30 HR influencers in tech to watch

Last updated:
January 3, 2022
February 7, 2023
min read
Adrie Smith
Recruitee
hr influencers in tech to watch in 2022
Table of contents

Subscribing to too many sources trying to catch the most accurate, useful content out there?

Actually, there are people already doing that for you. They are the HR influencers in tech and leaders in talent acquisition and recruitment. They’re experienced in processing loads of information and highlighting the best. And… they post about it online for all of us to check out.

31 HR tech influencers to watch

We’ve kept an eye on them for the past year, especially those consistently sharing high-quality insights to their followers. This doesn’t necessarily equate to the amount of followers that they have on any channel! Across platforms, the following HR and recruitment influencers in tech have shown to be among the 30 most promising to watch. They are in no particular order, and they appear here because we believe in their HR influencing abilities, across the globe!

1. Kameron Kales

We’re fans of a solid Facebook group that does something new and innovative to bring the HR community together. Kameron Kales first caught our recruitment eye when interacting in the Facebook group he co-founded (see #10), Recruiting Leaders! With stellar engagement in the group, we have sat back and watched Kameron work his HR tech influencer magic over the past year. His posts on Facebook, in the group and on his personal profile, are not only witty but spit truth about the recruitment industry. He spoke at Las Vegas SourceCon in 2018, and we have no doubt that he will continue to be an HR tech influencer well into 2022 and beyond.

About: Founder of Recruiting Leaders Academy
Location: North Carolina, US
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kameronkales/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kameronkales

2. Michael Kelemen

Speaking of Facebook groups, we couldn’t have a list of HR and recruitment influencers in tech without the Recruiting Animal, himself! Michael Kelemen pushes the boundaries of recruitment conversation. At first, it may seem like a bad thing. After a while, you realize it’s the best thing. His Facebook group, Recruiters Online, reflects that. His blunt manner of speaking and obvious knack for knowing all the right things to say about talent acquisition combine to make this HR tech influencer one to watch all the time. He’s not afraid to share his opinion and, dare we say it, he’s usually right. Check out his podcast while you’re at it (and heed his warnings).

About: The Recruiting Animal
Location: Ontario, Canada
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/torontorecruiter/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/animal

3. Marcel Rietveld

The Recruiting Animal is a tough act to follow, but Marcel Rietveld keeps up. Located in the Netherlands (just like the Recruitee HQ!), Marcel leads up TalentMapper, a game-changing organization that offers recruitment consultation, guiding you to land the best candidates. If that doesn’t make him one of the best HR tech influencers, just take a look at the diverse, intelligent content he shares on social platforms! Marcel is based in the Netherlands, but he and TalentMapper make a global impact on the recruitment industry.

About: CEO and Founder of TalentMapper
Location: Utrecht area, NL
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcelrietveld/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/marcelrietveld

4. Wendy Dailey

Wendy has stuck out to us as a promising HR tech influencer, mainly because we see her posting quality content “Dailey”. Activity online isn’t enough to make the list, though. So what makes Wendy Dailey different? She does! Her blog, “My Dailey Journey”, is always full of prompts to get our recruitment brains pumping. She and Jon Thurmond (see #25) head up the #HRSocialHour podcast and Twitter chat, delivering HR discussions to the masses. She also is an active contributor to other Twitter chats, such as #NextChat.

About: Talent Advisor at Sanford Health and 20 years of Human Resources experiences, certified by HRCI and SHRM
Location: South Dakota, US
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-dailey-7573872/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wyndall93

5. Susanna Frazier

A keynote speaker, hackathon champ, founder, and HR tech influencer: these are just a few ways to describe Susanna Frazier! She founded Sourcers Who Code, a unique take on talent acquisition and coding to better source potential candidates. Susanna not only knows her stuff about HR technology, she is also a sourcer for Universal Music Group, the world leader in music-based entertainment. Try that for well-rounded! You can follow along her interesting recruitment influencer journey at the links below.

About: Head of Sourcing at UMG and Founder of Sourcers Who Code
Location: Kentucky, US
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ohsusannamarie/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ohsusannamarie

6. Tris Revill

Another Facebook group aficionado, Tris Revill, deserves a spot on our list of up and coming HR and recruitment influencers in tech.  We first noticed him as the administrator of the Growth Hacking Recruiters group on Facebook, and we also tuned into his episode on the Animal podcast. He’s an engagement mastermind, so GHR is a fast-growing, fast-talking Facebook group that shouldn’t be missed. Tris, himself, varies in location from Dublin to Paris to London, and he can be found across the internet speaking his mind about recruitment trending topics. We’ve watched his personal brand grow in 2018, and we’re excited to see what’s in store!

About: Recruiter at Spendesk and Founder of Dragons Beers Recruiter, Growth Hacking Recruiters, and FlyingGang
Location: Dublin, Ireland
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tristramrevill/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/trisrevill

7. Andreea Wade

An opinionated HR professional from Ireland, Andreea Wade is as unique as the two “e”s in her name. We love a growth mindset in recruitment, and Andreea focuses on growth, professionally and personally. If you can get on board with advances in recruitment, such as her own “cognitive engine powering talent databases”, then you should keep up with Andreea Wade.

About: CEO & Founder of opening.io
Location: Ireland
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreeawade/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/brandalisms

8. Stacy Donovan Zapar

Stacy is the founder of The Talent Agency, a recruitment agency that recruits recruiters! With that double-whammy, she’s bound to know a thing or two about the industry (and her social following and content reflects that well). Join the Stacy Donovan Zapar club:

About: Founder of The Talent Agency and TenFold
Location: California, US
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacyzapar/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/StacyZapar

9. Nicole Roberts

If the name of Nicole Roberts’ blog, HR Without Ego, doesn’t sell you, we’re not sure what will. She’s smart about all things HR, and you can catch her moderating a useful Twitter chat for job hunting tips, #JobHuntChat. She also shouts out her biggest fans on Twitter, so make sure you engage with her insightful tweets, and maybe you’ll get tagged!

About: VP of HR at BrightView, LLC, blog owner at HR Without Ego, and Moderator of #JobHuntChat
Location: Ohio, US
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nroberts919/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NRobertsHR

10. Chris Comrie

Mentioned during #1 on this list, Chris Comrie co-founded the Recruiting Leaders Facebook group along with Kameron Kales. He sticks out the most in our minds due to his informal, yet engaging and informative videos on Facebook groups. Whether it’s an exciting course to offer the group or a snippet of his time at various HR conferences, Chris knows how to get the HR community excited about recruitment. We all need a boost in recruitment excitement from time to time, right?

About: Co-Founder of Recruiting Leaders and Digital Marketing Specialist
Location: North Carolina, US
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/comriechris/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/christafarious

11. Adrie Smith

With experience in recruitment and content marketing, our very own Adrie Smith perfectly fits in this list of HR leaders. Constantly striving to create unique, engaging content, Adrie is one to follow for innovative recruitment ideas. She’s also the Recruitee resident gif maker. Get chatting with her ASAP!

About: Content Marketing Manager at Recruitee
Location: Amsterdam, NL
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriesmith/

12. Ben Eubanks

Ben Eubanks is most likely a familiar face to most of you reading this article. However, he’s worth mentioning going into 2022 (and in every year’s update if we could!). An HR analyst, podcaster, and all-around HR tech influencer, Ben keeps up with current HR topics and isn’t shy to share his opinion on them across channels. Check out his podcast, We’re Only Human, as well as upstartHR, a publication reaching upwards of one million HR professional readers.

About: Founder of upstart and HR and Principal Analyst at Lighthouse Research & Advisory
Location: Alabama, US
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beneubanks/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/beneubanks

13. Hung Lee

Recruiting Brainfood is a fabulous recruitment curation, and Hung Lee is to be credited for that. You can check out the previous issues on the website, which include resources such as spreadsheets full of influential women speakers in HR. Follow Hung Lee, and learn a little something about HR along the way.

About: Co-Founder and CEO at Workshape.io and Curator at Recruiting Brainfood
Location: London, UK
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hunglee/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/hunglee

14. Matt Alder

Matt Alder proposes all kinds of trends for the future of recruitment during his podcast, so following him is a smart idea! An author and talent acquisition specialist, himself, Matt is up to speed on unique trends and behind-the-scenes looks at what recruitment really needs to grow and thrive as we move forward.

About: Author of Exceptional Talent, Producer and Host at The Recruiting Future Podcast, and Talent Acquisition Specialist at MetaShift
Location: Edinburgh, UK
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattalder/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mattalder

15. Joe Burridge

EA (Electronic Arts) is likely a name you recognize, and Joe Burridge should be now, too. Especially if you are interested in learning about top recruitment practices, give Joe a follow on LinkedIn and Twitter! He has a large following already, and it’s for a good reason. He is a Senior Recruiter at EA, so if you want to know about recruitment for top corporations, he’s your person. It’s a niche field, as well, so Joe offers a unique perspective on recruitment practices. Check it out!

About: Senior Recruiter at EA
Location: Guildford, England
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeburridge/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeFindsTalent

16. Aubrey Diana Blanche

If you’re looking for knowledge-spitting on D&I (diversity and inclusion), Aubrey Blanche has all of that and more coming your way. Her LinkedIn profile picture has as much character as her insightful tweets and articles on Medium on talent acquisition and our role as employers, recruiters, and general human-beings in continuing the diversity and inclusion journey. Did you know that “diversity fatigue” is a real issue? Follow Aubrey for more.

About: Global Head of Diversity & Belonging at Atlassian
Location: California, US
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adblanche/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/adblanche

17. Jerry Albright

Jerry Albright is active in Facebook groups that we participate in, and his name has stuck in our minds for the past year. He also runs a large recruitment Facebook group, Recruiters Who Actually Make Placements! When thinking of HR and recruitment influencers in tech, we couldn’t skip over him. He’s been in the recruitment field since 1987, and he knows a thing or two about incorporating technology into recruitment in a positive way. The folks of the HR online community have nothing but praise to say about Jerry, and we think you will be the same.

About: Recruiter and Owner of Professional Search Group, Inc.
Location: Indiana, US
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerrymalbright/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jerry_albright

18. Katrina Collier

You’ve probably heard of DisruptHR, a large HR conference in London. Katrina Collier is a long-time supporter and organizer (otherwise known as a “Disruptor” in the community)! How cool is that? She also co-hosts the #SocialRecruiting Show and leads up The Searchologist blog with tons of sourcing tips. Upwards of 12,000 people “disrupt” their HR days to follow Katrina on Twitter for her insightful comments, so there must be something to it!

About: DisruptHR Organizer, Co-Host of the #SocialRecruiting Show, and Social Recruiting Trainer at The Searchologist
Location: London, UK
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrinacollier/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KatrinaMCollier

19. Kyra Matkovich

Kyra Matkovich is a familiar name that pops up time and time again in our social feeds. A proponent of SHRM certifications, Kyra has a whimsical, no-nonsense style. From her #HRcoffeeshots on Twitter to her obvious love of conversing about HR with others online, Kyra Matkovich is one to follow far into the new year.

About: Senior HR at Exact Sciences, Director of HR at Nextera Healthcare, Writer of HR Shenanigans, and PHR and SHRM-CP Certified
Location: Wisconsin, US
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyra-l-matkovich-phr-shrmcp/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KyraMatkovichHR

20. Antonio Vieira Santos

You could say that #20 is a jack of all trades (and a master of all), but his name is Antonio. Plus, we’re moving away from gendered language, right? Antonio Vieira Santos is involved in global communities for some of the leading HR technology companies out there. His Twitter and LinkedIn pages are rich with recruitment knowledge, so read up. It’s equally as fun to see him speak around the world at different HR events. And don’t forget to participate in the Twitter chat that he runs on accessibility and inclusion, #AXSChat!

About: Senior Expert at Atos and Global Community Manager at TalentCulture
Location: Ireland
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/akwyz

21. Bill Boorman

Another face likely to be familiar to you is that of Bill Boorman! The founder of #tru “unconferences” and The Recruiting Unblog, Bill sets the tone for unconventional thought about the recruitment industry. An HR tech influencer if there ever was one, Bill Boorman speaks on everything from talent acquisition tech to data tipping points in HR. Join the bandwagon and follow him (it’s worth it).

About: Founder of #tru conferences and Advisor at Meet and Engage, Clinch, TempBuddy, and RolePoint
Location: Northampton, UK
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billboorman/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BillBoorman

22. Ian Knowlson

Self-proclaimed influencers will rarely make this list. However, Ian Knowlson is not wrong in his claim! He is known around the global HR community for posting quality content. If you need to grow your business, Ian is your go-to HR tech influencer. He also consistently shares his own favorite recruitment articles that you don’t want to miss.

About: Business Growth Expert at Selling Success, Global Influencer, and Director of Business Development at Infinity Recruitment Partnership
Location: Cheshire, UK
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianknowlson/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/IanKnowlson

23. Jacco Valkenburg

Accomplished author and trainer of all things recruitment, Jacco Valkenburg is the physical embodiment of recruitment learning. Recruiter University is a mecca of recruitment knowledge. If you want to know more, just follow him on any of his social platforms.

About: Author of Recruitment 3.0, Interim Corporate Recruiter at Recruit2, and Trainer at Recruiter University
Location: Hague, NL
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacco/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jaccov

24. Denis Dinkevich

We have seen Denis around the HR community for the past year, and we admire his recruitment gusto! He posts interviews that he has done at events, as well as reaches out to his followers with helpful resources. Not to mention, Denis is a tech whiz. Follow this HR tech influencer for your own good! He’s going places.

About: Sourcing Recruiter at Preply
Location: Ukraine
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sourcingdenis/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SourcingDenis

25. Jon Thurmond

It’s unlikely that you haven’t heard of Jon Thurmond and the #HRSocialHour half hour podcast. But if by some chance you haven’t, now is the time to catch up! Jon also runs the #HRSocialHour Twitter chat, encouraging the entire HR community to participate and chat about all things social in recruitment. Technology plays a large role in that! The #HRSocialHour chat is the 4th Sunday of each month at 7 PM Eastern. Follow Jon on Twitter for updates!

About: Host of #HRSocialHour Podcast and Twitter Chat and Regional HR Manager at Team Fishel
Location: Virginia, US
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonthurmond/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jon_Thurmond

26. David D’Souza

One of the more unique HR and recruitment influencers in tech on this list, David D’Souza has a Simpsons drawing of what we can only assume is himself as his Twitter picture and posts HR musings for us to marvel at. Do you want to marvel at them, too? Visit daviddsouza.com or follow him below.

About: Membership Director at CIPD
Location: Redhill, UK
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daviddsouza180/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/dds180

27. Chris Russell

The ‘Mad Scientist’ of online recruiting, Chris Russell, deserves a spot on this list of HR influencers in tech. He knows his stuff on recruitment marketing, HR tech and job boards, so follow him for up-to-date advice! It’s worth your time.

About: Founder of RecTech Media
Location: New York, US
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cmrussell/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChrisRussell

28. Lou Adler

Lou is another friendly face that we have seen floating around the HR online communities. He is an accomplished author and recruitment expert, pushing out quality content since we can remember. Just check out the graphic below to get a small taste of what you can expect from following Lou Adler. He just won’t stop being relevant and pushing recruitment knowledge boundaries!

About: Author and CEO at Performance-Based Hiring Learning Systems
Location: California, US
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louadler/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LouA

29. David Green

David Green is the CEO and founder of Zandel, and he is a conference chair for too many conferences to count! He’s one you can rely on to follow for updates on HR events, because he’s most likely speaking at them. David is a recognizable face of HR online, and his content backs that up. Just take a look at some of his insightful LinkedIn articles to give you an idea of what to expect from him in the coming year.

About: Founder and CEO of Zandel
Location: London, UK
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrgreen/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/david_green_uk

30. Leena Nair

Unilever is a universally recognized brand, and Leena Nair just happens to be the Chief HR Officer! She is obviously doing a stellar job of employer branding, so following her for a tip here and there won’t hurt. She’s one of LinkedIn’s Top Voices of 2018, and we only expect great things to come in the following year.

About: Chief HR Officer at Unilever
Location: London, UK
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nairleena/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/leenanairhr

Of course, there are more brilliant professionals out there that we’re missing, including those who have not yet risen to HR tech influencerstardom. However, this list gives you a good start when it comes to curating your feeds and getting the best insights out there! Keep an eye on these HR influencers in tech in the upcoming year, and check back for more when December rolls around.

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