Join us for our annual Talent & TIARAs conference and awards gala. This event is for senior talent leaders only.
This November TALiNT Partners will bring together the best of the Talent Acquisition community to share what we have learned from the complex and varied talent challenges of 2025 and look forward to what’s ahead in 2026.
This event is designed for senior level HR and Talent Acquisition leaders only.
Over two packed days you will:
To wrap up the celebrations, we will crown our TIARA Talent Acquisition and Talent Tech Stars champions in a gala celebration dinner.
TALiNT Partners events are recognized for the quality of their interactions, their delegates and support of the best industry partners and experts. We highly recommend you register now while spaces are available.
Event Disclaimer: Our curated events are designed to foster meaningful exchanges, and we cater meticulously to each participant. Should your plans change so that you are no longer able to attend, we kindly ask for timely notice to accommodate others who could benefit from this event.
Day 1
Day 2
Shelly Patman is a seasoned leader in Talent Acquisition and Human Resources, with nearly 20 years of progressive experience across high-growth public and private companies. As SVP of Human Resources at WWEX Group, a rapidly expanding logistics provider, Shelly’s work is deeply rooted in strategic talent initiatives that drive business success. Her career began in training and retail management, where she helped develop talent for new concept stores nationwide. She then transitioned into recruiting for private staffing firms, specializing in financial and banking sectors, and played a key role in expanding the independent bank footprint across North Texas and Louisiana.
Shelly’s corporate journey accelerated when she joined a global real estate software company, where she helped build and scale a high-performing talent acquisition team across the U.S. and the Philippines. Her expertise spans corporate, sales, and international recruiting, and she later expanded into benefits and M&A, gaining global experience in due diligence and integration. In 2017, Shelly joined Worldwide Express—now part of WWEX Group—during a pivotal brand integration. She helped establish scalable HR programs, shared services, and training models to support rapid growth across multiple states. Shelly thrives in complex integration work, leveraging technology and team strengths to streamline post-deal activities while maintaining a strong focus on employee experience. She is passionate about people, known for fostering inclusive, high-performing teams that enhance engagement and retention. Outside of work, Shelly actively supports nonprofit organizations focused on education, wellness, and women’s advocacy. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Texas State University.
Tal is an award-winning executive with over three decades of extensive experience in strategic transformation and people-centric innovation. Through workshops, academies and transformation consulting, Tal’s approach blends science-backed methods with a practical, plain-English style that moves beyond theory to create lasting change.
Tal spent 30 years as a client serving Partner and then Chief Learning Officer at EY, where he served clients big and small, complex and simple, global and local. Tal was sought after to design and lead transformation efforts, launch new programs and initiatives, and as an expert in motivation and behavior change.
Ken has over 30 years’ industry experience including Board positions at Robert Walters, Korn/Ferry International, Morgan McKinley, and as HR Director Fidelity Investments. He also served on the Recruitment and Development Committee at Oxfam for seven years until 2024.
Ken has vast experience successfully running & building global businesses across the TA & recruitment ecosystem. Ken is the founder and chair of the TALiNT Partners business and also focuses on creating exceptional insights and experiences for employer community.
Marcus Sawyer is the Founder and CEO of EQ App, a company leveraging AI to revolutionize how businesses connect with networks and information for growth in sales, marketing, and recruiting1. With over 15 years of experience in HR tech and recruiting, Marcus has established himself as a forward-thinking innovator in the industry.
Before founding EQ App, Marcus held significant roles at CareerBuilder, where he started in ad sales, and at The Adecco Group, where he served as Global President of Adecco Group X, focusing on building technology solutions.
He has also been a member of the Microsoft Services Executive Board and an investor, showcasing his diverse expertise and leadership in the tech and recruitment sectors.
Originally from London and now based in Silicon Valley, Marcus has a global perspective, having visited over 107 countries. This international experience has been instrumental in building the EQ Community, which champions inclusion and diversity in the workplace.
Marcus is passionate about using AI to unlock opportunities and help individuals and businesses thrive. His vision for EQ App is to inspire users to harness AI’s potential and achieve their professional goals through innovative products and content.
Rocki Howard is the founder of Diversiology.IO and Chief People and Equity Officer at Textio. A globally recognized workplace strategist and one of SIA’s Global Power 150 Women in Staffing, Rocki blends decades of HR leadership with a deep commitment to building inclusive, high-performing, people-first cultures.
A member of the Forbes HR Council, her insights have been featured on ABC News, Harvard Business Review, and other leading platforms. She is a trusted voice for leaders who want to move beyond theory—offering practical tools, clear strategies, and candid conversations that make culture change real.
Rocki believes in changing the world of work one story, one conversation, and one action at a time.
Rebecca has been with Eightfold nearly five years (December marks the big milestone!) — first helping to build the Customer Success team, then making the jump to Marketing in 2024, where she now serves as Sr. Director of Talent-centered Transformation. Before that, she spent 20+ years in TA leadership across retail, CPG, agri-business, and restaurants, which means she understands leaders, practitioners, candidates, and vendors.
She’s a connector, strategist, and storyteller who can find patterns in the chaos and cut through noise with clarity — often with a story that makes people nod along and think, “Yes, that’s exactly it.” She partners with leaders and teams to sketch out the art of the possible, spark new ideas, and turn future-focused visions into practical next steps.
Outside of work, Rebecca is just as energized. You might find her off-roading in her FJ, cycling, hiking, watching hockey, or plotting elaborate murder mysteries (the fun kind — written and facilitated, not committed). She’s also a food enthusiast, traveler, bookworm, youth mentor, and proud mom of three adult kids. She grew up outside of Chicago, did her undergrad in Seattle, MA in Minneapolis, and currently lives south of Phoenix.
Her CliftonStrengths are Activator, Strategic, Futuristic, Connectedness, and Includer — a mix that explains why she’s equally at home inspiring vision, building community, and getting things moving.
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