Ralph’s expertise is all aspects of human resources management. He is able to provide insights to the HR function that will assist in the job search process including networking, job interviews, and assessing cultural fit. Additional insights are provided to assist those with minimal HR skills in navigating careers after onboarding an organization. This includes employment branding and engagement; employee relations, diversity, and compliance; reward systems and strategies; leadership and succession planning; and the workplace impact of information technology.  Ralph volunteers his services and there is no charge to Duke Alumni.

Anna Mann is the Senior Vice President of Talent and Culture at GovExec. Anna Is responsible for leading the company’s talent and employee engagement strategy. She has extensive experience in talent acquisition, talent management, benefit plan design, and compliance. Before joining GovExec, Anna served as the Director of Talent and Culture at Atlantic Media. Anna earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Duke University.

Andrea is the founder and CEO of Bigwin Talent, an executive recruiting firm focused on operator roles at PE, VC, Search fund and family office backed companies.  Bigwin focuses on middle marketing and lower middle marketing companies looking for either generalist "Swiss Army Knife" operators or functional leaders.  Prior to starting Bigwin, Andrea was an operating executive for several private equity backed portfolio companies backed by Alpine Investors and Pacific Lake Partners.  Andrea holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a BA in Public Policy Studies from Duke University, where she was a member of the Varsity Soccer team.  

I have held senior management positions in marketing, general management, and human resources. As Senior Vice President of Human Resources, I worked with two chief executive officers at Bristol-Myers Squibb to revitalize earnings growth, upgrade executive talent and establish a culture that fostered high performance with the highest integrity. I have also served as an Associate Professor of Management at Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Patricia Elias is Chief People and Places Officer at CSG Systems, responsible for all aspects of human resources and workplace management, attracting and retaining top talent, and building a safe, inclusive, and diverse work environment for CSG employees worldwide.  Prior to CSG, Patricia served as Chief People and Legal Officer for ServiceSource International, overseeing global human resources and all legal and compliance matters for the company.  She also served as corporate counsel for ViaWest and Flextronics, and as a full-time lecturer of law and public policy at the University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business. Patricia began her career practicing corporate and securities law at the firms Hogan Lovells; Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison; and Holland & Hart. She holds a J.D. from Georgetown University and a B.A. in Psychology from Duke University.  In her free time, she enjoys hiking and in-line skating, and supports the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado. 

Alex Smith is head of Strategy and Execution HCM Public Sector at Oracle. Nationally Recognized Cross-Industry HR Innovator. 2019 TN SHRM  HR Management Excellence Award Recipient. Business leader with public and private sector HR experience, who has demonstrated the ability to transform the diversity composition of top senior leadership teams, develop strategies to hire 1000s of employees, drive HR transformation and culture change.

Ashley works at Spencer Stuart in the CEO Practice across industries and is passionate about executive development and organizational culture. Prior to Spencer Stuart she received her MBA at NYU Stern and started her career and spent time working at Bridgewater Associates and TPG. Ashley was a 2x Captain of the Women's Soccer team while at Duke so also enjoys helping former athletes navigate the transition from their sport to new industries.

Dana founded Hudson Gate Partners in 2010. Hudson Gate is a 100% female owned, New York based, boutique executive search firm with deep expertise in placing talent at leading private equity firms, hedge funds, VC firms, investment managers, fintechs and banks. Before founding Hudson Gate, Dana previously spent over ten years at Lehman Brothers, in both New York and London, where she served as a senior strategic business partner to both the Investment Management and Investment Banking divisions. Dana has an MBA from Stanford University and a BA from Duke University.

Rodrigo works with Fortune 200 clients in nearly every industry as well as non-profits in education, government, and the arts sectors. He helps our client transform bosses into leaders, groups into teams, cost centers into strategic assets, and slogans into living cultures.

Caitlin Thaeler is an experienced recruiter, having worked at Spencer Stuart, one of the nation's top executive search firms. Her more recent work experience includes strategy and project management at Walmart, the world's largest retailer. She loves helping companies find creative solutions to complex problems, whether that's a specific hire or streamlining processes.

Gerard Raho leads the Duke NY Advanced Job Networking Group for mid-career and senior professionals in transition. He is also a finance professional with 20+ years of experience in financial markets. He is happy to speak with Duke alumni in or considering a career or life transition.

Greg Janicik founded Viest Consulting in 2020 to help leaders navigate the paradigm shifts in business (e.g., COVID19) that emerge in a constantly evolving environment. As an organizational consultant and leadership advisor with over twenty years of experience helping both start-ups and Fortune 500 companies manage change effectively, I currently work with CEOs, senior teams, and various business and non-profit executives to improve performance and achieve quantifiable outcomes.

I am currently an analyst in the Industrial Practice at Spencer Stuart, meaning I mainly serve clients in the Aerospace & Defense, Automotive, Manufacturing, and Chemicals industries. I am passionate about finding the right executives to improve organizations as they address important issues like diversity and sustainability.

Jessica Efird (A.B. '05, Psychology and History double major, English minor) has over 10 years of experience as an HR Generalist and holds PHR, SHRM-CP, and PHR-CA certifications. Her career has included roles in HR, academic editing, and account management, so she has personal experience in making career transitions. Jessica is currently self-employed/an independent contractor in both HR and editing roles. 

John’s expertise is recruiting and placing professionals across functional disciplines and industries.  He guides his clients through the job search process, prepares clients for job interviews and assists with networking and mentorships. John volunteers his services and there is no charge to Duke Alumni.

People professional with deep business partner experience. Career experience has spanned recruitment, generalist, and internal communications responsibilities within fashion, sports, and non-profit organizations.