Avetis Antaplyan, Founder & CEO – HIRECLOUT

Avetis Antaplyan is the Founder & CEO of HIRECLOUT, a global Technology & GTM Recruiting and Consulting firm trusted by high-growth companies – and the Private Equity and Venture Capital firms that back them – to scale leadership teams and critical talent with speed and precision. An award-winning entrepreneur, investor, and thought leader, Avetis and his team at HIRECLOUT have helped build executive and technical teams for some of the most successful companies in the world. He is also the host of the globally ranked podcast The Tech Leader’s Playbook, where he interviews top executives, investors, and innovators on scaling companies and driving lasting impact.

Mark Bai, Managing Director, Head of Product, Engineering and AI practices – True

Mark partners with innovative public and private companies, specializing in placing product management, engineering, and AI executives.

Prior to True, Mark served as head of talent for Matrix Capital Management, a $8bn AUM long/short hedge fund focused on technology. Previously, he helped build True’s Product, Data, and Technology Practice as an early member of the San Francisco office. He began his
executive search career at Heidrick & Struggles.

Mark holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Science, Technology, and Societies from the University of Pennsylvania. He serves on the board of Hit The Books, a martial arts and education focused non-profit committed to serving students from underserved NYC communities. Outside of work, he is an avid NBA fan, markets enthusiast, and oenophile/foodie.

Alex Bates, Chief Executive Officer – HelloSky

Alex spent the last decade bringing artificial intelligence and knowledge management to the forefront of the industrial market. As an undergraduate he authored 5 peer-reviewed publications, performing DARPA-funded research in neural networks, as well as research in memory and computational diagnostics.

Next, he jumped into the private sector, applying analytics on some of the world’s largest data warehouses at Teradata, a pioneer in big data technology. Alex was co-founder and CTO at Mtell, whose machine learning platform is used to monitor global fleets of industrial assets, effectively creating a distributed immune system to protect equipment and personnel. Mtell was acquired in 2016 by AspenTech (NASDAQ: AZPN), the global leader in process optimization software. In the two years following the acquisition of Mtell, AspenTech more than doubled its market cap, adding $4 billion of shareholder value. In June 2018, Barron’s highlighted AspenTech as one of the top three AI investments outside of FAANG (Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, Google).

Alex is the lead inventor on three issued patents in machine learning & equipment taxonomies and received degrees in Mathematics and Computer Science, with a concentration in Neuroscience. His bestselling book, “Augmented Mind,” explores how the combination of AI with human intelligence — Augmented Intelligence — has revolutionary potential, and he is passionate about unlocking human capital to solve the world’s biggest problems.

David Beirne, General Partner – X10 Capital, LLC

David M. Beirne is a successful entrepreneur, investor and company builder. David is a General Partner & Co-Founder of X10 Capital, LLC, a private equity fund that invests in professional athletes. X10 Capital pioneered a new industry focused on investing in human potential, an industry that is now referred to as Income Purchase Agreements (IPA’s). Prior to X10, David was one of the five original General Partners at Benchmark Capital, LLC joining the firm in May of 1997 and helping to establish the firm’s reputation as one of the leading venture capital firms in information technology . During his tenure, the partnership returned $8B “cash on cash” to its limited partners in four years on its first $300M invested. Beirne was named to the Forbes Midas List of top investors in information technology as a venture capitalist. Prior to joining Benchmark, he co-founded Ramsey/Beirne Associates in October of 1987. During Mr. Beirne’s tenure as CEO of the firm, Ramsey/Beirne established a national reputation as the leader in senior management, high-impact executive search for information technology companies. Among others, Beirne recruited the COO’s to Microsoft and Xerox as well as CEO’s to Netscape, eBay, Excite, @Home, Nextel and E*trade. David was named one of the top 25 Executives in Information Technology and number 41 of the top 50 in Vanity Fair magazine’s “The New Establishment”. David has been profiled in the book eBoys, The WallStreet Journal, The New York Times, Fortune Magazine, Business Week and USA Today.

David was elected Chairman of the Board of a Trustees of Bryant University in 2020 where he has been a trustee since 2001. He and his wife, Terry, donated the Beirne Stadium and the Bulldog Strength & Conditioning Center at Bryant University. In 2003, he and Terry established The Beirne Family Director of Pediatric Neuro-Oncology, Stanford University and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. David became a member of the Board of Directors of the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation in 2009 and currently serves as Vice Chairman. David currently sits on the boards of private companies Divergent Technologies and webAI.

Joseph Blass, Chief Executive Officer – Ezekia

Joseph started his career as an economist in the public sector. He then worked for a global family business managing a varied portfolio of investments in manufacturing, real estate and financial services.

Prior to founding Ezekia (www.ezekia.com), Joseph was an executive, managing both privately held and publicly listed Telecom and IT Companies. He founded Ezekia in 2015 and, together with his team, has built Ezekia into the leading CRM and Assignment Management tool for executive search firms. Recently the company has released Hylark (www.hylark.com) which is an uber-customizable life management software.

Megan Blouin, Head of Product – CEO.works

Megan is the Head of Product at CEO.works and is currently leading the expansion of the Talent to Value methodology into its AI-powered future. She has deep experience in Enterprise Transformation across sectors and focuses on helping CEOs at PE-backed portfolio companies increase their transformation ‘hit rate’. Prior to CEO.works, she was a leader in Accenture’s CFO and Enterprise Value consulting practice and a business operations manager in the Space Tech industry.

Mitch Clay, Talent Director – Bessemer Venture Partners

Jeremy Cohen, Co-Founder & CEO – The Talent Studios

Jeremy Cohen is a career-long executive search professional with expertise in organizational behavior and integrating key leaders into businesses amid scale, growth, and transformation. He leads The Talent Studios’ Executive Search Practice and was formerly the youngest Principal firmwide at DHR Global.

Jeremy is a talent contributor to Inc. Magazine, Mashable, and FastCompany and a thought leader within the new paradigm of business-to-consumer at the intersection of omnichannel commerce, iconic brands, content & technology, physical & digital consumer services, hospitality & experiences. Jeremy earned his B.A. at the University of Pittsburgh and his M.A. in Organizational Psychology at Columbia University.

Renee Cronin Director, Executive Talent – Greylock

Renee Cronin is a seasoned recruitment professional with extensive experience in executive talent management. Currently serving as Director of Executive Talent at Greylock Partners since October 2016, Renee supports portfolio founders and CEOs in various executive talent initiatives across all levels, including VP and C-level roles and board advisories. Prior to Greylock, Renee was a Manager at Robert Walters, specializing in Product, Design, and Analytics recruitment from January 2013 to September 2016, and previously held the position of Senior Recruitment Consultant at Michael Page. Renee holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Bucknell University.

Zack Deming, Managing Director & Practice Leader – DSG Global

Zack Deming is a Managing Director at DSG Global and Practice Leader for the firm’s Private Capital, Aviation, Logistics, and Transportation sectors. Based in Atlanta, Zack brings over a decade of executive search experience with a specialized focus on human capital strategy and infrastructure redevelopment across North America.

He leads the firm’s Aviation, Transportation, & Logistics Practice and has conducted executive and board-level searches across a wide range of clients, including airlines, aerospace and airport operations, third-party logistics, e-commerce/final mile, and industrial services. Zack is recognized for his ability to match transformative leadership with complex, fast-evolving industries.

Prior to joining DSG Global, Zack was a Senior Partner at another leading global search firm, where he served clients in the same practice areas. Earlier in his career, he worked on Capitol Hill as a Staff Assistant in the U.S. House of Representatives and later transitioned into the financial services sector.

Zack serves on the Board of ACI Logistix, is Board Member Emeritus of the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia, and is an active member of the Rotary Club of Downtown Atlanta.

He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia and holds an MBA from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School.

Chris Gagnon, Senior Partner – CEO.works

Chris focuses on partnering with private equity firms to accelerate the transformation of their portfolio companies using CEO.works’ proprietary Talent to Value approach. His reputation for having built McKinsey’s suite of digital business tools for their organization practice is surpassed only by his practical understanding of how to simultaneously accelerate speed to value and increase enterprise value.

Keith Giarman, Managing Partner, Global PE Practice – DHR Global

Keith Giarman serves as Managing Partner of the Private Equity Practice, based out of the San Francisco and New York offices. He is also a member of the firm’s North American Executive Committee driving overall strategy for the organization.

Keith led the launch and successful expansion of the Private Equity Practice over the past 10 years. Under his leadership, the practice manages approximately 100 board, C-level and senior search assignments per year working with management teams and top-tier investors. He is also a core member of the Board & CEO and CFO practice groups.

Prior to joining DHR, Keith built the CEO practice for one of the premiere boutique executive recruiting firms in Silicon Valley serving the venture capital community. Previously he worked extensively with VC and PE investors, most recently as President and CEO of Clarus Systems. He was also Vice President of Sales, Service and Marketing at Citizens Communications. He was one of five executives on the senior leadership team responsible for 800 employees, $1 billion in revenue and $200 million in operating income.

Keith earned his Bachelor of Arts at UC San Diego and his Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School. He serves as the Chairman of the Board at Mission Dolores Academy. He is the former Vice Chairman of the HBS Association of Northern California, former Trustee for Schools of the Sacred Heart in San Francisco, former Trustee and President of the Alumni Association at the Hopkins School in New Haven, Conn. and former Chairman of the Western Region Board of Jumpstart based in Boston, Mass.

Nicole Hirsch, Global Head of Recruiting at Lattice

Nicole Hirsch is the Global Head of Recruiting at Lattice, with 17+ years of experience building and leading high-performing talent acquisition teams at Aerotek, 2U, and Segment (acquired by Twilio). She specializes in interview process optimization, masuring & improving quality of hire, Recruiter career progression & development, and leveraging TA technology. Nicole earned her MBA from UNC Chapel Hill and is based in the NY Metro area; she and her husband enjoy cooking, traveling, and caring for their four mischievous cats.

Rhys Hughes, Executive Talent Partner – Google Ventures

Samir Joglekar, Chief Revenue Officer – Greenhouse

Samir Joglekar is the Chief Revenue Officer at Greenhouse. He has over 30 years of experience leading software sales organizations across various industries, with deep expertise in identifying and driving strategic initiatives and best practices to support sales objectives. He spent over 20 years at Dell Technologies and Apple, Inc. in a variety of business development, sales and sales leadership roles in the US and EMEA, and received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering/Biology from George Washington University and a Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering from John Hopkins University.

Matt Levy, Partner – NU Advisory Partners

Matt is a Partner at NU Advisory Partners. Matt focuses on leadership, talent strategy, and recruiting for technology companies across all stages of growth, from foundation through IPO. He is known for his curious, analytical, and creative approach to talent markets and serves as a thoughtful counselor to companies and executives alike.

Prior to NU, Matt spent over a decade in venture capital talent roles at Andreessen Horowitz and The Production Board, where he specialized in board, CEO/COO, and go-to-market leadership across a broad range of tech sectors, including software, consumer, food and agriculture, climate, and biotech.

Matt began his search career at Kindred Partners and previously worked in international development at Global Heritage Fund. At NU, Matt works closely with private capital firms and their portfolio companies to address their leadership needs.

Blake Lindgren, VP, Executive Talent – Insight Partners

Blake Lindgren is Vice President, Executive Talent at Insight Partners, where he focuses on advising portfolio companies to effectively grow their businesses by hiring high-performing talent. He specializes in executive hiring for go-to-market (GTM), operations, and general management (GM) leadership roles in high-growth technology businesses.

Before Insight Partners, Blake held leadership roles in executive search and management consulting, advising senior executives and boards on talent strategy, M&A, and growth initiatives. He began his career as a U.S. Air Force officer, leading teams responsible for the command and control of nuclear missile operations.

Blake holds an MBA from Duke University and a B.S. in Applied Economics and Management from Cornell University, where he graduated magna cum laude.

Avisha Mehra, VP Talent, Talent Partner – Khosla Ventures

Avisha is a Talent Partner at Khosla Ventures, where she works closely with founding teams and executive leadership across the fund’s diverse portfolio on key executive and board hires. She also focuses on talent and leadership advisory and enjoys building a global network of high caliber talent for the portfolio.

Prior to joining KV, Avisha was a senior associate at Korn Ferry, a leading organizational strategy and consulting firm. She managed a variety of executive searches for the firm’s global digital and technology markets practice, building executive management and product teams for growth stage and multinational companies.

Avisha grew up in Mumbai, India, and earned her bachelor’s degree from Stanford University.

Ed Richards, Co-Founder – Taurean

Former COO and Head of Operations at Marlin Equity, where he led four generations of value creation model development across fund strategies and global markets. Prior to Marlin, he built and led EY’s working capital group serving PE-backed portfolio companies. Ed has personally led over 75 executive
searches and hired more than 50 fund-level operators, giving him a rare depth of insight into what exceptional talent looks like and how to spot it.

Todd Savage, Managing Director, Global Technology Sector – Russell Reynolds Associates

Todd Savage’s experience ranges from small cap growth equity backed companies to working private equity backed, middle-market companies.

Prior to joining RRA, Todd was co-founder and CEO of Savage Partners, a boutique executive search firm serving PE-backed software companies.

Previously, Todd worked for leading executive search firms Heidrick & Struggles and Ramsey Beirne Associates, as well as Time Warner, where he led the creation of the internal recruiting function.

In his career, Todd has successfully completed hundreds of searches for middle market, Private Equity backed technology firms in infrastructure software, SaaS, eCommerce, consumer internet and mobile space.

Todd received a BA from the University of Vermont.

Lauren Serota, Chief People & Culture Officer – Brand Velocity Group

Lauren is a visionary and purpose-driven leader committed to helping companies grow and transform. She is on a mission to transform the world of work. She is the Chief People & Culture Officer at Brand Velocity Group, an innovative private equity firm focused on middle market companies and brings over 20 years of experience in strategy, leadership, organization effectiveness and human resources.

Previously, Lauren served as the Head of Talent Development, Performance, Learning & Development, and People Analytics at Patagonia, where she significantly enhanced the employee experience. Her interests lie in the evolving landscape of work and its intersection with technology, exploring how these elements can unlock human potential.

Ryne Sherman, Chief Science Officer – Hogan Assessments

As the chief science officer at Hogan Assessments, Ryne Sherman, PhD, is responsible for managing the primary functions within Hogan’s industry leading data science department, including talent analytics, product innovation, business intelligence, and Hogan’s research archive and infrastructure.

Ryne’s research in personality has examined the role of personality in daily life, career pursuits and workplace performance, and the assessment and measurement of personality and individual differences. Ryne is also an expert on modern approaches to personality assessment, including unobtrusive assessment, such as voice prosody, word use, and affective responses to stimuli. He is also in an expert in data analytics, including the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in conjunction with personality assessment.

Prior to joining Hogan, Ryne was a professor of psychology at Texas Tech University and Florida Atlantic University, where he was recognized as the FAU College of Science Distinguished Teacher of the Year in 2013. His research on the psychological properties of situations and their interaction with personality was awarded federal support from the National Science Foundation, and in 2016 he was named an APS Rising Star by the Association for Psychological Science. In addition, he received the SAGE
Young Scholars Award in 2018 for his research concerning person-situation transactions and how people navigate their social worlds on a daily basis.

Ryne has authored more than 50 scientific papers, of which several have received significant national and international media exposure. He is the cohost of the Science of Personality podcast and regularly writes or speaks about issues related to personality, leadership, and the use of personality assessments in the workplace.

Victoria Tucker, Managing Director, Portfolio Operations – American Pacific Group

Karen Wolcott Senior Director, Head of HR – The Chernin Group

Karen Wolcott is the Head of People at TCG. Prior to joining The Chernin Group, LLC in 2022, Karen was the Director and Head of Human Resources at Bellwether Asset Management, where she was responsible for the firm’s human capital initiatives. Karen previously held HR and leadership roles at American Express, Boeing, and MWS Ventures.

Karen is on the board of directors for the Cornell Club of Los Angeles, a 501(c)(3) organization. She earned a B.S. from Cornell University in Industrial and Labor Relations prior to receiving a master’s from the UCLA School of Law with a focus on Human Resources and Employment Law.