In this episode of Who Hired This Person?, host Kaitlyn sits down with Cheryl Davidson, Talent Acquisition Partner at Carol Search Partner. With nearly two decades of experience recruiting for top accounting firms and consulting with hiring managers across the U.S., Cheryl brings deep expertise on what it really takes to match the right talent with the right culture. She opens up about avoiding “mini-me” hires, spotting integrity red flags, and why focus is a recruiter’s greatest tool.

Whether you’re hiring in specialized industries, competitive markets, or culture-driven teams, Cheryl shares stories and strategies that reveal how to hire smarter and with more confidence.

🔹 The Power of Focus in Recruiting:

Cheryl explains why recruiters must zero in on one role at a time to avoid spinning their wheels—and how she trains others to do the same.

🔹 Coaching Hiring Managers:

Even seasoned leaders can fall into the trap of hiring people “just like them.” Cheryl shares how she guides managers to look beyond surface-level similarities.

🔹 The Candidate Who Looked Perfect on Paper:

She recalls an interview with a Big Four candidate who wowed everyone in the room—but revealed integrity issues on the car ride back to the airport. That moment changed the hiring decision.

🔹 Giving Candidates a Second Chance:

Some of Cheryl’s best placements started with resumes that undersold their skills. She explains how reworking resumes and digging deeper uncovered hidden gems.

🔹 Culture Fit Is Everything:

Matching technical skills is only half the battle. Cheryl emphasizes that without culture alignment, hires won’t last—and neither side will be happy.

🔹 Creative Sourcing Beyond LinkedIn:

From attendee lists at industry conferences to specialized outreach, Cheryl reveals how she finds candidates outside the usual channels.

🔹 Setting Realistic Expectations:

She walks through how to have tough conversations with clients when the local talent pool just isn’t enough—and how to reframe the search.

✅ Focus and discipline in recruiting lead to better results.

✅ Don’t overlook red flags, even if a candidate looks perfect on paper.

✅ Resumes rarely tell the whole story—dig deeper.

✅ Culture fit is non-negotiable for long-term success.

✅ Recruiters must act as consultants, not just order-takers.

✅ Creative sourcing and setting client expectations are essential in competitive markets.

🔗 Connect with Cheryl Davidson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheryldavidson/

🔗 Learn more about Carol Search Partners: https://www.carolsearch.com/

In this episode of Who Hired This Person?, host Kaitlyn sits down with Tarnesha Miller, Human Resources Manager at Bent Tree Bible Fellowship in Carrollton, Texas. With a background in performing arts and more than a decade of HR experience, Tarnesha brings a fresh and deeply human perspective to hiring. She opens up about learning to trust her gut, advocate for culture-first candidates, and why transparency is her secret weapon.

Whether you’re hiring in faith-based spaces, nonprofits, or high-trust teams, Tarnesha shares stories and insights that remind us how much HR can shape the soul of an organization.

🔹 From the Stage to HR:

Tarnesha didn’t set out to be in HR—but when an HR Director saw something in her, she leaned in, learned fast, and never looked back. Now, she advocates for people with purpose and leads hiring with compassion.

🔹 The Myth of “Most Qualified”:

Early in her career, Tarnesha believed the most polished resume always wins. Now, she knows better. Soft skills like emotional intelligence, humility, and adaptability often predict success more than credentials ever could.

🔹 Speak Up About Red Flags:

She shares a tough lesson about staying silent in a hiring decision despite sensing disrespectful behavior. When that hire later hurt team morale, she realized the cost of not trusting her instincts—and now speaks up every time.

🔹 When “Call Me Spirit” Sets the Tone:

In one unforgettable screening call, a candidate insisted on being called “Spirit” because their name was just something given by their parents. It was a moment that tested Tarnesha’s adaptability—and her poker face.

🔹 Hiring in Nonprofit & Faith-Based Environments:

Bent Tree isn’t just hiring for skills—it’s about alignment with mission, community, and purpose. Tarnesha looks for people who know their “why” and can roll with the many hats that nonprofit roles require.

🔹 Potential Over Perfection:

One of her proudest hires was a candidate with no traditional experience—but with passion, humility, and growth mindset. That person is now a leader. Tarnesha reminds us: potential is powerful.

🔹 Radical Transparency in Interviews:

She’s upfront with candidates—about red flags, expectations, and culture. If that honesty scares someone off, she believes, “What’s for you is for you.” The right people will lean in, not out.

🔹 The Fail Question Still Works:

Tarnesha stands by one of HR’s classic interview questions—“Tell me about a time you failed.” It’s how she uncovers self-awareness, accountability, and real growth.

✅ Don’t ignore your gut—especially when it comes to culture fit.

✅ Transparency builds trust from the very first call.

✅ Hiring for values and purpose creates long-term wins for mission-driven teams.

✅ A “perfect resume” doesn’t mean a perfect hire.

✅ You’re in your role for a reason—own it, speak up, and lead confidently.

🔗 Connect with Tarnesha Miller on LinkedIn: Tarnesha Miller

🔗 Explore opportunities at Bent Tree Bible Fellowship: www.benttree.org

In this episode of Who Hired This Person?, host Kaitlyn Randall chats with Nayeli Sevilla, Human Resources Manager at Stonebridge. With experience in hospitality hiring and a business mindset rooted in real-world empathy, Nayeli shares the human side of recruiting—what works, what doesn’t, and how learning from the “nice but wrong” hire helped her develop sharper instincts and better processes. From resume red flags to no-show interviews, this conversation is packed with practical insights for anyone involved in hiring.

🔹 HR with Room to Grow

Nayeli joined Stonebridge for the national scale and growth potential—but also discovered a deeply personal hiring culture, where HR leadership stays hands-on and candidates get individualized attention.

🔹 Why She Chose HR Over Operations

Inspired by leaders she admired but unwilling to sacrifice time with her daughter, Nayeli pivoted into HR. It became her way of using business strategy to elevate people—not just processes.

🔹 The Interview That Raised Every Red Flag

Early in her career, Nayeli walked into an interview and was immediately asked about her marital status and children. That experience helped her develop a sharp radar for inappropriate (and illegal) interview tactics—and a firm resolve to protect candidates.

🔹 Funny Doesn’t Always Mean Fit

After hiring a charming, relatable candidate who tugged at everyone’s heartstrings, Nayeli and her team quickly realized he wasn’t professionally aligned with the role. That experience taught her to prioritize facts over feelings and dig deeper into job-relevant skills.

🔹 What Red Flags Really Look Like

Changing answers to repeated questions? That’s a sign something’s off. Nayeli explains how inconsistent answers in interviews are a subtle but reliable red flag.

🔹 Creative Strategies That Actually Work

Nayeli relies on two things: strong resumes and tenure. In the fast-turnover world of hospitality, she looks for candidates with a history of staying power and a polished, formal presence in interviews.

🔹 When Hiring Managers Stall

If polite reminders don’t work, Nayeli shows up at their office. Her approach is clear and direct: “We loved this candidate—are we going to lose them or make the offer?” That urgency often breaks through indecision.

🔹 Details That Make a Lasting Impression

What makes a candidate memorable? Specifics. Nayeli loves when candidates walk her through real-life work scenarios—from wine pairings to five-star service techniques.

🔹 Resume First, Then the Interview

Don't tell her you have the experience if it’s not on your resume. Nayeli emphasizes how crucial it is for job seekers to document their value clearly—and show up formally prepared.

🔹 Brutally Honest Advice for Job Seekers

Craft a strong, structured resume. Follow up with a thank you note. Even if it’s not her personal dealbreaker, she knows many hiring pros who treat it as one.

🔹 Growth Through Grace

Early in her HR journey, Nayeli had little patience for no-shows. Now, she leads with more empathy and is willing to give people the benefit of the doubt—once.

✅ A strong resume is the starting line—not a bonus.

✅ Interviews should verify facts, not just feel good.

✅ One bad hire can reshape your whole approach—for the better.

✅ HR is at its best when it blends structure with empathy.

✅ Candidates who follow through with professionalism stand out.

🔗 Connect with Nayeli Sevilla on LinkedIn:

In this episode of Who Hired This Person?, host Kaitlyn Randall sits down with Merrie Ellis, HR Compliance Manager at Vensure Employer Solutions. With a background spanning HR business partnering, benefits leadership, and compliance strategy, Merrie shares how HR becomes most powerful when it works behind the scenes—quietly building trust, ensuring legal alignment, and helping teams thrive. From bad onboarding to cross-state hiring pitfalls, Merrie delivers practical, human-centered advice for getting it right from day one.

🔹 From Psychology to Compliance: A Human-Centered Pivot

Merrie’s career began in psychology but quickly evolved into HR after recognizing how much of our lives are spent at work. Her studies, leadership roles, and eventual focus on compliance allowed her to build a career that balances structure with empathy.

🔹 The Strategic Role of Compliance in HR

Rather than seeing compliance as a barrier, Merrie reframes it as a map—a set of tools designed to protect both the business and its people. She shares how her compliance mindset strengthens culture, credibility, and consistency.

🔹 A Hard Lesson on Onboarding

A past experience with misaligned onboarding revealed the hidden gaps between HR, IT, and leadership. Merrie stepped up to improve communication, lead benefits orientations, and foster tighter cross-functional collaboration.

🔹 Mentorship That Builds Confidence and Capability

After guiding an intern into a full-time role, Merrie reflects on the power of trust, shared knowledge, and backing off when it’s time to let someone grow. That intern is now a go-to team member—a testament to thoughtful mentorship.

🔹 Multi-State Hiring: Don’t Assume One-Size-Fits-All

Many companies mistakenly rely on corporate HQ policies or default to California’s rules. Merrie breaks down why that approach risks non-compliance—and how HR needs to tailor hiring and onboarding practices to each employee’s work location.

🔹 The Misclassification Minefield

Misunderstanding the difference between exempt and non-exempt employees can be costly. Merrie explains how duties tests, job descriptions, and salary thresholds all play into proper classification—and why it’s safer to default to non-exempt when in doubt.

🔹 Proactive Compliance = Prevented Problems

From travel time pay to overtime eligibility, Merrie shares how spotting risks early has helped Vensure’s clients avoid penalties and protect employees. Her “compliance lens” never turns off—and that’s a good thing.

🔹 When HR Really Works

For Merrie, great HR happens in the small moments: when someone raises a concern, when consistency is upheld, and when advocacy outweighs convenience. It’s not about checking boxes—it’s about showing up with integrity.

🔹 Advice for New HR & Compliance Pros

Stay curious, keep learning, and stay connected. Merrie urges HR professionals to treat life experience as education—and lean into the collaborative nature of the HR community to keep growing.

✅ Compliance isn’t the opposite of empathy—it’s what builds trust.

✅ Onboarding success comes from collaboration, not checklists.

✅ Multi-state hiring demands state-specific attention and adaptation.

✅ Mentorship is about guidance, trust, and eventually stepping back.

✅ Preventing risk is far easier (and cheaper) than correcting it later.

🔗 Connect with Merrie Ellis on LinkedIn: Merrie Ellis

🔗 Learn more about Vensure Employer Solutions:

In this episode of Who Hired This Person?, host Kaitlyn sits down with Tristan Gates, Senior Human Resources Generalist at BNSF Railway. With a career rooted in intentional growth and industry-specific insight, Tristan shares what it takes to hire successfully in one of the most regulated and operationally complex industries in the country. From balancing policy with people to learning the hard way about fast hires, he offers a refreshingly grounded view of what great HR looks like—especially when safety, structure, and consistency are non-negotiable.

🔹 The HR Spark from College:

Tristan’s HR journey started in a college classroom, where a business professor helped him realize that organizational impact begins with people. That interest turned into two master’s degrees and a long-term career at BNSF.

🔹 Inside the Rail Industry’s Hiring Needs:

Unlike more general industries, transportation hiring requires candidates with highly specialized, hard-to-teach skills—and most of the learning happens on the job. It’s a niche, high-stakes environment.

🔹 Safety Above All Else:

Hiring for roles regulated by the FRA (Federal Railroad Administration) means screening for specific certifications, training levels, and performance history. Missing those details isn’t just a red flag—it’s a compliance risk.

🔹 The Resume Isn’t the Whole Picture:

Tristan reminds us that even the most impressive resumes need to be validated through interviews. A polished application doesn't always reflect readiness or fit for the job.

🔹 Spotting Red Flags Early:

One red flag Tristan has learned to catch? Candidates trying to negotiate location after applying for a role with a clearly stated site. That hesitation signals a lack of readiness—and possibly a short tenure.

🔹 Balancing Policy with People:

In a structured environment like BNSF, HR can’t just fast-track favorites. Even when a manager champions a past employee, HR pushes to ensure fairness, open competition, and adherence to process.

🔹 Hard Lesson: Don’t Rush the Hire:

Early in his career, Tristan made quick hires to improve time-to-fill metrics—only to rehire for those same roles a few months later. Now, he takes time to screen thoroughly and coach managers through the long view.

🔹 The Magic Wand Wish: Faster Hiring, Not Sloppier Hiring:

If he could fix one thing? The length of the approval and offer process. While due diligence matters, Tristan believes there’s room to streamline internal approvals to improve candidate experience.

🔹 Advice for New HR Pros:

Know your industry, study your pipeline, and understand the job descriptions you're hiring for. Ask questions, do the homework, and never underestimate how hiring shapes your company’s success.

✅ Safety, fairness, and quality must come before speed in regulated industries.

✅ Great hiring starts with deep knowledge of the roles—and the people behind them.

✅ Red flags aren’t always obvious, but asking the right questions will reveal them.

✅ HR isn’t just filling positions—it’s building the foundation of a strong organization.

✅ Taking your time up front can save months of headache down the road.

🔗 Explore careers at BNSF Railway: www.bnsfcareers.com

In this episode of Who Hired This Person?, host Kaitlyn sits down with Kourtney Martinez, Human Resources Business Partner at American Airlines. With experience ranging from nonprofits to one-person HR shops and now a major corporation, Kourtney shares how she’s built her career by staying curious, leading with empathy, and learning every corner of the business. From developing managers to improving the candidate experience, Kourtney gives us a real look into what it takes to thrive in HR—especially when the stakes are high and the team is large.

🔹 Thrown into the Deep End (and Swimming Anyway):

Kourtney’s HR journey started in a nonprofit, where she unexpectedly found herself solo after her director passed away just months in. That trial by fire made her resourceful, independent, and passionate about the field.

🔹 Loving the Corporate World (Yes, Really!):

Now part of a large team at American Airlines, Kourtney reflects on the shift from being HR-of-one to a “puzzle piece” in a massive organization—and how that taught her to scale, specialize, and collaborate at a new level.

🔹 Learning the Language of Every Team:

From finance to development, Kourtney emphasizes the importance of “speaking the language” of each business unit. Understanding their needs helps HR deliver better hiring support and build real trust.

🔹 Building Respect Through Boundaries:

She shares how setting clear boundaries with stakeholders early on creates healthier collaboration—and prevents HR from getting buried under impossible expectations.

🔹 Planning for Agility and Retention:

Hiring is just one part of the puzzle. Kourtney walks us through how she builds strategic hiring plans, identifies skill gaps, and leans into retention tools like feedback, development, and training.

🔹 The Rise of the Internal Customer:

One trend Kourtney loves? Treating employees like internal clients. She discusses how the employee experience is just as important as customer satisfaction—and why flexible work matters for real engagement.

🔹 Nailing the Candidate Experience:

From timely communication to prepping interviewers, Kourtney outlines how a great hiring process reflects your culture—and helps candidates get excited about the role before they ever start.

🔹 Making Onboarding Personal and Efficient:

She balances automation with human connection—using digital tools to streamline paperwork, while keeping space for orientation, benefits education, and authentic welcome moments.

🔹 Handling Difficult Issues Fairly:

When it comes to employee relations, Kourtney’s key? Consistency + empathy. She coaches managers to lead with transparency and models how to stay neutral, fair, and people-centered in tough conversations.

🔹 Staying Organized (Even with 100 Priorities):

Kourtney lives by her calendar, uses tools like Outlook and task lists, and always leaves space for the “HR fires” that pop up daily. Her biggest tool? Focus time—and knowing when to call in support.

🔹 Advice to Up-and-Coming HR Pros:

Say “yes” to big, scary projects. Stretch yourself. Ask questions. Even if it’s not in your job description, learning the broader business helps you grow—and makes you a better partner to your team.

✅ You don’t have to start HR perfectly—just start. Growth comes from the messy parts.

✅ HR is most powerful when it’s plugged into the business, not just policy.

✅ Candidate experience starts before the interview—and sets the tone for your culture.

✅ Managers need coaching to handle

In this episode of Who Hired This Person?, host Kaitlyn sits down with Lakythia Ferby, Human Resources Director at Queens Community House. Lakythia shares her experience leading HR for an organization with over 40 locations, serving everyone from infants to older adults across Queens. With a passion for staff development and a data-driven approach, she opens up about hiring challenges, defining culture fit, and coaching both employees and managers for success.

🔹 Falling Into HR with Purpose:

Lakythia’s entry into HR was accidental—but it quickly became intentional. She explains how being the go-to person for onboarding and discipline sparked a passion for staff development and coaching.

🔹 Starting Strong as a New HR Director:

From day one, Lakythia focused on listening, learning, and visiting all program sites to understand the needs of both managers and staff. Her first 90 days were all about building trust and identifying areas for improvement.

🔹 Hiring Beyond the Résumé:

She shares a recent example where the most “qualified” candidate on paper didn’t land the role—reminding us how critical personality and team fit can be, even late in the interview process.

🔹 Defining a True Culture Fit:

At Queens Community House, a great hire is someone who’s solutions-focused, passionate about giving back, and sees clients as people with agency—not as problems to fix. Lakythia explains how those values guide their hiring.

🔹 Getting Clarity on Uncertain Candidates:

When unsure about a candidate, Lakythia leans into communication—aligning with hiring managers to determine what’s truly a “must-have” vs. a “nice-to-have,” and avoiding unnecessary disqualifies.

🔹 Coaching New Managers Through Hiring:

Her advice to first-time hiring managers? Focus on values and coach ability. Not everything can be taught—but many skills can, as long as the person aligns with your culture and mission.

🔹 Why Coaching Matters in HR:

Lakythia loves supporting employees and leaders alike. From training supervisors to digging into exit interview data, she sees HR as a way to empower people and help teams thrive.

🔹 Advice She Wishes She Got Sooner:

“Don’t just keep doing—pause and reflect.” Lakythia shares her practice of scheduling “not-doing time” to reset and stay focused, especially during high-pressure moments.

✅ Fit matters just as much—if not more—than qualifications on paper.

✅ Great HR starts with listening and asking the right questions.

✅ Reflective time is essential to avoid burnout and improve decision-making.

✅ Culture fit includes values like empathy, empowerment, and community.

✅ Hiring managers need coaching too—especially when making their first hire.

Links & Resources:

🔗 Connect with Lakythia Ferby on LinkedIn