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Our Team
Silicon Valley Office

Anna Martin
Principal | Anna Martin is a Principal at Laurel Group focused on recruiting executives for software, online/e-commerce and wireless companies. Anna has developed significant expertise in conducting research and candidate development for a wide range of companies, including both venture backed companies and large public corporations. Her search work has been primarily focused upon the recruitment of general management, marketing, sales, and operations executives. Anna has over ten years of experience in Account Management and Client development in the Technology, Marketing and Media verticals. Throughout her career, she has prided herself on analyzing client needs, developing detailed recommendations, and coordinating resources to provide the full level of support needed.

Prior to joining the Laurel Group in 2007, Anna had multiple years of solution selling success in companies such as Corbis and with Microsoft as a Solution Specialist in their MapPoint division. Additionally she worked at The Garrigan Lyman Group (GLG) where she was the Microsoft Account Executive directly working with the Microsoft Partner marketing team on their integrated campaigns.

Anna attended Mills College in the Bay Area and holds a Bachelors of Arts degree in Theater from the University of Washington. She is an avid hiker, kayaker, traveler and volunteer in the animal welfare space. She resides in West Seattle with her husband Steve and their two dogs Daisy and Simba.



Stan Eng
Principal | Stan Eng is a Principal at the Laurel Group and specializes in sales, business development, and technology search. He has over ten years in sales with five years of specialization in sales recruiting.

Prior to joining the Laurel Group, Stan was the Staffing Director for an Oki-backed startup company, and managed a Pacific Northwest sales team for a Fortune-rated services organization.

Stan also spent three years with a publicly traded software consulting and search firm based in San Francisco, where he was an Executive Recruiter in the IT practice working with technology clients.

Stan has a depth of experience working with both established public companies and early stage startups, and has a unique understanding of building national sales and consulting organizations. Stan resides in the Seattle area with his wife Anya and son William.



Brad Castoro
Principal | Brad Castoro is a Senior Recruiter for LGMarketing, Laurel Group's marketing division. He brings 10 years of both client side and advertising agency experience, spanning senior account executive roles on press relations teams at JWT to full cycle creative and product management recruitment, both as a contractor for start-ups and Robert Half's The Creative Group. In these roles, he consistently built winning teams while interfacing with executive teams on market strategy, creative development and strategic alliances.

At the LGMarketing, Brad is focused on recruiting for search assignments on behalf of Microsoft, nationals wireless providers and venture capital portfolio companies in the Pacific Northwest.



Kirsten Roth
Principal | Kirsten Roth joins Laurel Group with 20 years in management and strategic marketing with companies like Hughes Electronics, PanAmSat, Directv, AEI Music. Immediately prior to entering the search profession she ran a successful management consulting practice with clients such as National Public Broadcasting (NPR), Boeing, Fisher Communications and start-ups like MoodLogic (acquired by Sony). Her corporate experience allows her to understand client needs better so she is able to help them find just the right candidate for their positions.

Her experience has been focused in technical settings (satellite communications, digital media, internet, broadband, software, etc.) from Fortune 100 corporations to entrepreneurial start ups. She has been with products from concept to rollout, has overseen market analysis and market research and has negotiated strategic partnerships so she understands the importance of having the right people in place. She has an MBA from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University where she focused on marketing, strategy and finance. Her undergraduate degree is from University of California at Santa Barbara. Kirsten is actively involved with the MIT Enterprise Forum of the Northwest where she is a Past President, Chair Emeritus and a member of the Board of Directors.



Teague Splaine
Managing Partner l Teague possesses an extensive background in software, computer hardware, semiconductor, mobile computing, media technology and internet services. His search work and prior experience counseling senior executives on strategy and leadership have gained him expertise across many functional areas, including CEOs, presidents, senior sales, engineering, and marketing leaders, as well as board directors. Teague has led senior executive search and board assignments in leading technology companies such as Entropic Communications, RGB Networks, Omneon Video Networks, Blue Lane Technologies, Ortiva Wireless, Turin Networks, Movius, Entorian, LogLogic, Imagine Communications, Copan Systems, Symwave, Vendare Media, PopTok, ConteXtream, Avnera, Nirvanix, and Pudding Media, to name a few.

Before joining the Laurel Group, Teague was a Senior Principal and Managing Director at Howard Fischer Associates. Teague was instrumental in helping build HFA into one of Silicon Valley's most reputable search firms and was a key component of their West Coast search practice. Teague also co-managed day-to-day operations of HFA's Silicon Valley office which, in addition to search execution, included helping direct the firm's strategy, planning, and hiring practices. Prior to joining HFA, Teague worked within SpencerStuart's Menlo Park, CA IT practice.

Teague holds a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Arizona. Teague and his wife Melissa resides in the Silicon Valley with their two boys, Tommy and Trent.



The Firm
The Laurel Group is a retained search and human capital staffing firm that believes strongly in two things: One, that the market success of any company is tied to its culture and, two, that technology becomes a strategic corporate asset when aligned with business goals.

The firm was founded in Seattle by former Heidrick & Struggles Partners, Jeff Hibbert and Tom Taft in 2002. Since then it has grown to six partners, over 100 consultants, a Silicon Valley office, and is considered one of the premier human capital solution firms on the West Coast.

The track record of success reveals the three attributes that distinguish the Laurel Group from its competitors: the industry focus, unfettered access to talent and ability to match candidates not just to the spec, but to the culture of the company. Put together, these distinctive qualities allow the Laurel Group to deliver quickly for companies seeking new executives and their staffs.

Good people are at the core of what we do.

Proven Search Expertise
The Laurel Group has assembled a seasoned team of executive search consultants from the enterprise and from the industry. These professionals translate their relevant experience to meet and exceed clients’ needs.

The collective experience has yielded an industry leading time-to-completion process for many of the hard-to-place executive positions, including CEOs, Chief Financial, Technology Officers, and Information Officers, as well as Board of Director representation.

Talent Management
The Laurel Group focuses its efforts on creating, fostering and growing relationships with top tier candidates around the world, whether there is an active search or not. With these relationships, the firm can act quickly….no call is a cold call.

The active search load is limited to provide the best client service in the industry. Laurel Group executives work hand-in-glove with clients as strategic partners and trusted advisors and operate as a market facing extension of the client. The firm has the fastest average time to close in the executive search industry and unconditionally guarantees placements for one year.

Deep Domain Expertise
The Laurel Group’s recruiting team brings deep domain and functional expertise and insights—the product of direct experience in their respective fields. Collectively, the team brings an in-depth understanding of individual market dynamics and client demand.

The firm works across the Technology industry, having specific expertise with Internet driven business models, software and services, networking and communications and semiconductor and hardware. The firm’s executives have successfully led senior searches at Financial Services institutions, Universities and Colleges, Not-for-profit organizations, and various Foundations and Trusts.

Direct Communication
At the Laurel Group, we believe in honest, straightforward communication. We tell clients what we really think, not what they want to hear. And we will not pursue search solutions that are not in their long-term best interest.



Steve O’Deegan
Managing Partner | Steve is a Managing Partner with the Laurel Group and co-manages our Silicon Valley office where he leads senior level searches, business development and operations for the firm. Steve has been in the retained search business for over fourteen years servicing a broad range of industry segments including Enterprise/Infrastructure Software, Consumer (Electronics and Internet), Networking, Wireless and Semiconductor.

Prior to joining the Laurel Group, Steve was one of the highest producing Principal’s in Howard Fischer’s (HFA) Silicon Valley office for over three years. He successfully completed over forty searches managing and executing CEO, Officer and VP level searches for high-growth private and public technology companies.

Steve’s early career included a Partner role with Austin McGregor (a Dallas based retained search firm), and the founding of Celerity, a search firm that provided a fully-outsourced search model to public and private companies including executive search, on-site contract recruiters, co-branded technology, and HR consulting services. In his role as Managing Director Steve managed the P&L of the business and developed the team, which grew to ten search professionals and twenty consultants and became one of the premier Bay Area full search service firms. Steve started his career in executive search with Quest Search Associates, a boutique retained search firm focused on building management teams for high-growth public company expansion and corporate turn-around teams.

Prior to search, Steve was a certified Athletic Trainer and was a Corporal in the U.S. Army and successfully graduated from the Ranger, Air Assault and Combat Lifesaver programs. He is an avid sports enthusiast, loves the outdoors and resides in Campbell with his lovely wife, and spirited son and daughter.



Michael Taft
Managing Partner | Mike is a Managing Partner with the Laurel Group and co-manages our Silicon Valley office where he leads senior level searches and business development for the firm. Mike joined the Laurel Group and opened our Bay Area office in 2004 after launching and building a successful search firm, the Trovaré Group, where he led all management, operations, and business development for the firm. Before starting the Trovaré Group, Michael was an Executive Search Consultant for a search firm in Berkeley where he established and built a successful Life Science practice and a High Technology practice from scratch. Mike’s primary focus is finding senior executives across most functional areas, which includes sales, marketing, business development, finance, and engineering.

Prior to his recruiting career, he spent over 15 years as a successful executive in sales, marketing and business development. Mike has spent his career in a variety of industries where he consistently built winning sales and sales support teams while interfacing with executive teams on market strategy, channel development and strategic alliances. Mike has a BS in Industrial Technology from Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo. If Mike is not with his wife Karmen or his boys Cole and Grant, he can probably be found participating in one of many outdoor activities he enjoys. He is an active member of the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue team and is a licensed pilot.



David Kimbro
Managing Partner | David Kimbro is a Partner with the Laurel Group and leads executive level searches and business development for the firm. His industry focus spans Financial Services, Education, Not-for-Profit, and Advanced Technology. Previously David was with Korn/Ferry in various roles and locations for the past seven years. Prior to coming to Seattle, David lived and worked in Madrid, Spain focusing on global searches across industries targeting both Europe and Asia. Before Spain, David was in Korn/Ferry’s Hong Kong office for four years working on senior level searches in a wide variety of industries sectors including Financial Services, Education, Advanced Technology, Consumer, Entertainment, Not-for-Profit, and Government.

His specialty is sourcing candidates from around the world for high level global searches Earlier in his career, David was Vice-President at an entrepreneurial health care company in the US. Prior to that, he worked as the Special Assistant to the Executive Vice President in a conglomerate in the Midwest of the US, working in various roles for their engineering company and international divisions.

David was born in the United States and has lived in Spain, England, France, and Hong Kong. He is especially interested in cross cultural issues and languages and he has traveled widely in Europe and Asia. He is fluent in Spanish, and has a basic understanding of French, German, and Chinese. Mr. Kimbro holds a B.A. in International Studies and Spanish from Washington College. He also studied abroad in Spain, Mexico, and Regent’s College in England. Mr. Kimbro was a graduate fellow and the Lamone Entrepreneurship Scholar of his MBA class at the University of Maryland in College Park where he received his MBA degree in International Business in 1996. David is an avid sailor, fly fisherman, and technical scuba diver. His wife, Marinilka is an Assistant Professor of Accounting at Gonzaga University. They live on the South Hill with their two sons, Jack and Calvin.



Chris Berta
Partner | Chris Berta is a Partner of the Laurel Group with responsibilities including business development and senior management searches. His primary area of focus is in the marketing industry. He brings over 14 years of recruiting, sales and marketing experience with Fortune 50 companies as well as early stage start-ups. Chris has successfully completed engagements with Real Networks, Onvia, Clearwire, Intermec, and InfoSpace to name a few. Prior to joining the Laurel Group, Chris was the Marketing Manager at Washington Mutual, Inc., directing their online marketing efforts. He developed his knowledge of the online marketing space during his tenure as an Account Director at Avenue A, now Aquantive, Inc., and at Amazon.com.

Previous to his work in the marketing arena, Chris had a successful selling and business development career within the consumer goods industry for Sara Lee Corporation and Seattle’s Best Coffee. He has an impressive business track record of managing all stages of a product’s development as well as managing marketing campaigns for small start-ups to Fortune 50 companies. Chris is a member of the Seattle Chamber of the American Marketing Association and the Seattle Rotary #4. In addition, he serves on the marketing board of the University of Washington Alumni Association. He received a Bachelor of Science in Economics and a Bachelor in Arts in German from the University of Washington. Chris resides in Seattle with his wife Kathi and their sons Zach and Ryan.



Jim Krouskop
Partner | Jim Krouskop is a Partner at the Laurel Group and is responsible for leading business development and executive level searches for the firm. Jim brings over 12 years of technology management, business development, and recruiting experience, primarily with software and web technology organizations from startups to Fortune 500 companies. Most recently, Jim has engaged in searches for Microsoft, OpenMarket, and Whitepages.com. Prior to joining the Laurel Group, Jim was a Wealth Advisor with Morgan Stanley and specialized in assisting high-net worth executives, clients, and their families with financial planning and private wealth management. Before transitioning into financial services, Jim managed software and web development teams as a Sr. Program Manager and successfully launched educational software products with Broderbund Software, enterprise content management applications with MetaStories (now Brightcove), and dealer websites/portals with the Cobalt Group. Jim possesses a powerful combination of technology management, business acumen, and financial experience to assist the Laurel Group’s world-class clients and candidates with their recruiting and career search needs. Jim received a Bachelor of Arts and Master’s degree in Urban Planning from UC, San Diego and the University of Washington, respectively. Jim resides in Seattle with his partner, Peggy and their two cats, Poppy and Vern.



Jeffory D. Hibbert
Managing Partner | Jeff Hibbert is Co-Founder & Managing Partner of the Laurel Group and leads executive level searches, operations and business development for the firm. Prior to this new venture, Jeff was recruited to Heidrick & Struggles’ Silicon Valley Office as Global Practice Lead for the Engineering & Technology Specialty Practice and to help launch the Seattle office. He was also a member of the International Technology Practice, which is now the industry's largest specialty practice, annually executing approximately 2600 officer-level searches worldwide for technology companies. Specializing in searches for emerging and transforming technology businesses, he has served clients in Internet, SAN, wireless, and other software, systems, and networking sectors. Jeff has an extensive track record of completing assignments in all functions in high technology.

Jeff’s clients' range from entrepreneurial companies to later-stage growth companies, with a particular geographic focus on Silicon Valley, the Northwest and multinational enterprises. Recent clients include Amazon.com, Charles Schwab, Blue Pumpkin Software, Intira, KANA Communications, BroadVision, K2 Optronics, Exponent, Qpass, eTunnels, NetStock Corporation, CashEdge, Fujitsu Technology Solutions, Attachmate, Applied Voice Technology, Active Voice, and Cipient Networks. In addition to many CEO, CTO and VPE searches over the past few years, Jeff is a regular speaker and discussion group leader on the evolving role of the Executive Engineer and has undertaken a number of Advisory and Corporate Board organization design projects. Jeff’s board experience includes non-executive roles and advisory member for emerging technology companies in the Silicon Valley. He received his Bachelor of Science from Western Illinois University and was a Graduate Assistant at the University of Missouri. Jeff resides in Seattle with his wife Heika and their sons Eli and Liam.



Thomas H. Taft
Managing Partner | Tom Taft is Co-Founder & Managing Partner of the Laurel Group and leads executive level searches, management, and business development for the firm. He has over twelve years in high technology sales and marketing with five years of senior level work in the executive search business. Prior to co-founding the Laurel Group, Tom was a Consultant with Heidrick & Struggles where he was recruited to establish the Seattle office. Tom served as a member of the International Technology Practice, where he conducted executive searches for CEOs, VPs, Board of Directors, and other key executives for emerging growth and publicly traded technology companies, focusing on the software and communications sectors.

Before joining Heidrick & Struggles, Inc., Tom was a Partner with the Huntington Group, an executive search firm based in Trumbull, Connecticut. Tom also spent three years with a publicly traded software consulting and search firm based in San Francisco, where he was an Executive Recruiter in the IT practice working with technology clients nationwide. Tom has a depth of experience working with established public companies and early stage technology startups, encompassing software, hardware and services oriented ventures. He has led searches for numerous venture capital firms and their emerging technology portfolio companies. Tom worked in sales and marketing at a variety of organizations prior to recruiting, including Product Marketing Manager at Apple Computer and Senior Account Executive at R.R. Donnelley & Sons. Tom holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Marketing and Advertising from San Jose State University. Tom resides in Seattle with his wife Mary and daughters Gabriella and Julia.