At Southwest Research Institute, a renowned leader in defense and space exploration R&D, I served as a Principal Tech Recruiter. My focus is on identifying and attracting skilled professionals in Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Embedded Software, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering. My responsibilities include recruiting for senior to management-level positions, addressing the unique challenges of our market such as relocation and rigorous qualification standards.A key highlight of my tenure has been the successful recruitment of two Principal Staff AI/ML Engineers with expertise in cognitive/neuromorphic AI/ML chips, both meeting the stringent top-secret security clearance required for our projects.

At Routable, a Series B fintech company, I served as Principal Recruiter. During my time there, I played a key role in scaling the engineering team, growing it from 17 to 119 engineers across senior, staff, and principal levels. My focus was on building teams in front-end, back-end, and full-stack development, as well as product and design.I worked to streamline hiring processes to meet the demands of a rapidly growing organization, ensuring an efficient and thoughtful approach to recruitment. Beyond filling roles, my efforts centered on building a strong engineering foundation that supported the company’s long-term goals. By aligning recruitment strategies with business objectives, I helped position Routable’s engineering team as a leader in innovation within the competitive fintech landscape.

As a Talent Acquisition Consultant contracted through Kinkor Consulting, I became a trusted partner to early-stage SaaS startups, supporting them from their seed stages through transformative periods of growth. I specialized in building the foundational frameworks necessary for scalable recruitment, creating robust and sustainable talent pipelines, and strategically growing teams in engineering, product, and design.My role extended beyond simply filling roles—I focused on aligning recruitment strategies with the unique challenges and goals of each startup. I was instrumental in helping these companies navigate their most critical growth phases, ensuring they were equipped with the right talent to innovate, evolve, and thrive in competitive markets. By establishing strong recruitment practices and assembling high-performing teams, I directly contributed to setting these organizations up for long-term success.

Tasked with resolving critical challenges in our global recruitment system, I led a comprehensive overhaul to streamline and optimize hiring processes in response to urgent demands from the US Army. Facing tight deadlines, I successfully reduced the hiring timeline from three months to just ten days. Within two months, I recruited 46 highly skilled engineers across software, electrical, avionics, and aviation disciplines, deploying them to key locations worldwide, including the US, Germany, the Middle East, and South America.My strategic approach not only addressed immediate staffing needs but also reinforced the organization’s ability to adapt and deliver under pressure, ensuring long-term operational success.

As the first recruiter for a Series B Fintech/E-commerce startup, I led staffing efforts for a large-scale initiative. Tasked with building a team of top-tier software engineers, I designed and implemented a customized hiring framework that streamlined recruitment processes and met the project's unique requirements. Leveraging this approach, I rapidly scaled the engineering team, ensuring the company was equipped to deliver on a major initiative while maintaining the high standards expected in the fintech and e-commerce space. My efforts set a strong foundation for continued growth and success in future endeavors.

Recruitment Agency

• Spearheaded recruitment efforts for top-tier tech talent with TS/SCI, TS, and Secret clearances in software, cyber, network, and engineering domains.• Collaborated with hiring managers to identify critical roles and strategically source candidates to enhance national security.• Implemented innovative recruitment strategies to attract and retain specialized talent, contributing to the success of the United States Department of Defense.

Became a recruiter after being severely injured in Iraq, 2005.