Born and raised in the midwest, Breanna Branch is a mother, daughter, sister, and friend. Committed to being a part of systemic change and ensuring leaders of color are being placed in positions of influence, power and impact, Breanna began her career supporting first generation college students first in St. Louis and then transitioned to talent and human resources operations work.

As a Senior Manager of Search Operations, Breanna project manages executive searches from beginning to end, ensuring clients and candidates experience their work with Axis as thoughtful, meaningful, transformative and efficient. Breanna also collaborates on the practice’s operational efficiency and social media work.

Prior to coming to Axis, Bre served as HR Business Partner for Bottom Line and Manager of Talent for uAspire. She held previous roles in several St. Louis youth serving non-profits.

Bre currently lives in Atlanta, GA and shares her home office with her plants, son, partner, and usually a cup of tea.

What gets you up in the morning?
Foodwise, some kind of caffeine and bacon. But, big-picture, I’m motivated each day to be a little bit better than the day before. I think I’m always looking for ways to make a positive impact in someone else’s life.

Is there a moment or memory that pushed you toward this work and/or this current role?
I’ve worked in non-profits and for social impact organizations my entire career. The through-line in each of these organizations was a mission to improve outcomes for young people of color. Unfortunately leadership at these organizations rarely reflected the diversity of the populations they were meant to serve. That is what made me want to do this work.

Is there a quote or saying that inspires you?
Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us. -Wilma Rudolph

Originally from Ashland, OR and Stockton, CA, Crystal Combs is a wife, mom, bestie, family cheerleader, compulsive reader, thought partner, niecester, yoga teacher and is (or, at least, once was) fluent in Spanish. Committed to a path of service to the community, Crystal began her career as an Americorps VISTA volunteer. This experience sparked her interest in education as an avenue for leveling systemic inequities, and grounded her belief that systemic change happens in the aggregate, as a result of the many people working together and separately to make the world a more just place. Following an interest in the role that business plays in shaping environments, she detoured to business school in Spain, but came right back to mission-driven work in non-profits where she led searches and recruitment for education advocacy and education consulting organizations.

As a Partner at Axis Talent Partners, Crystal brings over a decade of search expertise to leading client engagements, focuses on business development, and drives the firm’s client services and quality work. Crystal has worked as an in-house recruiter and as a consultant to executive search, finding and placing extraordinary leaders all over the country. As someone who cannot stand injustice, unfairness, and any of the systems that support the dominance of one group above all others, and at the expense of all others, Crystal makes her work about making a meaningful contribution, however small, toward tipping the scales in the other direction. She has loved her work with a variety of clients in her time at Axis, including the LGBT Center in New York, the Center for Reproductive Rights, Amnesty International USA, and many others. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Spanish Language Literature from UC Santa Cruz, a Master of Business Administration from ESADE in Barcelona, and trained as a yoga instructor at Yoga Bhoga in Portland, OR.

Prior to joining Axis, Crystal worked in search at Stand for Children, a national education advocacy organization, and Bellwether Education Partners, a boutique executive search firm in the education space. She also worked as an independent search consultant and career coach. Her early career was in education, including spending several years running a tutoring business outside Boston.

Crystal currently lives in Sellwood, a neighborhood within the city of Portland, OR and shares her home office with her husband, their son, a very chatty hyper-thyroid cat, and far too many snacks, since her preferred workspace is the kitchen counter.

Is there a moment or memory that pushed you toward this work and your current role?
I had one amazing boss, more than a decade ago, who suggested that I might support the Talent team I was on by helping out with some recruiting on a part-time or temporary basis. But recruiting has always felt like a happy accident, and it happens to be a combo of things I love: deep conversations with interesting people, serving cool organizations in meaningful ways, building strong relationships grounded in trust, and always, always growing communities.

What do you hope your work does? What impact do you want it to have?
I hope our work allows candidates to both thrive and contribute meaningfully in positions of power to organizations that are earnestly seeking to make the world a better place. And that those organizations do, in fact, make the world a better place.

Born in Berkeley, CA and raised in the East Bay Area, Laura Donald is a mom, partner, daughter, cousin, friend, nester, host and grateful giver and receiver of the divine feminine power and healing. Committed to facilitating spaces that center, advance and recognize people of color and those who have been excluded, undervalued or ignored, Laura began her career in teaching and direct service first in Hawaii and then California and New York City. Pivoting to recruiting in 2007 with both non-profit organizations and school systems, Laura has become a trusted advisor, thought partner and mentor to organizations and individuals across the country. Prior to founding Axis in 2011, Laura served as Director of Recruitment for Achievement First Charter Network’s central office, as Education Pioneer’s founding Program Director in NYC and as an Education Director for a Children Aid’s Society community center in Harlem.

As CEO of Axis Talent Partners, Laura focuses on advising on client work, strategy and business development, facilitating leadership across the practice, aligning every practice and decision to core values and mission, while co-creating, holding and protecting the vision to realize a liberatory work experience for the women of Axis. Laura received her bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State University and her master’s degree from New York University. A long-time New York City resident, she now lives in the Hudson Valley with her two children, two dogs and blended family.

What impact do you want your work to have?
I want my work to always support people of color in their leadership journey, to liberate women in their work life and to create a new paradigm for all of us (especially our girls) on what work can and should be.

What gets you up in the morning?
The women I work with. Knowing that we are doing something radical, experimental and liberatory, creating this professional home that truly centers us while finding purpose in the work we do with social justice organizations working on some of the most critical issue areas of our time.

Born in San Cristobal, Dominican Republic and raised in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City, Monica Guzman is a daughter, sister, wife, friend and coach who strives to ensure that her work always impacts her own community. Believing deeply in sharing power and taking care of each other, she walks alongside people and organizations to empower them to grow however they see fit.

Monica embodies all of Axis Talent Partner’s core values through her leadership of search operations, working closely with her teammates, clients, and candidates to set them up for a successful search process, every step of the way. She brings her background in coaching people to slow down and create what it is they envision, to all of Axis Talent Partners’ work, especially its search teams who she always encourages and supports in discovering and incorporating where they find ease. Monica holds a degree in Advertising and and Public Relations and is a certified human resources professional who consistently coaches her clients with “todo con ease”, encouraging them to decide to choose a life of ease.

Before joining the Axis team, Monica was an Associate Director of Program and Operations at COOP Careers where she brought her experience with building programs and managing HR operations work. Earlier in her worklife, she managed recruiting operations at Indeed.com.

Monica shares her home office in Miami, FL with her husband Jeremy and their plants.

What gets you up in the morning?
Love – spreading it and sharing it. And empowering people to do whatever they want to achieve.

What is a quote or saying that motivates and inspires you?
“It always seems impossible until it is done” – Nelson Mandela

Born in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and raised in the Middle East and Bangladesh before moving to the United States, Nadia Khan is a mom to three kids and their teacher of her language, culture, and traditions. She is also a grateful daughter, a reflective introvert, a lover of natural beauty products, a movie and binge-worthy TV buff, and a proud member of and sister to a connected community of women of color. Nadia started her career in workforce development and transitioned to leading systems and teams that represent and support parents, mentors, candidates, and school leaders among some of the largest school districts in the country and in various education based non-profit organizations.

Committed to shifting her own example and legacy of what success and work looks like, especially among leaders of color, Nadia leads client and search work at Axis Talent Partners, getting to know everyone she works with deeply. By coaching her colleagues, candidates and clients, she helps her teams realize and maximize their own talents and strengths, bringing authentic and ‘whole-self’ perspectives to every search and hiring process. Nadia holds a degree in Psychology and a Master of Business Administration.

Before coming to Axis, Nadia served as a Senior Manager of Staffing and Recruitment for the Newark Board of Education, one of the largest public school districts in New Jersey, where she led the district’s recruitment and selection systems and processes for school based educators and school leaders. Her earlier work includes roles with New York City Department of Education, American Red Cross, Kids Creative, iMentor and independent consulting.

Nadia shares her home office in New Jersey with her beloved standing desk and a daily cup of homemade chai .

What impact do you want your work to have?
I hope my work gives BIPOC candidates the chance to have all the opportunities that are afforded to white candidates. My hope is that every organization that partners with Axis is another driver in creating hiring processes that are equitable for every candidate and specially elevates BIPOC leaders.

What gets you up in the morning?
Knowing how lucky I am to be working in an environment where women of color are celebrated for exactly who they are. All that I bring to every space at work is enough, accepted and appreciated. I work with incredibly good people who sincerely care for one another’s well being and success.

Maria Teresa Lucero’s journey began in the province of Mayantoc, Tarlac in the Philippines, before immigrating to the Bay Area at the age of seven. As the first in her immediate family to graduate from college, she takes pride in her roots and is fluent in three languages – Ilocano, Tagalog, and English. She remains committed to being an example for other first-generation college graduates, supporting them on their paths to success and encouraging them to embrace their unique journeys with pride.

Maria has worked in education, healthcare, digital marketing, nonprofit, and tech. Her empathetic leadership style, combined with a data-driven mindset, make her a creative, problem solver, focused on cultivating inclusive and equitable work environments. Before joining Axis Talent Partners, Maria led a diverse team of recruiters at Amazon, overseeing hiring efforts across North and Latin America. She also spearheaded the organization’s Onboarding and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) initiatives, determined to drive positive change from within. Prior to Amazon, Maria was Associate Director of Recruiting at COOP Careers, a nonprofit that supports first-generation college graduates launching careers in the tech industry. As COOP’s first Recruiting hire in California, she built the team from the ground up, impacting more than 2,000 early career professionals across the state.

Maria finds solace and inspiration in the great outdoors and cherishes moments of creativity through meditation, working out, writing, and painting. Cooking, baking, and hosting gatherings that bring people together are also significant parts of her life. In her Bay Area home office, surrounded by a vibrant community and lush hiking trails, Maria shares her life with her loving husband, a delightful caffeine-free tea collection, and a cherished collection of plants.

What motivates you to wake up each morning and do the work that you do?
As an immigrant and the first member of my immediate family to graduate from college in the U.S., my unique journey has presented numerous challenges, including moments of isolation, but I’ve embraced these experiences as they have shaped my purpose in life. I’m empowered to utilize my personal and professional experiences to serve others, showing them that they are not alone while dismantling outdated, unfair systems and building new ones to create a more inclusive and equitable world.

Ultimately, my passion is creating spaces of belonging and a culture of work that prioritizes holistic well-being. Mental health, self-compassion, and self-care practices have been integral aspects of my own journey. I believe in empowering others to achieve success, balance, and lead healthy lives—mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Is there a quote or saying that motivates or inspires you?
“If you can’t find a space to be you, create one, invite others in, and build a community.”

Emily Kathleen Mays moved to New York City and immediately felt at home in Brooklyn after following her big brother from their home in Boston. Her love of history and passion for people, culture, and community is rooted in her spiritual faith and her family’s activist genes. A self-titled ‘people first’ leader, Emily’s work has been, and will always be about creating the space for people, communities, and teams to thrive and live their values out loud.

Encouraged by a former manager who saw her passion for the inextricable link between leaders, teams, and organizational culture, Emily found her professional home when she began leading people, culture, and operations strategies for mission-driven organizations such as United Methodist Urban Services, Child Care Action Campaign, The Children’s Defense Fund, Teach For America, and Newark Alliance. As one of Axis Talent Partners’ search leaders and people, culture, and equity partners, she strives to genuinely see and honor each client’s, candidate’s, and colleague’s needs and gifts. Through her commitments to active listening and honest feedback and reflection, she builds lasting relationships that further Axis’s mission to create a more just world, one leader at a time.

Before joining Axis, Emily served as Vice President of People & Culture at The Mission Continues and coached organizations and leaders as a consultant at HR ReDefined. Emily holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology and psychology and is certified in Human Centered Design and in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Organizational Practice.

Emily shares her home office, in a small community outside of Atlanta, GA, with her husband, daughter, son and their rescue pup, Brooklyn. She is fueled by her morning coffee, music that makes you want to turn it up really loud and sing along, and being overly organized.

What do you hope your work does? What impact do you want it to have?
I hope that my work will always create space for people to be themselves and find what brings them joy in a way that feels safe and genuine. I want to do that in ways that puts people and their needs at the center, not within traditional and historic constructs. I don’t believe that the way it has always been done is the answer and I get excited about finding new ways to do things differently.

What is a quote or saying that motivates and inspires you?
“What we do is more important than what we say or what we say we believe.” – bell hooks

Born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and raised in the Bronx, Kat Parra is a travel junkie, daughter, and fiercely loyal friend who is an advocate for giving grace; the grace to live and love how we want. Her deep belief that feeling safe and heard is what positively impacts people’s mental health, is how she carries out her passion for making space, especially for women, in all areas of the workforce and creating safe work spaces that are rooted in equity.

As an emerging BIPOC leader, Kat is passionate about occupying spaces that were, historically, not meant for people of her race, ethnicity, or gender. As a leader of the strategies that drive Axis Talent Partners’ operations, she works to bring others into more of those spaces. With a background in business administration Kat tailors the expertise and guidance she provides to her colleagues and to her clients organizations by combining the skills gained through her MBA in Analytics and Organizational Leadership, the perspective from her own lived experiences, and her long tenure of leadership and talent/people operations.

Prior to her role at Axis, Kat held direct service leadership roles at Mosholu Montefiore Community Center, running youth development programs under Beacon/Cornerstone contracts. During her MBA, she moved into advancement and partnership work at DREAM (formerly Harlem RBI) running their network of 500+ staff, corporate, and individual volunteers. Later transitioning to DREAM’s talent team, she focused on recruitment systems, employee engagement and people analytics.

A true citizen of the world, Kat hails from New York City, but her home office is usually her latest international destination that includes a backdrop of a beach or historic city, which she uses to capture content for her infamous Google food and restaurant reviews.

What do you hope your work does? What impact do you want it to have?
My two areas of passion are equity for women and mental health advocacy. I’m all about making space for women in all areas of the workforce and creating safe spaces that are rooted in equity. When you feel safe and heard it has a direct impact on mental health. Mental health is a taboo topic in communities of color especially hispanic communities so it’s personal for me.

Whether at work or at home, what is your superpower?
At work, it’s definitely building human resources/talent processes and technology platforms. And, when I’m not at work, my love of period dramas means that I can recite the Pride and Prejudice (2005) movie script verbatim.

A long-time citizen of Philadelphia, Rainy Porreca-Donato lives on a small island in Europe called Menorca. In the administrative world, she loves to support/partner with busy executives that are truly impacting the world for good, helping them to define what they really want to create in their work and then helping them bring it to life.

As Axis Talent Partners’ Executive Assistant, Rainy is critical in supporting the practice’s day-to-day operations, design projects, and keeping order within internal systems and structures. Due to Axis Talent Partners’ global reach and remote-first approach to working, Rainy helps come up with new and fun ways to stay connected to both the internal team members but also clients!

Before joining Axis, Rainy served multiple CEOs from diverse backgrounds by providing executive level assistance and also offering creative perspectives to company-wide problems. Rainy has 10+ years of administrative experience in the corporate, medical, tech and non-profit fields. She specializes in operations, scheduling and calendar/inbox management.

Rainy shares her home office with her wife (Tati), kitty (Lacey) and yellow Kākāriki Bird (Cali).

Why do you do the work that you do?
I love making busy executives’ lives easier and more organized. I like to give them a safe space to share anything on their minds and be the calm in their lives. I do not like to add to the stress but instead take away and thus help them make a larger impact on the organization and the world around them.

Is there a quote or saying that motivates or inspires you?
Believe you can do it and make it happen!

If you had the opportunity to get a message across to a large group of people, what would your message be?
My message would be worldwide tolerance and acceptance of all our differences, accomplishments, and hardships as people. This is the human experience and it’s a beautiful thing and something that should be admired, not something that should produce hatred, judgment, or intolerance. We are all the same and have a lot to learn from each other if we only took the time to listen fully and with open hearts and minds.