Meet the 2025 Talent Makers award winners who embody great hiring
3 mins, 18 secs read time
A C-suite executive who advocates for a people-first approach to hiring, a recruiter who attracts talent like a magnet or a hiring manager who goes above and beyond in supporting TA teams – they all embody what it means to be a Talent Makers champion.
After carefully reviewing hundreds of nominations for the 2025 Talent Makers awards, we narrowed it down to nine remarkable finalists. And we’re excited for you to meet the three winners championing great hiring.
Talent magnet winner: Amber Trapp, Vice President, Talent Acquisition, NFL
As the Vice President of Talent Acquisition at the NFL, Amber Trapp relies on data to create a more efficient, candidate-focused hiring process.
Using data from Greenhouse – their new ATS – Amber spearheaded an initiative that has significantly improved recruiter and overall efficiency and created a better candidate experience.
By fostering diverse and inclusive hiring practices, Amber attracts top talent and has increased candidate satisfaction by 26%. And thanks to her strategic approach to hiring and leveraging the data from Greenhouse, the NFL has reduced its average time-to-fill by 15 days.
A true team player, Amber helps the TA team in any way she can – including getting them the right tech – so they can focus on finding the best talent for the NFL. Charlotte Lorentzen, Director of Talent Acquisition at the NFL, said:
“Amber is a strong leader who is not only strategic but empathetic. She excels at attracting top talent, fostering diverse and inclusive hiring practices and building relationships across all levels. She drives innovative recruitment strategies aligned with our business goals. She’s known for her inspiration and approachable demeanor, motivating not only our team but all stakeholders alike to achieve shared success.”
Talent partner winner: Talitha Shiroma, Talent Operations Program Manager, Datavant
After an acquisition that tripled the size of the TA and People team (and increased the full-time employee base 10x), Talitha Shiroma seamlessly integrated data from the old ATS into Greenhouse – she brought efficiency to high-volume hiring operations.
This saved Datavant over $750k annually (by reducing redundant systems) and increased recruiter productivity by 50%.
Talitha also partnered with the TA team, sharing SOPs with 30+ recruiters and over 1,000 hiring managers and offering live and recorded training sessions. She also implemented a company-wide data policy to reduce risk and ensure compliance.
Gina Nicoletti, Head of Talent Acquisition Operations at Datavant, who nominated Talitha, was impressed by her strategic vision and execution:
Through Talitha’s leadership, this high-stakes migration was executed seamlessly, allowing Datavant to scale hiring operations efficiently, modernize the TA tech stack and future-proof recruitment processes.
Talent leader winner: Brandon Morrill, VP, Talent Brand and Talent Acquisition, CarGurus
Brandon Morrill was hired to reimagine and build a culture of hiring at CarGurus – he did just that by transforming TA into a strategic and data-driven function.
The inconsistent processes and underused tech made it almost impossible for the TA team to keep up when CarGurus experienced rapid growth. They missed out on top talent and struggled to deliver a strong candidate experience.
But Brandon rolled out a Recruiting Ops function to leverage Greenhouse to build structure into the hiring process and collect reliable data that allowed for data-driven decision-making. Paired with his efforts to activate employees as brand ambassadors, Brandon helped the TA team create a culture of great hiring, increase offer acceptance rates by 18% and reduce time-to-fill by 17%.
“Brandon has cultivated a strong sense of connection within the TA team. Through regular updates, interactive training sessions and open dialogue, he’s created a supportive space where collaboration, innovation and inclusion thrive,” said Jeff McCarthy, Senior Manager of People Operations at CarGurus, who nominated Brandon.
Curious about the Talent Makers awards or what defines a talent magnet, partner or leader? Check out our Talent Makers page.
Nisha Gutterman
is a seasoned professional with expertise in customer success, talent acquisition, and customer marketing. As a Customer Marketing Manager at Greenhouse Software, she drives customer engagement through advocacy programs and community-building initiatives. Passionate about fostering connections and enhancing customer experiences, Nisha takes a strategic approach to building customer programming and delivering business impact. She holds an MBA in Marketing and Strategy from NYU Stern School of Business and a B.S. in Management Science from UC San Diego. She lives in Hermosa Beach, California, with her husband and two daughters (ages 5 and 8).