ABOUT TALENTLED

TALENTLED: PIONEERING THE FUTURE OF TALENT COMMUNITIES

TalentLed stands as the world's first organization singularly dedicated to harnessing the power of talent communities for both organizations and talent leadership professionals. We believe these communities are not just the future of talent management, but a vital shift in how we cultivate and grow talent.

Our journey began in 2022 as a consultancy, founded by industry-leading community experts Todd Nilson and Ilker Akansel. Driven by a shared passion for community building and a vision for more innovative talent leadership, Todd and Ilker set out to help organizations leverage community approaches for a modern, effective talent strategy.

As conversations around talent, communities, and technology rapidly accelerated in 2024, TalentLed recognized an opportunity to expand its impact. We welcomed co-founder Rachel Petzold, who is now leading our charge into developing innovative, community-based products, platforms, and services designed to tackle contemporary talent challenges. This product development is deeply rooted in academic rigor, supported by Dr. Joseph Narusis, who ensures our methodologies for talent journeys are science-proven and effective.

The momentum continued into 2025 with two key additions to our team: Mirella Ang de Jonge, who champions recruitment and community ethics, ensuring our practices are fair and inclusive; and Nikolay Bourov, who is at the helm of developing the world's very first dedicated talent community application.

At TalentLed, we're building more than just solutions; we're building a movement that redefines how organizations connect with, nurture, and retain their most valuable asset: their people.

TODD NILSON

Todd is a digital workplace and community strategist with over 15 years of executive recruitment and employer branding experience.

Todd has previously worked with SAP, Humana, Facebook, Activision, Steelcase, SkyTV, Greenpeace and many other organizations, ranging from startups through Fortune 1000s based in many countries across the World, and has directed community strategy for the renowned community consultancy FeverBee.

Please feel free to connect with Todd over LinkedIn.

ILKER AKANSEL

Ilker is a community strategist specializing in entrepreneurial ecosystems, technical communities, startups, innovation, future of work, digital nomadism and remote work.

Ilker has previously led developer communities for Google, innovation projects for Cisco and volunteers for the 2012 London Olympic Games, and with many years of experience in Europe he is very well versed with the cultural, professional and community-related challenges and opportunities across the EMEA region.

Please feel free to connect with Ilker over LinkedIn.

RACHEL PETZOLD

Rachel is a seasoned product leader and storyteller who has built innovative physical and digital products for iconic brands like Nike, Starbucks, and Amazon. Her experience spans startups to Fortune 500s, with a laser focus on crafting exceptional user experiences that delight consumers and drive revenue growth.

As a co-founder and Chief Product Officer, Rachel guides TalentLed in developing game-changing products that solve real talent problems using the power and impact of communities. Her vision for rapid innovation and putting the user first aligns perfectly with TalentLed's mission.

Please feel free to connect with Rachel over LinkedIn.

JOSEPH NARUSIS, PH.D.

As a Research Analyst and Industrial Organizational Psychologist, Dr. Narusis' academic and professional focus is to understand and address complex organizational challenges. His specialization encompasses cultural values, research methods, data analysis, survey design and personnel consulting, and he uses his expertise to support TalentLed in the role of Chief Research Officer in designing and developing its methodologies.

Dr. Narusis' experience spans large private enterprises, non-profits, and government organizations, including notable names such as Facebook, the World Wildlife Fund, Truth Initiative, the World Bank, Wisconsin Physician Services, Southern Illinois University, and the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Please feel free to connect with Dr Narusis over LinkedIn.

MIRELLA ANG DE JONGE

Ella is a community strategist, personal trainer and well-being coach, with experiences in community organizing, social movements, community ethics and tech/developer communities across many countries and continents.

In her role of fractional Chief Ethics Officer, Ella provides product leadership that drives TalentLed's direction towards equitable, fair, inclusive, and respectful employment experiences for everyone on both sides of the (very human) interview table.

Please feel free to connect with Ella over LinkedIn.

NIKOLAY BOUROV

Nikolay is currently studying towards a Computer Science degree at the University of Texas at Dallas with a strong foundation in programming, cybersecurity, and system administration. His hands-on experience spans academic projects, professional roles, and certifications, equipping him to tackle real-world challenges in technology.

He is passionate about safeguarding digital assets and building secure systems, and he is using his wide array of experiences spanning from deploying autonomous robots to contributing to the UTD Agent-Based Smart Campus project to lead the development of TalentLed's collection of talent community applications.

Please feel free to connect with Nikolay over LinkedIn.

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