Meet the Talent Beacons

 Talent Beacon Spotlight: Steve Prince Steve Prince turns talent research into intelligence leaders can actually use. As Head of Research at Generator Talent, Steve helps clients understand their competitive landscape by uncovering, collecting, and examining the data behind companies, competitors, candidates, and talent markets. His work sits at the intersection of sourcing, research, and advisory - mapping markets, identifying career trajectories, and translating what he finds into insights that help clients make better decisions.From Online Ad to Advisory DisciplineSteve's path into talent wasn't planned. He answered an online ad, discovered he loved the challenge of piecing together talent puzzles, and 20 years later, he's still doing work that energizes him. What began as recruiting and sourcing has evolved into something broader: helping organizations move beyond simply filling jobs and toward understanding what the market is telling them.That shift mirrors one of the biggest chan

 Talent Beacon Spotlight: Tracie Bouye Tracie Bouye is proof that the best recruiters are built, not born - though the raw ingredients were always there. Now an Independent Talent Partner managing full life-cycle recruitment for confidential clients across engineering and finance, Tracie has evolved from a hands-on recruiter into a strategic talent partner who blends data, AI, and deep human connection to deliver results.From Distribution Warehouses to Strategic Talent PartnerTracie's origin story begins at PepsiCo, where she managed four distribution warehouses and discovered a natural ability to connect with people, build trust, and guide decisions. That talent for relationship-building became the foundation for a career in recruiting, and she's never stopped sharpening it since. Her philosophy is simple: every candidate deserves a partner, not just a process.A Candidate-First Philosophy in Practice"How I make candidates feel about themselves, their value, and their decisions leaves

 Talent Beacon Spotlight: Will Branning Will Branning brings a thoughtful, deeply practical approach to recruiting the technical talent behind mission-driven work. As a Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist and Partner at MORI Associates, an Engineering and IT services government contractor, Will has spent the past eight years leading hiring efforts for engineers, IT professionals, and leaders across highly specialized roles.From HR to Full-Cycle RecruitingWill's path into talent acquisition was intentional from the start. After graduating from the University of Maryland with a degree in business and a minor in HR, he hoped to build a career in human resources - and just two and a half months later, he landed his first junior recruiter role. Over time, after moving through different HR and recruiting responsibilities, a company reorganization became a turning point. It pushed him to focus fully on recruiting, where he has now spent more than 20 years across both agency and corporate TA

 Talent Beacon Spotlight: Priscila Borges For Priscila Borges, recruiting has never been about filling roles - it's about building bridges of trust between people and organizations. As a Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist at Ricoh Italy, she manages the end-to-end recruitment process with a deeply human-centric philosophy, ensuring every step of the candidate journey is handled with care, transparency, and integrity. A Career Built on Self-AwarenessPriscila's entry into talent acquisition was anything but accidental. After conducting a personal SWOT analysis, she identified HR consulting as the perfect intersection of her interpersonal skills and technical mindset. That self-awareness launched a career defined by continuous evolution - from consulting to in-house talent acquisition, and now into a role where she blends data analysis, AI, and empathy to elevate the standard of service she provides.From Process Manager to Talent PartnerA pivotal moment came during a period of rapid org

 Talent Beacon Spotlight: Wendy ManninenWendy Manninen is a Corporate Recruiter in the oil & gas industry, supporting full-cycle hiring across the Gulf Coast Rockies assets, including Bakken in North Dakota and Eagle Ford in Texas, as well as the IT and commercial business units in Houston and the UK. She thrives on building relationships with hiring managers and candidates, developing sourcing strategies that attract and retain top talent, and creating a positive, personalized candidate experience from first outreach through offer acceptance. For Wendy, recruiting is more than filling open roles; it’s about connecting people with opportunities that truly align with their skills, goals, and values, while helping leaders build teams that can deliver in a competitive market.From Finance to Full-Cycle RecruitingWendy’s path into talent acquisition began in an unexpected place: an employee benefits open enrollment session. After five years in finance, she realized HR was where she belo

 Talent Beacon Spotlight: Jeff Seidl Jeff Seidl didn't set out to build a career in talent acquisition - but once he found it, he never looked back. Today, as a Talent Acquisition Lead at Sikich LLC, Jeff specializes in recruiting finance and accounting professionals for one of the nation's top 25 accounting, technology, and advisory firms. His days are anchored in relentless sourcing - the kind of disciplined, high-volume outreach that's essential when recruiting seasoned public accountants who rarely have a reason to leave their current firms.An Unexpected Start and the Fundamentals It BuiltJeff's path into TA began with an unexpected text from a college friend who worked at Randstad. That leap from a beloved nonprofit into the crucible of agency recruiting taught him the fundamentals that still drive his work: urgency, communication, and a willingness to do the volume. He's since moved through internal roles at startups, boutique agencies, and now thrives in-house at Sikich - a comp

 Talent Beacon Spotlight: Najat AndreozziNajat Andreozzi recruits the leaders who are building the future of healthcare AI - and her own story is one of relentless forward motion. As a Senior Leadership Recruiter at McKesson, she sources and places senior leaders in Technology, Data, and AI/ML, helping one of the world's largest healthcare companies execute its most ambitious transformation bets.A Path Built on YesNajat's path into talent acquisition started across continents. She began in project coordination between Geneva and Kuala Lumpur, then landed at a boutique agency in Seattle where she wore every hat - including hiring. She was good at it, leadership noticed, and recruiting became her career. Since then, her trajectory has spanned CPG, food tech, e-commerce, AI, and a government moonshot agency. She didn't plan the path, but it fits.The ARPA-H Chapter and What It Taught HerThe career-defining moment came when Najat joined ARPA-H as their first TA hire. No playbook, no brand,

 Talent Beacon Spotlight: Wael Bakhaty Wael Bakhaty doesn't just build training programs – he builds the systems that transform how entire organizations perform. As Head of Talent Management and L&D, Wael partners with leaders to diagnose capability gaps, design practical solutions, and connect talent, leadership, and culture into one integrated ecosystem that drives measurable business results.From Capability Builder to Systems ArchitectWael's journey into L&D wasn't a single decisive moment – it was a natural evolution. He started by building capability within the business, discovered he had a genuine talent for developing people and systems, and that instinct grew into a full career shaping how organizations invest in their people. The turning point came when he realized that building capability could transform an entire business. That insight shifted his career from doing work to shaping impact.What energizes Wael is watching that impact unfold: leaders who transform, teams

 Talent Beacon Spotlight: Eglantine Gee Eglantine “Eggy” Gee thrives at the intersection of strategy and execution - where clarity meets complexity and learning turns into real-world action. As a Senior Learning and Performance Consultant at Farm Credit Canada, she partners with leaders and teams to diagnose performance challenges, design human-centred development solutions, and build learning ecosystems that drive lasting behaviour change. From Marketing to L&D — An Earned PathEggy's path into L&D wasn't planned - it was earned. She started her career in marketing and operations, moved into HR where she spent years hiring and onboarding at scale, and gradually discovered that her favorite part of the work wasn't bringing people in - it was helping them succeed once they arrived. That realization led her to formal learning and talent development roles, where she began designing programs tied directly to business needs. A pivotal moment came when she joined the L&D team at B

 Talent Beacon Spotlight: Jessica Fiesta George Jessica Fiesta George operates where talent strategy meets business strategy. As Vice President of Portfolio Talent and Operating Advisor at Atlantic Street Capital Advisors, she partners with leadership teams, operating partners, and investment professionals across 14 private equity-backed portfolio companies to build the talent infrastructure that enables growth, operational execution, and long-term value creation. Her work spans executive hiring, organizational design, compensation strategy, leadership assessment, HR transformation, and post-acquisition integration across a diverse portfolio. Built Through ExperienceWith nearly two decades in talent acquisition and human capital leadership (including nine years with Atlantic Street and four embedded directly within portfolio companies), Jessica brings a practitioner’s view of what it takes to scale people systems in fast-moving environments. A defining chapter in her career came when s

We are delighted to announce our newest Talent Beacon: Najat Andreozzi! As an influential community member and accomplished Talent Acquisition & People Operations Leader, Najat brings a wealth of experience and unwavering enthusiasm to our LinkedIn Talent Community.✨ Career Journey and AccomplishmentsNajat’s career journey is a testament to her dedication and versatility. With a background that spans project management, consulting, and e-commerce, she has collaborated with renowned organizations such as McKinsey, Discover, Amazon, and pioneering startups like Apeel Sciences. These diverse experiences have given her a unique, global perspective on how organizations grow and thrive—and how the right people make all the difference.💡Championing Innovation and CommunityWhat sets Najat apart is her proactive approach to community and continuous learning. She is an active contributor, sharing her insights on AI, diversity, and best practices in recruitment and people operations. Najat is

 We're excited to introduce the LinkedIn Talent Beacon Program, designed to elevate your professional brand, expand your influence, and recognize you as a thought leader in the talent space. As a Talent Beacon, you'll stand out in the community, gain real-world experience, and earn a certificate and title that celebrates your leadership and impact.Pillars of the Talent Community Beacons Program🔹Empowerment: As a Beacon, you’ll play a crucial role in helping fellow talent professionals enhance their use of LinkedIn Talent Solutions which includes Recruiter and LinkedIn Learning, enabling them to reach their full potential. 🔹Collaboration: Foster a supportive environment where members can freely share insights, best practices, and experiences, promoting a culture of learning and growth. 🔹Thought Leadership: Engage in dynamic opportunities to publish articles and speak in Live Sessions, allowing you to share your expertise and connect with the broader community, all while establishin

We are pleased to announce that Wael Bakhaty, another esteemed Founding Member of our LinkedIn Talent Community, is our next Talent Beacon! As one of the earliest contributors to the Community and our first-ever member spotlight, Wael has led by example through sharing wisdom grounded in practice, generously offering insights, and helping others make sense of complex talent challenges.🌍 A Global Perspective on GrowthBased in the UAE, Wael brings over 20 years of experience in talent management, performance development, and organizational learning. He currently the Head of Talent and Learning at Albatha Group, where he aligns people strategies with business goals to drive performance, growth and retention.In our original Member Spotlight, Wael reflected on how talent professionals act as translators—connecting the needs of the business to the growth journeys of individuals. He shared how LinkedIn Learning has supported that mission, helping him create meaningful development plans and a

 We are thrilled to unveil the brand-new LinkedIn Talent Beacons Program, a dedicated Community program celebrating the exceptional contributions, leadership, and insights of our community’s most influential members. This program recognizes individuals who consistently drive impactful discussions, share valuable knowledge, and embody the collaborative spirit of LinkedIn Talent Community.🌟 Meet Our First-Ever Talent Beacons 🌟It is with great excitement that we introduce our founding cohort of Talent Beacons:Steve Prince: As a Founding Member of our LinkedIn Talent Community, Steve has been a constant source of inspiration and expertise. Read more about Steve’s contributions and connect with him to delve deeper into essential topics. Najat Andreozzi: Najat Andreozzi is a global talent leader passionate about AI, diversity, and people-first innovation. Read her full story here. Wael Bakhaty: Also a Founding Member, Wael has been a trusted voice in the Talent Community providing industry

We are thrilled to announce that Steve Prince, a Founding Member of our LinkedIn Talent Community, is our first Talent Beacon! Steve has been an integral part of our community since the day we ‘opened’ the Community’s virtual doors two years ago, consistently contributing valuable insights and fostering meaningful discussions.Let’s take a moment to highlight some of Steve’s notable contributions:🌟 Community Member SpotlightCheck out our Member Spotlight on Steve from May 2024 to learn more about him.📝 Peer PerspectivesSteve authored a Community article titled Talent Sourcing in 2025: Expanding the Remit where he discusses how talent sourcing is poised to evolve into a more strategic, insight-driven function. Read the article and share your thoughts.🎥 Ask Me AnythingSteve led a live virtual member session, Sourcing Strategies for Success, where he covered advanced passive talent identification, keyword and AI-powered sourcing, global reach strategies, high-response InMails, and Linke

 We are thrilled to honor Eglantine Gee - aka Eggy, as our newest Talent Beacon - a distinction that recognizes her unwavering passion for growth and her transformative impact within the Talent Community. As a Founding Member and active contributor since the Community’s launch, Eglantine’s engaging and collaborative approach has established her as a catalyst for positive change, bringing people together and modeling best practices for all.💪🏽 Championing Lifelong LearningNamed May 2025’s Member Spotlight, Eglantine stands out for her ability to connect, inspire, and champion lifelong learning. Drawing insights from thought-provoking podcasts like “Marketing for Learning” and “I Hate it Here,” as well as ongoing professional development, she shares discoveries generously, uplifting her peers and modeling collaboration. Her bold vision for HR places Talent Development at the heart of business strategy, redefining it as a proactive partner in driving success and innovation.💡 A Visionary