As the VP of Recruiting at Zillow, I am a talent acquisition leader focused on developing growth and talent strategies that connect and grow our organization. With extensive experience in building infrastructure, programs, and teams needed to scale companies massively, I have a reputation for delivering results aligned with business goals in fast-paced environments. I am deeply committed to both representation and internal talent investment. 

My passion lies in building talent attraction strategies and developing talent communities that intentionally engage with underserved and underrepresented communities to widen the access gap at all levels. I continue impacting those communities through hiring initiatives, developmental opportunities, and retention-motivated programming. I prioritize optimizing candidate channels, recruiting analytics, strategic and continued engagement, and stakeholder partnership. My leadership philosophy is rooted in balancing empathy and execution in a data-driven, candidate-centric environment, which is the key to building incredible recruiting teams at scale. 

In addition to my role at Zillow, I serve as an Executive Board Advisor to Lesbians Who Tech (LWT) and as a member of the Board of Directors for Rewriting the Code. As a dynamic and innovative speaker, I have spoken at leading events and organizations in the industry, such as SXSW, Lesbians Who Tech (LWT) Summit, Afrotech, and Unleash America. 

Lastly, I identify as a Lesbian, and my pronouns are she/her/hers.

Dean Carignan’s career spans international economic development, startup ventures, and strategic roles in technology. An alumnus of Georgetown University and INSEAD, he was a charter member of McKinsey & Company’s advanced technology practice. During his 20 years at Microsoft, he has guided new businesses—including the early internet division, Xbox, and multiple AI efforts—through the critical growth phases to their first billion dollars in revenue. Most recently, Dean has focused on leading AI innovations within Microsoft Research and the Office of the Chief Scientist. His intrapreneurial spirit, deep institutional knowledge, and expansive internal network made the behind-the-scenes perspective of The Insider’s Guide to Innovation at Microsoft possible. 

JoAnn Garbin is a sustainability and technology entrepreneur with a 25-year track record of leading teams “from nothing to something to scale,” creating numerous innovative products and profitable businesses. During her tenure as Director of Innovation in Microsoft’s cloud business, she guided her team in developing billion-dollar opportunities, including the Regenerative Datacenter of the Future. In 2024, she founded Regenerous Labs, a collaboration committed to creating cross-sector transformations. JoAnn is an active alumnus of Villanova University, where she studied mechanical engineering and philosophy. Her fresh eyes and thought leadership were instrumental in driving novel insights into The Insider’s Guide to Innovation at Microsoft. 

Paige McGlauflin is a journalist at HR Brew, Morning Brew's employment-focused vertical, where she covers recruitment and retention. She previously wrote Fortune's CHRO Daily newsletter. She's from Maine and currently lives in Seattle.

Stacey is the SVP, Chief People Officer at Fortive, where she has led the human capital strategy since 2016 for the global industrial technology company that creates essential technologies driving businesses around the world. With over 20 years of experience in HR and talent management, Stacey has a proven track record of developing and executing programs that enhance employee engagement, development, and retention across a diverse portfolio of businesses. Her passion lies in fostering a culture of inclusion and growth, ensuring every employee thrives and contributes to innovation and performance. Stacey partners closely with senior leaders and board members to align on vision, values, and goals while leveraging her expertise to implement best practices in executive succession, leadership development, talent assessment, organizational effectiveness, and change management. She believes optimism, agility, and humor are vital to navigating the ever-changing world of work.

Shannon Peterson is the Head of People Analytics at Verizon, where she leads transformation initiatives to drive organizational change and improve talent management through data-driven insights. With a strong background in culture change, organizational design, and change management, she implements people analytics strategies that align with business goals. A curious and empathetic leader, Shannon is focused on mentoring teams and finding innovative solutions that address both immediate needs and long-term objectives

Becky Thielen is a General Manager of People Analytics at Microsoft, where she leads a team of analysts and consultants who partner with HR leaders to enable data-driven decisions on global HR programs, processes, systems, and services. Her career has primarily focused on moving the Human Resources (HR) discipline forward in various areas including data analysis and insights, measurement and reporting, strategy, operations, programs, process improvement, technology evolutions/implementations, and portfolio management. She has over 9 years of experience enabling & advising on Talent Programs, Talent Acquisition, Services, Learning, and Diversity & Inclusion with data & insights as a People Analytics Leader. Prior to being a People Analytics leader, she led HR Strategy, Operations, and Technology program teams. 

Becky's core competencies include data analysis and insights, measurement and reporting, strategy, process and operations improvement, technology implementations and integration, and program management. She is passionate about using data to inform and improve the employee experience, processes, technology, diversity and inclusion, learning, services, and talent outcomes at Microsoft. She holds a certification in Leadership for Positive Impact, and is committed to fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and positive impact among her team and stakeholders.

Nicole is the VP of B2B Partnerships of Rula Health, a behavioral healthcare provider group enabled by technology. Rula’s mission is to make mental healthcare work for everyone through improving access, equity, quality, and a modern consumer experience to over 120m members that Rula covers today. Nicole has a proven track record in developing new channel opportunities, managing key partnerships, and leading high-performing GTM teams, she's achieved outstanding results across B2B verticals, with a special focus in the HR, healthcare, and wellness industries, most recently at ClassPass, Preply, and Kaiser Permanente. Nicole lives in San Francisco with her husband and their cat, and enjoys traveling, skiing, hiking and sharing a great meal with friends.

With over 15 years at the Adecco Group's LHH, Erin Bogdanovich has been a pivotal figure in delivering technology innovation and strategic partnerships. Integrating automations and artificial intelligence (AI) into recruitment processes, she drives enhanced efficiencies and a transformative client and candidate experience.

Through Erin’s leadership, LHH is in the forefront of the industry, establishing strong technology partnerships and staying ahead of trends. Her dedication to leveraging cutting-edge technologies has positioned LHH as a leader known for its innovative approach.

Respected for her expertise, Erin continues to inspire colleagues and shape the future of recruitment with her passion for technology and commitment to excellence

Jennifer Jones, MSM RD CCWS, is an experienced healthcare professional with a background in clinical dietetics, wellness programming, and employer health. With over 20 years of experience, she has worked in various settings, including healthcare systems, occupational health organizations and health and welfare benefits advisory firms. After working directly with patients and employees, Jennifer turned her focus to population and employer health to achieve a greater impact on health outcomes. At Noom Health, Jennifer serves as the Director of Clinical Solutions to support our teams with alignment on client needs and clinical programs.

Renya Spak is a twenty-year veteran in the world of employer-sponsored healthcare. Her early work as a benefits consultant focused on supporting employers in the design, implementation, and measurement of innovative programs that transform workforce health and well-being. Through her more recent work as a growth leader at a late-stage digital health startup, Renya understands that employer-driven healthcare innovation hinges upon finding new, consumer-grade techniques to engage members in their health. She is excited to continue this work by bringing the latest advances in consumer-science and behavioral economics to the healthcare market through the Well platform. Renya holds a masters of public health degree from the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

Jack Leitch is a talent acquisition leader at Uber, specializing in building and scaling global TA programs that drive efficiency, quality, and inclusivity. He leads initiatives in selection and assessment, structured interviewing, and quality of hire, while also driving innovation in recruiter enablement and knowledge management through generative AI. Jack has deep expertise in vendor management, tech transformation, and optimizing contract and invoicing processes to improve TA operations. His background includes leadership in global mobility and immigration, K-adult academic tutoring operations, and non-profit boards. Jack will be speaking at the From Day One Seattle conference on March 25, 2025, sharing insights on making talent acquisition and development more efficient, inclusive, and personalized.

Zach Smith is the Chief Activation Officer + Co-Founder of Activate 180. He has been a trusted voice in mindset, career optimization, and leadership coaching for over 10 years. Zach has coached thousands of employees across mid-market and enterprise-level organizations, aligning their careers with true calling and passion to create total life fulfillment.

Before becoming an award-winning coach, Zach spent more than 10 years in senior marketing and client relationship management roles for well-known, international consumer beverage brands. Zach trained with the Erikson International Coaching, graduating from their highest-level course. He is a sought-after keynote speaker who regularly appears before audiences at industry conferences and events.

Zach currently resides in San Diego, California with his partner Rachel. He has a passion for an active lifestyle, photography, art, travel, and sports like rock climbing, snowboarding, and yoga. Zach received a bachelor’s degree in business marketing from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Alicia Archer is a Master Trainer at STRETCHIT. With over a decade of teaching experience, Alicia Archer thoughtfully guides users through comprehensive stretching, mobility, and flexibility sequences, in order to unlock their movement potential. Alicia is Group Fitness Certified by AFAA (The Athletics and Fitness Association of America) and a Certified FRC® (Functional Range Conditioning) Mobility Specialist by Functional Anatomy Seminars. Her qualifications also include a BFA in Dance from Fordham University/The Ailey School.

Laura is an account executive in Aon’s Health Solutions consulting practice, located in our Seattle, Washington, office. Her primary responsibility is to serve as the main point of contact for large and jumbo Aon health clients, ensuring that Aon’s expertise, resources, and tools are delivered as part of the client experience. Laura leads the development and execution of benefit strategies to drive business outcomes. Laura’s experience with technology clients and participation in Aon’s technology industry vertical positions her to bring tailored innovation and thought leadership to technology clients throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Joe Reimer is an HR Leader at F5, focused on HR Business Partner and People Operations teams. Throughout his career, Joe has built a reputation for being a human-first leader and passionate advocate for a positive workplace culture. He excels at aligning HR initiatives with overall business goals, ensuring that the organization's talent strategy supports its mission and growth. Joe has been at F5 since 2007 and leads his teams with empathy and a strong focus on employee well-being, driving engagement and performance through innovative programs. His forward-thinking approach has transformed HR practices into more people-centered and agile. Joe holds a BBA in Human Resource Management from Marquette University. 

Miles is the Founder and CEO of Strategia. Educated at the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton School, Miles has blended the disciplines of large systems change, family therapy, research, and consulting to create unique ways to help organizations, teams and individuals change. He has worked with over sixty companies in key aspects of managing and aligning their workforce. Miles’ experience with corporate clients spans leadership and employee assessment, executive collaboration, day-to-day management practices, individual coaching, and corporate culture alignment. He is the author of Building Flexible Organizations: A People Centered Approach, a book focused on how employees and organizations fit—or don’t fit—to create high performance and financial results. 

Diana Opong fill in host/reporter at KUOW Public Radio in Seattle. Curiosity grounds her understanding, and her desire to know more is the foundation of how she researches, writes, and collaborates with colleagues. Diana also worked as a freelance host for NPR's Life Kit podcast, and a freelance reporter for NPR News and the arts and culture desk.

CEO and Founder of Adeption, Carl has over 18 years experience helping people and workplaces be better with global organizations and startups. His mission is to make Leadership Development that works available to everyone. 

Carl’s passion for Leadership Development formed from over 20 years working with global organizations and start-ups. Carl holds an MBA from Babson College, Boston, as a Fulbright Scholar, graduating top of his class. He has a Bachelor of Technology (Hons.) from Massey University, in NZ, and received the 2011 Massey University Distinguished Young Alumni.

Shanthi joined Amazon in 2021, and leads a team of scientists in PXT Central Science who enhance Amazon’s ability to hire, develop, and retain Operations employees. Her team uses economic modeling and causal machine learning to design optimal policies for identifying, hiring, and retaining high-performing employees, and to evaluate the impacts of our policies and programs on business outcomes and on the employee experience. 

Prior to joining Amazon, Shanthi was a Senior Economist and the Director of the Labor and Workforce Development Program at RAND, where she examined the impacts of labor market policies, trade regulations, and tax and industrial policies on firm growth, productivity, employment, wages and working conditions. She has a Ph.D. in Agricultural and Resource Economics from UC Berkeley and a Bachelor’s in Environmental Engineering from Northwestern. 

Trsitan is the VP, Total Rewards and M&A at SentinelOne.

Joey was a reporter at The Herald of Everett from 2019 to 2021 and before that, he was a contributor for The Spokesman-Review. He graduated from Gonzaga, where he was editor-in-chief of the student newspaper. Joey joined the Business Journal in 2021 and covers airlines, hospitality and retail, including restaurants.

Anthony is the Head of Talent Acquisition, Amazon Ads, IMDB at Amazon.

Cathy spent several years in radio, including time at KUOW where she served as managing editor, before a stint at the station formerly known as Q13 where she was the content manager. Cathy joined the Business Journal in 2022 and oversees special reports and features for the editorial department.

Natalie Cummins is a healthcare executive with 30 years of experience leading the commercialization of products and services that change the paradigm of healthcare, while helping to develop individuals/teams to reach their full potential.  As Chief Business Officer at Talkspace Natalie is responsible for the Direct-to-Enterprise (DTE) business and developing strategic partnerships.

Prior to joining Talkspace, Natalie was the President and Chief Strategy Officer at BioReference Laboratories.  She held several key leadership positions at BioReference including Chief Commercial Officer during the COVID-19 pandemic. Natalie has been a member of, or consulted with, executive teams at healthcare companies focused on emerging technology through the entirety of her career, including Ariosa Diagnostics, Roche Diagnostics, Quest Diagnostics and Genomind.  

Natalie holds a master’s degree in Public Administration with a concentration in health policy from NYU and a bachelor’s degree in Health Administration from Ithaca College.

Jake Whittenberg is the Morning News Anchor at KING 5 News.

Jon Shimp brings over 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry, having held both producer and leadership roles at organizations including Rx Savings Solutions, Hinge Health, Cerebral, AON, Rally, and Kaiser. His expertise spans leading employer teams and Health Plan Sales teams, and his deep understanding of the healthcare landscape positions him to significantly enhance Calm’s presence in the digital health sector. Jon is dedicated to advancing Calm’s mission of transforming mental health care and scaling Calm Health.

Based in suburban Chicago, Jon enjoys spending time with his wife, three sons, and their bernedoodle. Outside of work, he is passionate about competition BBQ & cooking, fishing, and golfing.

Alex Storey is the Enterprise Account Executive at DailyPay.

Lynne Peeples is an author, speaker, and journalist covering science, health, and the environment. She is the author of the new book, “The Inner Clock: Living in Sync with Our Circadian Rhythms.” Her writing has appeared in The Guardian, Scientific American, Nature, HuffPost, NBC News, The Atlantic, and other publications. Peeples herself has appeared on various podcasts, as well as local, national, and international television and radio including MSNBC, NPR, BBC News, and ABC Radio Australia. Before becoming a journalist, she crunched numbers as a biostatistician for HIV clinical trials and environmental health studies. Peeples is a recipient of an MIT Knight Science Journalism fellowship and an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation book grant. She also holds master’s degrees in biostatistics from the Harvard School of Public Health and in science journalism from New York University. She lives in Seattle.

With more than 30 years of expertise in human resources, Jennifer Olivas is a results-focused leader who delivers workforce planning, retention, engagement, and career development solutions that help associates harness their full potential. Her focus is on creating a robust culture that promotes continuous business growth and cultivates employee loyalty by empowering and motivating employees to realize their full potential and bring their best to work everyday. Jennifer graduated from the University of Arizona in 2021 with an MA in organizational management and she previously earned her bacherlor’s degree in human resource management. She has maintained her Mental Health First Aide certification for over five years and is an active member of the Southest Washington SHRM chapter after serving several years on the board of directors. She also dedicates her time as a mentor with the UpNotch community, where shes shares knowledge through one-on-one mentorships.