Leilani Hedstrom, M.A. Email & Phone Number

Chicago, Il, Us

Chicago, Illinois, United States

The Computing Research Association's Committee on Widening Participation (CRA-WP) aims to increase underrepresented groups' success in computing. The Distributed REsearch Apprenticeships for Master’s (DREAM) program offers research experiences, mentoring, and professional development for students without a bachelor's degree in computing, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and MSCS Consortium partners to encourage participants to pursue a PhD in the field.

Denver, Colorado, United States

I worked in the Business Innovation Technology (BIT) department at Jefferson County, Colorado (Jeffco) as part of their digital transformation initiative. My project focused on researching and developing UX strategies to integrate human-centered design principles into the BIT organizational structure. I collaborated with the Project Management Office (PMO) to create tools and ideas that seamlessly integrate community-centric best practices into the existing PMO workflow, aiming for minimal disruption and maximum impact.

Denver, Colorado, United States

I spearheaded high-impact global-scale initiatives within the Talent Acquisition realm, focusing on three pivotal pillars: Data, Process, and Technology. My role involved crafting project scopes, defining timelines, establishing metrics, and ensuring the delivery of objectives. Collaborating closely with key stakeholders, I ensured a seamless execution by partnering with cross-functional teams and driving successful project rollouts. Additionally, I maintained transparent communication with TA and HR leaders, consistently updating them on pivotal project milestones and outcomes.

In 2021, I tackled the challenging Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike solo, covering 2,600 miles from Mexico to Canada. This transformative journey tested me mentally and emotionally, fostering rapid adaptation, problem-solving skills, and the ability to break big goals into achievable steps. Enduring hardships, I discovered resilience and the strength to persevere against adversity.

Greater Chicago Area

I advanced to a partnership role collaborating closely with TU Data Science and Analytics leaders and HR Partners to devise strategic talent initiatives encompassing mapping, attraction, selection, and acquisition. Partnering with HR Business counterparts, I developed solutions for retaining top Data Science talents.Furthermore, I served as a Project Lead overseeing impactful endeavors such as revising both external and internal recruitment roadmaps and expanding efforts to TU International regions. I spearheaded the TU Talent Acquisition Research & Discovery team, driving all TA technology exploration, upskilling users on existing tools, and introducing and training the team on new technological features.

Greater Chicago Area

Within the TransUnion Talent Acquisition team, my role encompassed end-to-end recruitment, offering vital talent support to our Data Science and Analytics and Products business units across the enterprise. Advising hiring managers on prevailing talent trends and optimal hiring strategies was a key aspect. I also served as TransUnion's ambassador to ensure a positive candidate journey. In addition to recruitment duties, I spearheaded various special projects. This included leadership of our Research and Discovery team, orchestrating an overhaul of our internal recruitment procedures, and spearheading the implementation of new technologies within our processes.

Greater Chicago Area

I specialized in supporting TU's non-IT talent sourcing requirements, excelling as a LinkedIn Recruiter superuser. My expertise lay in researching niche talent markets and skillfully engaging passive candidates for challenging-to-fill positions. Collaborating with five corporate recruiters, I focused on talent pipelining across sales, analytics, product, strategy, and corporate realms, targeting roles from experts to executives.As I progressed, I gradually assumed broader full-cycle responsibilities. This evolution enabled me to forge strong foundational connections with key business leaders, granting me the opportunity to directly present top-tier candidates and collaborate with key business leaders.

Greater Chicago Area

In my role as a recruiting consultant, I specialized in inventory recruiting, aligning candidates with roles in Supply Chain and Logistics, Administrative Support, and Human Resources domains. Collaborating directly with clients, I grasped their hiring goals, matching candidates readily available in our inventory.Simultaneously, I oversaw the entire recruitment cycle, commencing from sourcing and conducting interviews to qualifying and presenting candidates to clients. Additionally, I navigated the intricacies of job offer negotiations, ensuring a seamless and successful hiring process for all parties involved.

Evanston, Il

I joined LiveWatch Security, a burgeoning home security startup later acquired by Monitronics, where my role persisted post-acquisition.Within this dynamic environment, characterized by its rapid pace and ambiguity, I navigated a multifaceted position. As the inaugural HR personnel, I orchestrated diverse responsibilities across three key domains. Firstly, I managed office operations, overseeing vendor relationships, procuring supplies, and maintaining a conducive work environment. Secondly, I spearheaded high-volume sales recruitment, engaging in campus and professional career fairs, executing full-cycle recruitment, and collaborating with external recruiting partners. Lastly, in the HR sphere, I handled pivotal tasks such as onboarding, new hire orientation, benefits administration, managing open enrollment, setting up payroll, and updating the employee handbook.

Bartlett, Il

During my internship, I shadowed three adept Executive Recruiters while closely collaborating with the President/Founder/CEO of the company. My responsibilities spanned various crucial tasks, including collecting references, initiating cold calls to potential clients, managing incoming calls, coordinating interview schedules, and orchestrating a successful career fair for the Chicago French Pastry School.

Master Of Science, Human Computer Interaction

Ux/Ui Design

Collaborated with a team of designers around the world conducting UX research, ideating through mind-mapping, user-flow design.

Master Of Arts, Industrial And Organizational Psychology

Scholarship Recipient (2013 - 2015) | Roosevelt University Graduate Merit Scholarship Winner | Chicago Industrial Organizational.

Bachelor Of Arts, Psychology

Graduated with Academic Distinction | Magna Cum Laude Nominee | Psychology Student of the Year 2013 Unassuming Award for Humbleness.