSP).

Christine Geiger, Senior Advisor Client Success, Sanford Rose Associates

Christine Geiger brings a successful career as a Corporate Trainer, Coach, and Search Consultant. During her long tenure as a Search Consultant serving the pharmaceutical and biotechnology markets, Christine positively impacted companies and candidates by placing hundreds of physicians and scientists. Just as astute pharma and biotech leaders sought her deep industry knowledge and extensive expertise, so do search firm owners and recruiters regarding search industry best practices.

Christine’s tenure and track record uniquely position her as Senior Director of Training for Next Level Exchange (NLE) and Senior Director of Client Success for Sanford Rose Associates LLC (SRAI). Her passion is to pay it forward and make a positive difference in the lives of others, sharing her wisdom and experiences with search firm owners and recruiters seeking to grow professionally and personally!

A graduate of The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science in Communication, Christine has two grown children and resides with her husband and beloved talking dog.

Carly Hazen, Managing Director, PrincePerelson

Carly Hazen is the Managing Director, and a Principal Recruiter, for PrincePerelson – a premier, direct-hire recruiting firm in Salt Lake City, providing professional placement services throughout Utah and nationally.

Carly has been with PrincePerelson for 20 years and specializes in Executive Search, Finance, Accounting, Operations, and Legal recruitment disciplines, regularly partnering with both privately-held and public companies in the areas of financial services, banking, venture capital, mining, drilling, manufacturing, and CPG.

Carly has appeared as a frequent guest on TV and radio programs for Utah-based news outlets and has been asked to speak at universities, accounting firms, professional associations, and various local and national HR conferences on a wide range of topics.

Jeff Kaye, Co-CEO, Sanford Rose Associates

Jeff Kaye is part of the Sanford Rose Associates International executive team, Kaye/Bassman International, Next Level Exchange, and Starfish Partners. Jeff graduated from the University of Texas in 1989 and entered the search profession immediately.

Jeff has helped Kaye/Bassman International win Best Place to Work, workplace flexibility, and Philanthropy awards for over three decades. Fostering an environment of servant leadership, retention is unparalleled; over three dozen partners have been with the firm for over a decade. In 2007, Jeff used his Recruiting Training DVD set as a launching pad to grow Next Level Exchange- the world’s largest training and consulting firm in the search and staffing industry.

In 2012, he led the acquisition of Sanford Rose Associates and helped grow the number of offices by over 250% while increasing the network revenues by over 1500% in less than a decade.

In 2022 Starfish Partners was formed, and Jeff leads the merger and acquisition efforts where he has assisted in integrating six additional organizations in its first year.

Jeff’s role is leading a team of world-class professionals dedicated to helping recruiters and firm leaders achieve their full potential.

Scott T. Love, President, The Attorney Search Group

Since 1995, Scott Love has been passionate about the recruiting industry. After having a banner year in 2002, he launched what grew into one of the most trusted training brands in the recruiting industry, later selling it in 2016 to focus on making placements. Over 4,500 recruiting and staffing companies from 36 countries invested in their tools and other solutions.

His search firm, The Attorney Search Group, a proud member of SRA, recruits and places rainmaking partners with global law firms, facilitating group moves and law firm mergers. He has created a brand in the legal industry that has eclipsed larger global recruiting firms. He has been quoted in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, Bloomberg, The American Lawyer, Above the Law, and dozens of business publications worldwide. He is the author of Why They Follow and the coauthor of Rainmaker Confidential. His weekly podcast, “The Rainmaking Podcast,” has produced over 170 episodes and has helped to reinforce his dominance as a leading authority in legal recruiting.

Scott is a graduate of The United States Naval Academy and is a former surface warfare officer. He lives in Richmond, Virginia, and is married with two children. Outside of recruiting he enjoys spending time with family, doing service work for charity, golfing, and painting with watercolors, acrylics, and oils.

Darren McDougal, Chief Marketing Officer, Sanford Rose Associates

Darren McDougal serves as the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Sanford Rose Associates International as the Managing Partner of Kaye/Bassman International, and Managing Director of Next Level Exchange. Darren’s role is the overall direction of the Sanford Rose Associates brand and marketing communications strategies. Darren and his teams provide consultative guidance, strategy, and tangible outcomes in branding, digital marketing, visibility growth, and inbound lead flow initiatives to search firm owners and stakeholders.

His corporate marketing career began in 1988 in a Fortune 500 retail firm. In 1993, Darren founded the MCD Group, providing broadcast media production and consulting, web development, and IT solutions to the financial services, entertainment, technology, and recruiting/staffing industries. Darren has designed and delivered scalable online solutions, including corporate Intranet and training systems, online training programs (and their monetization), corporate websites, social media strategies, and brand management programs.

Darren is an industry resource for marketing communication strategies and has been featured online and in print, including The Fordyce Letter, The Dallas Morning News, Dallas Business Journal, NBC, Mix Magazine, Marquee Magazine, Adweek, B2B Magazine, Incentive Magazine, and Odwyers PR Daily. Darren resides with his wife and several rescued pets in Frisco, Texas. His family is active in community and charitable organizations. He enjoys his family, golf, mixed martial arts, music, movies, and vintage automobiles.

Jane McGarry, Host of Good Morning Texas, WFAA-TV

Recognized as a seasoned and well-respected journalist, Jane McGarry is the National Gracie Award-winning host of Good Morning Texas on WFAA-TV and brings a combination of passion and the desire to tell ‘the story.’ Her ability to connect directly with the guest creates a sense of comfort and confidence, thus, allowing the audience to be enveloped in the story. During her 30+ years of broadcasting, Jane has interviewed Presidents, Hollywood stars, and Hall of Fame athletes. Co-host and reporter for the series “Texas Legends,” some of Jane’s most recent pieces included Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, First Lady Laura Bush, and Ambassador Ron Kirk. Today, she focuses on inspiring people of all ages, shapes, sizes, and ethnicities to value their authentic selves and find purpose in life!

Max McNamara, Senior Director of Workflow Innovation, Sanford Rose Associates

Before recruiting, Max pursued his degree in Technological Entrepreneurship from Arizona State University and spent five years as a teacher in the private education space. After a half-decade of teaching, Max came into the search business, passionate about building a scalable search firm and teaching and mentoring the next generation of top producers and owners. Max entered the search business in 2014 with a keen eye for process improvement and building scalable teams. Max has led Full Spectrum since 2016 and has navigated the firm through 400% growth in a 4-year timeline. With a continued commitment to grow and scale Full Spectrum, Max also serves as a Senior Network Advisor for the Sanford Rose Associates Network. Through Sanford Rose, Max helps firm owners manage developing, training, and deploying technologies that help search firms build robust, usable, relevant databases.

Steve Monson, Vice President, Top Talent

Steve Monson has spent 27 years on the front line of the freight brokerage arena. He brings a wealth of firsthand industry knowledge to his position as the Vice President of Top Talent. Steve has grown and led brokerages over $60 million, recruited agents, and was a national award-winning Logistics Manager on the shipper side. You name a position in the logistics industry, and Steve was there! His passion is helping clients get the right people not only on the bus but in the right seats. Steve brings a breath of fresh air when talking shop with his clients, allowing him to understand their operations, culture, and goals comprehensively.

Steve is a Florida State grad and currently lives in Birmingham, Alabama. Having grown up in New England, he’s an avid Boston sports fan, enjoys visiting restaurants from the show “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives,” and collects menus from the restaurants on his travels.

Ruben Moreno, Founding Partner and Practice Leader, Blue Rock Search

As a Blue Rock co-founder with 25+ years of industry-relevant experience, Ruben is a recognized thought leader in Executive Search. He is a sought-after industry expert who regularly contributes to industry panels, podcasts, blogs, and articles on today’s hot topics in executive search, HR, Diversity, and leadership. Ruben and his HR & Diversity Practice Team specialize in identifying, assessing, recruiting, and onboarding HR Executives. Ruben has placed hundreds of HR leaders and built deep relationships within the HR Executive community across multiple industry verticals. His clients consider him a trusted partner who takes the time to build relationships, collaborate, understand their businesses, and add value beyond executive search.

Ruben also has extensive experience in designing and implementing recruiting systems, processes, and tools. He has worked directly with multiple clients to develop and implement “fit for purpose” talent solutions. Sample bodies of work include – providing interim recruiting operations leadership for a high-growth Retail client; executing a Talent/Labor Availability study of five (5) targeted US cities for a Tech/SaaS client; working with a North American TA leader to build out organizational/staffing plans for a Manufacturing client; and working abroad as the on-the-ground HR/TA integration resource for a global acquisition for a Tech/SaaS client.

Rob Mosley, Managing Partner, Learning & Development, Next Level Exchange

Rob is a Managing Partner for Next Level Exchange. Rob comes from MRINetwork™ Corporate, where he served as the Chief Learning Officer, responsible for all training and sales development of more than 1,100 offices worldwide.

Previously Rob was with the Acclivus Corporation, an international performance development company. He has facilitated the Acclivus curriculum on six continents and is part of the Acclivus team responsible for global relationships with companies as diverse as Dell Inc., Accenture, Solomon Page, Hitachi Vantara, EmployBridge, KPMG Consulting, NASDAQ, Curative Healthcare, Recruit Holdings Ltd, Japan, Shell Energy, and Comcast/NBC Universal. Rob is currently the facilitator for Acclivus Train the Trainer programs worldwide.

Rob’s search industry knowledge comes from 12 years with Merritt Hawkins and Associates, now part of AMN Healthcare. Rob served as Vice President of Corporate Business Development.

He is a licensed facilitator for Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and Patrick Lencioni’s The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. Rob holds master certifications in Consultative Selling, Performance Coaching, Advanced Sales Negotiation, Strategic Client Communication, and Major Account Planning & Strategy.

Rob is a keynote speaker and facilitator at continuing education seminars. Past credits include the Staffing Industry Analysts Executive Forum and Healthcare Forum, the American Staffing Association, the National Association of Personnel Services (NAPS), the National Association of Physician Recruiters, and the National Association of Locum Tenens Organization.

Stacy Napoles, Senior Advisor Client Success, Sanford Rose Associates

Stacy Napoles is a seasoned Trainer and Course Developer with over 30 years of education experience. She has extensive experience delivering corporate training in a classroom setting to various audiences on various topics. Stacy began her career as a classroom teacher, developing curriculum, leading a team, and creating after-school and outreach programs for children. In 2007 she became Senior Director of Coaching and Development for a large healthcare staffing firm. While in this role, Stacy created sales, leadership, and career development programs and a stellar onboarding program for new hires. Her coaching experience with all levels of leadership gives her great insight into the staffing and search industry.

Stacy is the Senior Director of Training and Development for Kaye/Bassman, Sanford Rose Associates, and Next Level Exchange. Stacy graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University with a Bachelor of Science in Education and a minor in music. She resides in Plano, Texas, with her husband, Sean, and their two Labrador retrievers, Cal and Yardley.

Stephen Provost, Managing Director & Co-Founder, Prestige Scientific

Recognizing an unmet need in Life Sciences, Stephen Provost co-founded Prestige Scientific with Michael Barros in 2001. At age 25, Stephen Provost was hired to help start the Boston office of a privately held national search firm. Stephen became one of the top Search Consultants in the country and was hand selected by the CEO to assume management oversight of the Boston office within his first year. Stephen led his office to become one of the top two divisions in the company before being acquired by a private equity firm.

Stephen is passionate about continued education and building his knowledge base of the recruiting profession. He obtained his Certified Personnel Consultant (CPC) through the National Association of Personnel Services (NAPS) and is a regular attendee at training seminars for executive search best practices. He is the Past President of the Massachusetts Association of Personnel Services (MAPS), a 100 year old trade association representing the Search Industry in Massachusetts.

Stephen is a Massachusetts native who now resides in Wilmington, NC with his wife and four children. Outside of conducting executive searches, you’ll find him spending time with his family, training for his next triathlon, or being encouraged by his wife to parachute from another plane.

Jordan Rayboy, Senior Advisor Client Success, Sanford Rose Associates

Jordan Rayboy believes life is short, so play hard! He began recruiting in 2000 after his sophomore year of college. Six years later, he struck out on his own, forming Rayboy Insider Search. Being an impatient type-A recruiter, Jordan long ago abandoned the deferred life plan (slave, save, retire). By building an effective virtual team & leveraging technology, Jordan has run his search firm since 2006 while traveling in a tour-bus RV with his wife, Jeska. They have raised three dogs, preparing them for traveling with their three young children – Ryder, Hunter, and Asher. They have covered most of the US and Canada during their adventure while living their dream every day.

Jordan joined the Pinnacle Society in 2009 and has served on their Board of Directors and as Member Education Chair. He also recently became a Sr. Network Advisor in the Sanford Rose & Associates organization, helping coach search firm owners to achieve their goals. Through Jordan’s numerous presentations at NAPS conferences, state associations, and training videos on Next Level Exchange, he has inspired countless recruiters to raise their game and make their dreams a reality.

Scott Rivers, Managing Director, Cerca Talent+

Scott is the Managing Director at Cerca Talent+, a Global Recruitment Solutions firm, where he directs the Diagnostics Talent Acquisition activities for the organization. Scott’s background as a recruiter, search firm owner and industry sales and marketing director, gives him an inequitable advantage in today’s talent market.

Regarded as an expert in Talent Acquisition, Talent Branding and Employment Technology, Scott has consulted with some of the largest companies in the world on how best to implement talent acquisition strategies into daily practice. Scott’s past experiences include senior sales and marketing roles at global organizations including Bayer AG and Johnson & Johnson. His last industry position was the Global Director of Marketing at Veridex, a Johnson & Johnson Company. where he was responsible for all upstream and downstream marketing activities pertaining to the molecular oncology products of the organization.

Scott earned his bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Arkansas, and his MBA from the Sam Walton School of Business. During his time in Fayetteville, AR, Scott was a three-year letterman on athletic scholarship for the Arkansas Razorback Football Team. During his senior year, he was elected as the Offensive Team Captain by his peers. Scott now resides in New Jersey with his wife and four daughters.

Scott has led award-winning teams in both the diagnostics industry and talent acquisition. A true global professional, Scott has hired, trained and managed recruiting teams thathave successfully filled talent needs in 23 different countries.

Cory Salmela, President, Salmela Talent

Cory spends his day advising senior leaders on talent acquisition strategy. He is happiest on his bike, skis, or helping his daughters rehearse lines. He began his career as a National Team Coach for the US Ski Biathlon Team, followed by experience in pharma sales. In 2005, he founded Salmela. Today, Salmela places leaders across the healthcare industry. Salmela is the go-to vendor across mar-comm disciplines in healthcare and beyond.

Karen Schmidt, President, Sanford Rose Associates

Karen Schmidt is the Managing Director of Kaye/Bassman International, Next Level Exchange, and Sanford Rose Associates. Since the acquisition of Sanford Rose Associates in 2012, Karen Schmidt has emerged as one of the leading consultants in the search industry, working with established search firms to break through their current barriers and achieve their next level of potential. Working with Karen and team, firms who had achieved at least $2M in production in 2020 averaged more than 100% increase in production in 2021 alone. Aligning with search firm owners as their chief architect, Karen helps map out their visions for future success; however, visions require execution, and Karen and her tenured team help leaders achieve their fullest potential, and the fullest potential of those they serve within their firms. Organizational design, compensation plans, hiring, performance management, continued education and retention are all elements of a scalable firm, and Karen is one of the most sought-out advisors in the industry in this regard.

Karen graduated from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas with a degree in General Business. Karen was recognized by the Dallas Business Journal’s “40 Under Forty,” a list of rising young leaders in the Dallas area.

Mike Silverstein, Managing Partner of Healthcare IT & Life Sciences, Direct Recruiters Inc.

Mike Silverstein is the Managing Partner and Executive Search Leader of DRI’s Healthcare IT Division & Life Sciences Practice. He also leads DRI’s efforts in recruiting for PE and VC portfolio companies. In 2014, Mike was inducted into The Pinnacle Society, the nation’s premier consortium of top recruiters within the direct placement and search industry. In 2016, Mike was named one of the most “Influential Millennials in Staffing” by Staffing Industry Analysts, the global advisor of staffing and workforce solutions.

Mike founded the Healthcare IT practice in 2008. Under his leadership, the Life Sciences Practice has expanded, and the HIT practice area has grown significantly year-over-year. Additionally, in 2011, Mike helped found what is now DRI’s Hospital IT group as a Managing Partner, which is concentrated mainly on Hospital IT staffing and consulting. With a focus on recruiting from the Executive Level and C-Suite through individual contributor roles within healthcare software and services organizations nationwide, Mike’s diverse background helps him to identify exceptional individuals from startup companies to Fortune 500 corporations. Mike’s consultative style and personable approach enable him to develop trusted relationships with clients and investors to deliver high-caliber talent capable of leading companies in competitive and fast-changing business environments. Mike Silverstein is one of the top healthcare IT and life sciences recruiters in the United States.

Mike graduated Cum Laude in Marketing and Entrepreneurship from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. He is a Cleveland sports fan and enjoys music, socializing with friends, and discussing politics.

Lil Vaughn, Senior Advisor Client Success, Sanford Rose Associates

Lil started her tenured recruiting career by joining Management Recruiters International (MRI) franchise office in the late 70s in a sales role. She was then quickly promoted and assumed the role of GM over 4 (46 desks) business units. Lil then joined MRI corporate, leading the design and launch of many of the Training and Development programs (the basis of the training still used today across the industry), and she ultimately assumed the role of corporate sponsor for the Top 50 Office program (the largest and most successful offices across the network) worldwide. Before her retirement in 2014, Lil developed a consulting model with top customers to evaluate their business structure, process, and talent for accelerated growth and enhanced performance in the network’s top-performing operations. After retirement, Lil launched a consulting practice for a select group of firms she is partnering with focused on scaling their businesses and organization design.

With a portfolio adorned by 25+ business transitions and sales, Lil’s expertise remains in demand. Her presence graces business forums, industry symposiums, and international gatherings, where her insights continue to captivate audiences. Lil received a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration with Post Graduate Work in Political Futures from the University of Texas and the University of Houston. She is married and currently resides in Dallas, Texas.

Jennifer Viley, President, ParkerBeth

A little about me? I’m the proud owner of ParkerBeth Search Partners, a women-owned business. With a robust background spanning two decades in executive search and professional recruitment, my commitment lies in forging connections between exceptional individuals and remarkable corporations. I can’t do it alone, though! I have a fantastic husband who supports all my crazy ideas and passions and two awesome kids who are an ongoing source of inspiration. And you can’t forget Cooper, my Lab/Great Dane mix. If you love dogs, schedule a Zoom with me, and Cooper is bound to make a guest appearance!

Norman Volsky, Managing Partner and Digital Health Practice Leader, Direct Recruiters Inc.

Norman Volsky is a Managing Partner and Executive Search Practice Leader of the Employer Technology group, including Digital Health and HR Technology practices at Direct Recruiters, Inc.

In 2021, Norm was inducted into The Pinnacle Society, the nation’s premier consortium of top recruiters within the direct placement and search industry. Norm is also an EHIR Trusted Partner and frequent presenter. EHIR, or the Employer Health Innovation Roundtable, is a coalition to drive adoption and innovation in the health and wellness space.

Norm graduated from The Ohio State University, Fisher College of Business, majoring in Finance. He is a big fan of Ohio State athletics and Cleveland’s pro sports teams. Norm married his wife Molly in 2019 and had their first child Mila in November of 2021.

Norm was diagnosed with a mild chronic disease in 2017, and ever since, he has followed the doctor’s orders by transforming his diet and exercise regimen and is now feeling better than ever. His passion for Digital Health stems from this, and he tries to practice what he/his clients preach.

Norm’s favorite things to do are spend time with Molly, Mila, and Luna (their adorable black lab), travel internationally, go to live jam band concerts, root on his favorite sports teams, go on hikes in the Cleveland Metroparks, golf, fish, snorkel, cook, eat at this favorite local restaurants and spend time with friends and family.