Our Team

Our Leadership

A distinguished team of researchers, practitioners, and scholars advancing the science of talent acquisition and recruiter evaluation.

Executive Leadership

The individuals who guide CFRE's research agenda, operational strategy, and commitment to methodological rigor.

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Dr. Margaret Chen-Whitfield

Executive Director & Co-Founder

Founded CFRE in 2011 after 18 years in talent acquisition research and management consulting. Background in industrial-organizational psychology with a focus on executive selection methodology and recruiter effectiveness. Previously held leadership roles in workforce strategy consulting.

Ph.D., Industrial-Organizational Psychology

JA

Dr. James Alderton

Director of Research

Leads CFRE's research division and the development of the proprietary Evaluation Framework. Background in human capital analytics with experience at a national economic research organization. Specializes in organizational behavior and applied workforce research.

Ph.D., Organizational Behavior

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Dr. Priya Ramanathan

Senior Research Analyst & Methodology Lead

Oversees the design and validation of CFRE's 142-point assessment model. Specializes in psychometric evaluation of recruitment processes and quantitative workforce analytics. Background in applied statistics and survey methodology.

Ph.D., Quantitative Psychology

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David Okonkwo

Managing Editor & Director of Publications

Manages CFRE's editorial standards and publication pipeline. Background in business publishing and editorial management, with experience overseeing books and reports on talent management and organizational development.

M.A., Journalism

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Dr. Sarah Lindström

Director of Industry Partnerships

Leads CFRE's relationships with corporate partners, university research collaborators, and professional associations. Background includes 22 years of progressive HR leadership in manufacturing, with experience as a chief human resources officer.

D.B.A., Business Administration | SHRM-SCP

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Michael Reeves

Chief Operating Officer

Manages CFRE's operations, technology infrastructure, and strategic planning. Background in nonprofit operations and public policy, with experience managing research programs at policy-focused organizations.

M.P.A., Public Administration


Advisory Board

Senior practitioners and scholars who provide strategic counsel on CFRE's research direction and institutional standards.

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Robert Kingsley

Former CHRO, Alden-Pacific Industries

Fortune 200 manufacturer. 30+ years in executive talent strategy.

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Dr. Helen Vasquez

Professor, Cornell ILR School

Professor of Human Resource Management. Published researcher in executive assessment.

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Thomas Brennan

Former President, NAER

Former President, National Association of Executive Recruiters. 25 years in retained search.

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Dr. Aisha Okafor-Williams

Director, McKinnon Research Group

Director of Workforce Analytics at McKinnon Research Group. Expert in labor market modeling.

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Richard Tanaka

Former Managing Partner, Hargrove & Sterling

Former Managing Partner, Hargrove & Sterling Executive Search. Three decades in C-suite placement.

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Dr. Elizabeth Moreau

Professor, London Business School

Professor of Organizational Psychology. Specializes in cross-border executive selection.

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Patricia Huang

Former SVP, Northfield Dynamics

Former SVP of Global Talent Acquisition at Northfield Dynamics (Fortune 500). Led TA for 45,000-employee organization.

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Dr. William Ashford

Former Director, Bureau of Labor Statistics

Former Director, Office of Employment and Unemployment Statistics at BLS. Expert in labor market data and workforce forecasting.

Research Associates

CFRE employs 12 full-time research associates who support data collection, statistical analysis, and report development across all active evaluation projects. In addition, the Center maintains ongoing partnerships with graduate researchers from Columbia University, the University of Michigan, Stanford University, and Cornell University, whose contributions to longitudinal studies and methodological validation are integral to our evaluation framework.