Maven

Our goal at Maven is to never forget we’re in the business of recruiting and placing people. Actual people. Candidates are more than resumes and companies are more than quarterly earnings. We treat people as people. We’re honest with them. We meet them over coffee instead of over email. We celebrate what makes each person and company unique, instead of directing them to a webpage.

Jessica Vann

Founder & CEO

“I love your intensity and professionalism. Today was a better day because I met you."

SF native Jessica founded Maven in March 2010. Her mission is to cultivate our top-notch team and to distill our values and approach throughout the organization. A true lover of the ghost pepper (a love not yet shared by her 8-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son), Jessica is not only bold in her food choices and loud typing, but just about everything she does, including her hair colors.

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Gillian Lopez

VP, Accounts & Growth

"Job searches are basically the worst, but recruiters like you make things so much easier.”

Gillian’s background in wedding and private event planning for a CA winery made her a natural fit as a Maven matchmaker, guiding hiring managers and executives to their perfect hires, just as she did brides to their perfect weddings. When Gillian isn’t using her endless optimism and energetic personality to help build relationships with clients all while managing the business development team and training up new hires, she’s hittin' the gym or strolling the streets of Los Angeles where she splits half of her time.

Kevin Baker

VP, Team & Customer Success

“Kevin trailblazes the path to excellence in every professional endeavor.”

Kevin stumbled upon his passion for leading others and growing teams while building out a recruiting agency on Oahu – tough, right? Today, Kevin continues to live out his passion right here in SF where he still enjoys the blue water (though slightly colder) as an avid sailor. Kevin’s adventuresome spirit is represented through not only his one-of-a-kind stories, but also through the rotating photo album-travelogue sitting on his desk. Every day Kevin finds new ways to unleash our team’s potential - and every day his high energy and commendable work ethic is kick-started with an iced coffee with a dash of cinnamon!

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Ellie Saba

Internal Recruiting & Training Lead

Ellie is dedicated to the success of all Maven’s hires. Spearheading internal recruiting, Ellie is responsible for building out Maven’s rockstar Recruiting & Accounts Teams. She’s also dedicated to equipping new hires with the training & development they need to ramp up quickly and ultimately be successful in their roles. If you’re looking for a leg up in the interview process, you should probably know Ellie’s go-to breakfast order, a breakfast burrito with an oat milk latte (we’re only half kidding 😉). Fun fact: Ellie was a competitive dancer for 14 years, which explains her now-love for Pilates, where you can find her on a Wednesday afternoon!

Haley Garrison

Brand & Content Marketing Manager

“You are really creating a great, recognizable brand.”

Haley is Maven’s creative storyteller who looks for new opportunities to leverage our brand. She leads all of our marketing initiatives from podcast production and brand partnerships to external communications, social media and web design. Aside from being known as our Marketing Guru, she’s also known as the adventure queen who spends her evenings surfing or cycling with her other half in Santa Barbara.

Leslie Crain

Business Operations Manager

“It’s so nice to come into the office and be greeted by a lovely smile and wonderful attention.”

As Business Operations Manager, Leslie handles many of the business tasks other than the actual recruiting. Leslie’s background in academia, including teaching English abroad, has honed not only her stellar editing skills, but also her ability to read several books in a week. Fun fact: she was the Arkansas State Spelling Bee Champion when she was in eighth grade! Her favorite aspect of working from home is all of the quality time she gets to spend with her kitty, Lucy.

Kaya Long

Recruiter

Kaya is a powerhouse Recruiter for Maven's direct hire division. Residing in sunny Long Beach, she enjoys spending her free time at the gym on the bike! She’s a lover of all things waffles and fresh greens because #balance. Kaya is always down for an adventure and has lived in over 20 houses in her lifetime. She’s known around the office for her untouchable sourcing skills, her endless positivity, and her musical gifts... she sings, plays guitar, and piano!

Stefanie Jass

Account Director

"You gave me the confidence I needed after feeling beat down on my job hunt."
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Stef's love for helping her candidates land their dream jobs is only surpassed by her love for her sweet Cocker Spaniel, Liko. Stefanie brings her prior recruiting experience to the table in her role as an Account Director for Maven's temporary division, seamlessly helping clients and candidates find the best fit on both sides. On a sunny day, if she's not hard at work at the office, Stefanie's at the park playing fetch with her pup.

Shirin Esmaili

Account Director & Team Lead

“Shirin could be a personal coach, if she so chose.”

Shirin found herself as an Account Director and Team Lead of Maven's temporary division after working at a company self-styled as the Airbnb of all water experiences – and after casually traveling to Peru and Machu Picchu! Aside from experiencing the world’s greatest wonders, she works with temp candidates and companies to provide a superior temporary placement experience. A total extrovert, Shirin’s love for improv and her mad karaoke skills translate seamlessly to the recruiting space. Her favorite brunch food is a mimosa (that counts!) and her favorite person is her rescue dog named Chappy (that counts, too!).

Monique Gates

Recruiting Coordinator

Monique is the newest addition to Maven’s temporary division working as a Recruiting Coordinator. She likes to refer to her role as a professional cupid and is here to help you find a role you’ll fall head over heels for. Prior to Maven, Monique was an Executive Assistant in the entertainment industry, so it’s only fitting for her to devote her recruiting career to helping other Executive Assistants... talk about a full-circle moment! While she’s not Italian, she should be, considering her favorite activity is having a glass of wine paired with some form of carbohydrate. Fun fact: most of Monique’s childhood was spent on set as a child actress! She’s also a sucker for a great personal-growth book & welcomes recommendations from her candidates.

DaVaughn Smith

Account Director

“Thank you for taking the time to visit and really learn what sets us apart from our competitors.”

DaVaughn is a matchmaker between Maven’s clients and administrative talent. He does it all and the Temp Team thanks him for it! It’s not his first rodeo either – prior to Maven, DaVaughn worked with high-end hoteliers internationally (think Nobu Malibu), providing guest engagement digital solutions. He’s a self-proclaimed “nerd” when it comes to all things rollercoasters & automotives (and his Instagram explore page would tell you no different). Most importantly, he’s a lover of breakfast burritos and chilaquiles which affirms his motto: Mexican food is always the right answer. Don’t know where to find him? Try the dog park or the CrossFit box working off those breakfast burritos!

Nerissa Sagabaen

Account Director & Recruiter

“Nerissa always goes the extra mile for others, and it definitely shows through her positivity and productivity.”
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As a Recruiter for Maven’s temporary division, Nerissa takes pride in fostering authentic relationships with job seekers and creating the best candidate experience imaginable. Nerissa’s background in event planning, office management and community outreach make her a natural at connecting people to the right opportunities. Nerissa is known for her topnotch hospitality –whether it be a family BBQ or a game night in with friends, you name it and she’ll plan it. Outside of work, Nerissa enjoys exploring the best eatery San Francisco has to offer even if it means standing in the winding line at Devil’s Teeth Baking Co. But her go-to brunch food remains a classic eggs benedict with a side of hash-browns and a good ol’ cup of cold brew.

Monique Stewart

Account Director

“Thank you for going above and beyond for us. This process seemed like it would be so stressful, but you have made everything so easy.”

As an Account Director for Maven’s Direct Hire Team, Monique partners directly with organizations in fulfilling their administrative hiring goals. Prior to her role at Maven, Monique worked in Sales at ADP so she’s very familiar working alongside small and rapidly growing businesses. Residing in Tucson, Monique enjoys the Arizona sunshine and the Sonoran Desert sunsets and when adventuring with her three dogs or kicking back in her hammock. When looking for a creative outlet, Monique enjoys painting rocks, a hobby she picked up amidst the quarantine but hasn’t dropped since! As for brunch, her favorite combo is huevos rancheros paired with a michelada because #savoryoversweet.

Samantha Lopez

Recruiting Operations Specialist

“Thank you for constantly supporting me through every step of this journey. Not once did you ever give up!”

Samantha strives to provide every candidate with a 5-star recruiting experience as the first point of contact. Sam has a heart for helping others improve their quality of life, formerly in physical therapy focusing on physical health and now in recruiting focusing on career fulfillment. Samantha is an outdoor enthusiast who will never say no to a weekend camping trip. What fuels all of this energy? Steak and eggs, her favorite brunch food, of course!

Tiana Hicks

Account Director

“Thank you for creating such a seamless process!”

Tiana is a lover of all things health and wellness– not only did she work in the industry for over 15 years, but her passion for fitness is apparent in her personal life too. When Tiana isn’t partnering with Maven’s clients on their hiring goals, she’s hitting the trails with her dog Oliver to train for her next Spartan Race. Fun fact, she completed the Spartan Beast Half Marathon last year! But don’t worry, she’ll still indulge in her favorite food... tacos! She’s also a sucker for a graham cracker oat milk latte paired with a great audio book (and she’s always open to new recs!).

Tareh Bulanti

Recruiter

“You made this so easy for me!”

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Meet Tareh, who works closely with our Account Directors within Maven's permanent division to find the perfect match for both our clients and our candidates. Prior to her role at Maven, Tareh worked in high-end hospitality at both Hillstone Restaurant Group and The Bay Club, needless to say she understands the art of client relationships and delivering white-glove service. Residing in the beautiful state of Colorado, it only makes sense that her favorite activity is hiking and exploring the great outdoors with her family. Tareh is also a licensed aesthetician, freelance makeup artist, lover of all things skincare and sucker for a spiced chai latte and avocado toast.

Brooke Craig

Recruiting Coordinator

“You truly have the most incredible work ethic. The way your personality shines through your work is amazing. I know you can do anything you want in this world.”

Brooke is a Recruiting Coordinator for Maven’s direct hire division. Brooke is used to being in a customer-facing environment as she’s worked in floral management and financial services (a combo you don’t hear every day). She’s a sucker for a breakfast burrito, but only if it’s paired with a mimosa. When she’s not chatting with candidates on the phone, she’s doing something outdoors and staying active with her dog. Her goal is to visit every national park in the United States and has already crossed three states off her bucket list!

Meet the Mavens.

Candor

Touch Over Tech

The Intangibles

Employee Testimonials

We're Hiring.

Recruiting Coordinator

Sales Development Representative

Account Director

Recruiter

Hybrid Environment

Presidents Club

401k Match

Monthly Wellness Day

Medical Coverage

WiFi Reimbursement

Cell Phone Reimbursement

Volunteer Day

We celebrate what makes each candidate and company unique.

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