Our Edmonton and Calgary Team - Recruitment Partners

Mateo DeSilva

Calgary

Barketing Manager

Mateo is our Barketing Manager, and his creativity and out of the box thinking helped launch RPI in Calgary. His mentality that anything is paws-ible was a major asset to our success, never thinking it was too far-fetched of a goal. While a lot of people think he is quite paw-sh, he is really down to earth and has the holes in the backyard to prove it. Mateo has a new leash on life in his new position, and we are very fur-tunate to have him on the team. When he is not at work, Mateo enjoys gardening (digging holes in the back yard), knitting (chewing on sweaters) and being a good boy.

Mario DeSilva

Calgary

Hooman Resource Manager

Mario is a su-paw-star when it comes to Hooman Resources. The team is always in better spirits when he is around, just don’t tell him about our cock-tail parties, because he is well trained and loves rules, and he’s a real watch dog. Mario is still very pup-ular, and definitely not a hush puppy. We credit him with negotiating a new leash for our office and for the great deal we got on our woof-fi! If you want to get him to speak, just ask him about his favourite bands: The Beagles, Kiss, and the Rolling Bones.

Radhika Autar

Calgary

Administration Coordinator

Radhika is a highly motivated and versatile Administration Coordinator with over 20 years of experience in accounting and office operations. Throughout her career, she has been celebrated for her dependability, honesty, and unwavering dedication, consistently delivering exceptional service to both internal and external customers. Her strong commitment and exceptional organizational skills make her an invaluable asset to Recruitment Partners.

Antoinette Tiangco

Calgary

Contract Workforce Coordinator

Antoinette brings over 23 years of experience in the staffing industry. She is a dynamic and thoughtful individual who developed a fantastic reputation for building and improving the complex world of contingent workforce solutions. Antoinette has the skills that allow clients, both large and small, to advance their causes through the effective utilization of contractors. She is passionate about her work, generous with her time, a person of high standards, and someone who prioritizes team and customer with her “whatever it takes” attitude.

Shae Nesselbeck

Calgary

Recruitment Consultant
Accounting & Finance, Permanent Placement

Prior to joining Recruitment Partners, Shae carried out various Executive Assistant roles in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors. She attended BCIT in Burnaby, BC in the Business & Accounting program, where she gained valuable knowledge of the accounting profession. Shae thrives off connecting with others and will use her 10 years of administrative and customer support experience to create lasting relationships in the recruitment world.

Julie Shepherd

Calgary

Recruitment Consultant
Accounting & Finance, Temporary & Consulting Solutions

Julie holds a Bachelor of Commerce with a focus in Human Resources & Organizational Dynamics from the University of Calgary. She has a passion for people and strong focus on cultivating lasting relationships. Her loyalty, work ethic and customer focus make her a great fit for the Recruitment Partners Team.

Ben Eckstrand

, CPA, CA

Calgary

Senior Recruitment Consultant
Accounting & Finance, Contract & Consulting Solutions

Ben received his Chartered Accountant designation in 2006 after splitting his time between Red Deer and Calgary working in public practice. Following a Big 4 firm exit, Ben worked in public and private organizations in the oil and gas, real estate, professional services, health care and manufacturing sectors. Specific experience has encompassed capital budgeting, procurement, monthly and quarterly financial reporting, cash management, cash forecasting, debt issuance, and treasury, not to mention a significant amount of time on the ice coaching minor hockey teams. Ben has a genuine interest in getting to know people of all backgrounds and in building meaningful relationships. Ben is a true team player, easily adaptable and focused on building equity for those around him.

Lexie Robertson

Calgary

Recruitment Consultant
Engineering, Sales & Operations, Permanent Placement

Lexie joined Recruitment Partners in 2021 and is a valuable member of our team. Lexie is involved in all aspects of the search process, from search kick-off all the way through to selected candidate onboarding and project closure. She is involved with searches in a variety of sectors across Canada. Her specialty areas include target candidate, company research, search strategy development and mapping, initial candidate outreach, and ensuring an elevated client and candidate experience. The majority of customized client documentation and data compiled during our projects cross Lexie’s desk. Lexie holds her Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in Human Resources and has previously worked as an HR Administrator for a live media broadcasting agency.

Samantha Germain

, M.A.

Calgary

Search Consultant
RPI Executive Search

As part of RPI’s Executive Search practice, Samantha is responsible for research, recruitment, and project management for the firm’s C-Suite and senior leadership searches. Samantha joined RPI in early 2024 as a seasoned recruitment professional coming from a Big Four accounting firm, where she was responsible for national end-to-end recruitment processes and advisory. In her previous role, she identified and attracted top talent at professional and executive levels across diverse business sectors, with a primary specialization in audit, treasury, cybersecurity, strategic risk, and sustainability. Samantha is experienced across the entire recruitment lifecycle, including position analysis, recruitment strategy development, strategic candidate sourcing, precise screening and assessment, offer negotiation, and onboarding. Samantha’s motivations are twofold – to smoothly facilitate her clients’ goals in identifying and acquiring top-tier performers and to provide meaningful, impactful, and exciting opportunities for growth to her candidates.

Clarissa Lee

Calgary

Recruitment Consultant
Accounting & Finance, Permanent Placement

Clarissa Lee, having obtained her Chartered Accountant designation in 2009, is an accomplished executive accounting professional with over 15 years of experience in financial reporting and corporate initiative development across Canada. Clarissa is known for her excellent communication and interpersonal skills, as well as her ability to build and strengthen community and professional relationships. She has now transitioned into a recruitment consultant role, focusing on filling permanent positions. In her downtime, Clarissa enjoys hiking and traveling, which helps her stay balanced and inspired in her career.

Rylie Dobson

Calgary

Senior Recruitment Consultant
Accounting & Finance, Permanent Placement

Rylie completed her Bachelor’s in Business Administration at Mount Royal University with a focus on Human Resource Management. Upon graduation, she joined the not-for-profit sector in a Human Resources support role at STARS Air Ambulance, where she quickly realized that recruitment was her path forward. Rylie enjoys the social aspect of recruitment, and is driven by finding a great fit between person and culture. Her well-rounded work ethic and leadership skills make her a valuable contributor to Recruitment Partners.

Stephanie Wiebe

Calgary

Recruitment Consultant
Engineering, Sales & Operations, Permanent Placement

Stephanie Wiebe has a degree in Psychology from the University of Calgary and has been working in the Recruitment Industry since 2008. Stephanie has broad industry experience, spanning Construction, Oil and Gas, Manufacturing, and Healthcare, primarily recruiting for professional, technical and management roles. She has worked as an in-house Recruiter, Human Resources Generalist, as well as running 360 recruitment desks within an agency setting. She has a passion for building relationships and being someone her clients and candidates can trust. Stephanie has worked with all sizes of companies and understands the unique challenges each can face. She truly believes that a company is only as good as its employees, and thus, her ultimate goal is to help companies be the best that they can be, starting from the ground up, while helping candidates find their dream job.

Trent Mounter

, BBA, HR

Calgary

Senior Recruitment Consultant
Engineering, Sales & Operations, Permanent Placement

Prior to joining Recruitment Partners, Trent was employed as a Corporate Administrator for a Canadian Wastewater disposal company where he gained valuable experience recruiting for operations roles across North America. Prior to beginning his career Trent completed his Bachelor of Business Administration with a focus on Human Resources through Mount Royal University. Trent shared his educational responsibilities with his University Men’s volleyball career, which reinforced his leadership and resiliency. Trent’s charismatic personality embodies a natural instinct for networking and building valued relationships. It is these qualities and his passion for people that make him a valuable part of the team.

Tony Marikar

Calgary

Senior Recruitment Consultant
Engineering, Sales & Operations, Permanent Placement

With over 18 years of corporate banking and wealth management experience, Tony has worked in a variety of roles from a professional financial planner to a senior treasury role with two of the top financial institutions within Canada and Alberta. His background in banking has given him the ability to understand the complex needs of his clients and customize a tailored solution in matching the right employer with top talent. Fostering business relationships and achieving a high level of trust is something that has made Tony successful over the years.

Ryan Puffalt

, CPA, CA

Calgary

Division Leader, Recruitment Consultant
Accounting & Finance, Permanent Placement

Ryan received his Chartered Accountant designation in 2005 after time in both audit and tax with a Big 4 firm in Calgary. He spent a few years in the energy sector before transitioning to the airline industry where he was afforded various development opportunities in different finance and accounting roles, where he found his passion for leadership and coaching. Ryan was given the opportunity to expand his career to the area of Human Resources where he honed his ability to help leaders identify, hire, develop, and retain talent. He later spent time with a mid-sized accounting firm in Calgary. Ryan enjoys truly connecting with both clients and candidates and ensuring a proper fit for both parties. He has focused on both temporary and permanent searches and excels in the area of senior accounting/finance leader positions. He is a natural connector and enjoys coaching his kid’s various sports teams.

Jay Borchert

Calgary

Managing Director
RPI Executive Search

Jay brings over 25 years’ broad industry experience to his role as Managing Director of the executive search practice. Prior to joining RPI Executive Search, Jay worked for a Fortune 500 recruitment firm for 10 years, where he successfully delivered executive and professional level search engagements across a variety of sectors. Most recently he led their executive search practice in Calgary, working with clients to discover top talent on a national basis. Jay was also a prior Principal with another leading executive search firm. His specializations include leading retained search mandates for C-Suite executives, along with senior leadership roles in finance, general management, marketing, sales & business development, human resources, health and safety, engineering, and supply chain. He has worked with clients across Canada, focusing primarily on energy, agriculture, real estate development, construction, hospitality, technology, industrial, transportation, and financial services.

Over the course of his career, Jay has served the community through volunteer board leadership with a focus on capacity building, executive selection and coaching, strategic planning, financial stewardship, and other business issues.

Rae Shungur

Calgary

Director Of Strategic Partnerships

Entering the world of recruitment in 2006, Rae began his career on the West Coast in construction and civil projects, then quickly transitioned to the Canadian energy sector with a move to Alberta. His experience spans several unique sectors with a solid passion for business development. Rae is determined to create “intentional” work environments–where meaningful relationships, exciting careers and corporate goals can all be realized. He believes his success is due to a desire to serve others, to all the great people he has met, and to his genuine curiosity about people.

Esmond Desilva

Calgary

Partner
Accounting & Finance, Permanent Placement

Esmond has been a Calgary-based top recruiter since 2007, specializing in recruiting senior level management. For over 6 years, he served as a Managing Partner, growing an international company to one of the top accounting recruiting firms in Calgary. Esmond joins our team growing multiple divisions including Sales and Operations, Supply Chain, Human Resources and IT. Esmond excels in customer service, fostering business relationships and providing a commitment to placing top level talent.

Baltimore Rookes

Edmonton

CFO (Chief Fetching Officer)

Baltimore joined RPI in 2021, after taking a paws to look for the right roll (over), she didn’t want to bark up the wrong tree. She made the great decision to join RPI, and although the transition has been ruff, it’s also been very rewarding – pets, belly rubs, and treats make up for the dog-eat-dog that is recruiting. And she gets to carpool with her mom! Baltimore loves the work life balance between being an emotional support to those at the office, but still finding time to paw-ty. We hope Baltimore sits, and stays, for a very long time. In her spare time Baltimore likes to read, mostly Harry Paw-ter books and anything by William Shakes-paw.

Julia Long

Edmonton

Accountant

Julia is an exceptional Administration Coordinator who prioritizes positive social interactions with our clients and candidates. She holds a Bachelor of Arts, Philosophy Major and Political Science Minor and has had extensive time at the management level in the food and beverage industry. Julia also has a certificate in Sports Marketing from Football Club Barcelona. She is a strong team player and has an excellent work ethic, which makes her a great addition to the Recruitment Partners team.

Olivia Kirkland

Edmonton

Administration Manager

Olivia is a passionate Administration Manager with over ten years’ experience building relationships and systems to deliver exceptional results. She brings a wealth of knowledge from diverse industries including healthcare, construction, criminal justice, employee benefits, and public affairs. Olivia is dedicated to building strong relationships to identify opportunities that benefit clients and organizations. Working with teams of all sizes, Olivia leverages her organizational and communication skills to lead teams, identify efficiencies, and deliver outstanding service.

Nasrin Nishe

Edmonton

Accountant

Nasrin completed her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Bangladesh before moving to Canada in 2000. She then took an accounting diploma from NAIT (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology). Once she completed her diploma, she worked for a public accounting firm, an Oil and Gas Manufacturing company and the Saskatchewan Health Authority as a Finance Accountant. Nasrin now compliments the Recruitment Partner family with her analytical approach, ensuring compliance and satisfaction are guaranteed at both our Edmonton and Calgary locations.

Shannon Bondad

Edmonton

Recruitment Consultant
Contract & Consulting Solutions, Information Technology, Permanent Placement

Shannon is a skilled professional who transitioned from being a talented Software Developer to a Recruitment Consultant. With a good understanding of technology and the knowledge of building robust systems, she uses her skills to effectively identify and qualify candidates.

Igor Unuz

Edmonton

Recruitment Consultant
Contract & Consulting Solutions, Information Technology, Permanent Placement

Igor is a dedicated Recruitment Consultant with a passion for connecting talent with opportunity. Armed with a Bachelor of Commerce degree, specializing in Business Law and Economics, Igor embarked on a career in recruitment and quickly found success by becoming one of Western Canada’s most well-respected Recruitment Consultants. His expertise now lies with aligning top IT talent with employers of choice, cultivating long-term relationships with both clients and candidates, ensuring a seamless recruitment process that meets the unique needs of all stakeholders. Igor’s experience spans various sectors, including IT, Engineering and Construction.

Driven by a desire to make meaningful impacts on careers and businesses alike, Igor approaches each recruitment challenge with enthusiasm, professionalism, and a dedication to fostering long-term success.

Raymond Luu

, CPA

Edmonton

Recruitment Consultant
Accounting & Finance, Contract & Consulting Solutions

Raymond obtained his CPA designation while he worked at an international accounting firm, where he led audit engagements of publicly traded companies and private organizations across multiple industries. In his last role, Raymond managed the financial regulatory reporting of a publicly traded bank. Raymond combines his accounting history and people leadership experience to build relationships and successfully identify the best client and candidate matches.

Apollonia Pucci

Edmonton

Recruitment Consultant
Accounting & Finance, Administration, Temporary & Consulting Solutions

Apollonia is a Human Resource professional who holds a Business Management Diploma and is currently on the path to earning her Bachelor of Commerce Degree. She has been in the staffing industry for close to 2 years, where she has mainly focused on contract and temporary staffing. During this time, Apollonia has gained experience in understanding client needs and connecting talent with opportunity. She strives to make meaningful relationships and ensure that both candidates and clients feel valued, supported, and confident in their journey toward mutual success.

Becky Webber

Edmonton

Recruitment Consultant
Accounting & Finance, Administration, Temporary & Consulting Solutions

Becky Webber is a Human Resources professional with a Bachelor’s Degree, specializing in contract and temporary staffing. With over five years of recruitment and account executive experience, she possesses a strong ability to connect with individuals and provide support to candidates in their employment journey. Raised in a small town two hours north of Edmonton, Becky values the importance of community and personal connections.

Tania Christensen

Edmonton

Recruitment Consultant
Accounting & Finance, Administration, Temporary & Consulting Solutions

Tania spent the last 8 years working for a service company in the Oil and Gas Industry prior to starting with Recruitment Partners. During her employment she completed her Business Management Diploma and held roles in the accounting and finance department and lastly in Human Resources. Her experience in Human Resources, made it evident that an organization is only as successful as the people in it. Hiring the fit for organization will help to maintain the overall company culture where everyone can be the best version of themselves.

Andre Donado

Edmonton

Senior Recruitment Consultant
Engineering, Sales & Operations, Permanent Placement

After completing his university schooling, Andre began working as an independent financial advisor with one of the top financial planners in Edmonton. This is where he received firsthand experience and knowledge delivering exceptional customer service and fostering the trust and respect of his clients. Each client is unique in identity and situation. As a result, a skilled financial planner is as much a listener and a diagnostician as a trusted counsel. With this in mind, Andre develops high-quality solutions to meet the ever-growing needs of his clients.

Bobi-Jo Warner

Edmonton

Senior Recruitment Consultant
Engineering, Sales & Operations, Permanent Placement

Bobi-jo comes from one of the world’s largest coffeehouse chains bringing over 21 years of experience. Over this time, the last 12 years were in a management position overseeing the recruitment, onboarding and development of employees safeguarding that best-fit practices were met. Bobi takes pride in building relationships with her team and community and strongly believes in the human experience, ensuring that everyone feels seen and heard. She strives to do her best daily in both her business and personal life all the while having a relentless focus on doing the right thing.

Vicky Vu

Edmonton

Senior Recruitment Consultant
Accounting & Finance, Permanent Placement

Vicky has spent the past decade in the beauty industry offering a variety of services to her growing clientele. While she has experience working for one of the top global beauty brands, her entrepreneurial mindset pushed her towards paving her own path and starting a business. Over the last few years, Vicky has pivoted and explored the world of real estate. She quickly realized that she is driven by connecting with people and helping them find their perfect home. With her natural ability to build relationships with people and the work ethic she’s developed from running a business, she is determined to help both clients and candidates find their best fit in the recruitment space.

Rob Mella

, CPA, CMA

Edmonton

Recruitment Consultant
Accounting & Finance, Permanent Placement

Rob leverages over a decade of extensive accounting expertise in his role as a Recruitment Consultant. With a CMA certification obtained in 2014, Rob transitioned from a successful career as a Controller for a diverse group of companies to specializing in talent acquisition within our finance team. Drawing from his deep understanding of financial operations in sectors such as oil and gas, manufacturing, distribution, sports and entertainment, construction, cannabis, and property, Rob offers strategic recruitment solutions. His keen insights into industry-specific needs and organizational dynamics enable him to match top-tier talent with the right opportunities, contributing to the success and growth of his candidates and clients.

Beyond his professional pursuits, Rob remains an ardent sports enthusiast. He enjoys hockey, golf, and snowboarding, relishing the balance between his career and personal interests. Most importantly, Rob treasures the time spent with his family, finding fulfillment in both professional achievements and personal connections.

Eric Motuzas

Edmonton

Senior Recruitment Consultant
Accounting & Finance, Permanent Placement

After serving one of the largest entertainment franchises in North America, Eric’s last role as the Ice District Hospitality Controller with the Oilers Entertainment Group will complement the Recruitment Partners’ Accounting and Finance team immensely. Eric’s 18 years of experience in accounting, financial analysis and corporate compliance will ensure he successfully meets clients and candidate’s expectations.

Outside of work Eric stays active in the Edmonton community, be it be in sports, business, or food. His professional experience mixed with his passion to meet and help people drives him to excel in the recruitment world.

Misha Bains

Edmonton

Director of Business Development

Misha Bains has nearly 10 years of experience in the recruitment space, both in agency and industry roles. He has represented a variety of clients across Canada and the U.S., ranging from local owner-operated businesses to multinational billion dollar organizations. Misha’s experience spans various sectors including accounting, construction, engineering, finance, industrial, information technology and manufacturing.

Misha’s passion for learning and understanding the needs of his clients has established him as a trusted advisor and partner to businesses over the years. His ability to view both sides of the recruitment life-cycle allows him to develop and integrate solutions for businesses and candidates alike. Misha’s genuine and dedicated approach has allowed him to foster meaningful business relationships and achieve successful results for his clients.

Lily Brooks

, B.Com.

Edmonton

Division Director & Culture Leader
Accounting & Finance, Permanent Placement

After earning her Honors Business Degree in marketing in Ontario, Lily relocated to Edmonton to launch her career in management and led a team of 50 with a $14B multi-national service provider. She was also responsible for opening up a new business sector for their Canadian Division. As a manager, Lily soon identified her passion for recruitment, training and coaching her team to excellence. She has found her home in recruitment and has built an extended network of professionals that she leans on to source very specific experience for her clients.

Paul Thandi

Edmonton

Director of Technology Services
Contract & Consulting Solutions, Information Technology, Permanent Placement

Paul has been staffing IT professionals in Edmonton for over 12 years. Before entering the IT staffing industry, Paul spent 9+ years in IT as Systems Technician with Harry Rosen Inc., a System Analyst with the global consulting firm Accenture, and as a Contractor with Service Alberta on the Ministry Migration Project. The knowledge, and experience gained from these positions allows Paul to fully understand our client’s requirements, and effectively assess potential candidates that would be the right fit for any role in the fast-growing IT Industry.

Snober Bains

, CPA, CA

Edmonton

Partner
Accounting & Finance, Contract & Consulting Solutions

Snober is a Chartered Accountant, receiving her designation in 2008. She worked with a large national public practice firm as a manager, leading audit engagements with publicly traded organizations, large private companies and not for profit entities. Since then, Snober worked in the Finance Department of a large oil & gas construction service provider for over 4 years. Snober leverages her public practice experience with her industry knowledge to find the best match for candidates and clients alike.

Jason Dick

Edmonton

Partner
Engineering, Sales & Operations, Permanent Placement

Jason’s operations background and consultative approach enabled him to assist clients ranging from not only large international organizations but also small and mid-size companies looking to make strategic hires. Jason’s vast network of professionals and hands-on managerial and operational experience was invaluable in assisting clients to find candidates that were an excellent corporate culture fit as well as possess the required technical skills.

Candice Rookes

Edmonton

Co-Founder, Partner
Accounting & Finance, Permanent Placement

Candice Rookes, one of the Co-Founders of Recruitment Partners and is the driving force behind company operations. Candice has over two decades of expertise in senior-level finance recruiting, and she brings her strategic approach and commitment to building strong, lasting relationships to the success and growth of Recruitment Partners. Her extensive experience and deep industry knowledge have earned her a reputation for excellence, and she has cultivated a loyal clientele who trust her to deliver exceptional results. Candice is a strong leader and has continued dedication to the standard for high quality and integrity throughout the Recruitment Partners organization.

Joe Gagliardi

, FCPA, FCMA, ICD.D

Edmonton

Co-Founder, Managing Partner
Accounting & Finance, Permanent Placement

Since 2006, Joe has helped senior-level accounting & finance professionals to find new career challenges, and has successfully placed senior level candidates with small owner operated companies to large multi-billion dollar organizations. Prior to his career in recruitment, Joe held senior accounting & finance positions within a variety of industries, including industrial manufacturing, oil and gas equipment supply, food processing and agriculture.

Our Team

Connect with one of our team members to start the conversation about how our professional recruiters can unlock your business’s potential today.

Joe Gagliardi

Candice Rookes

Esmond Desilva

Snober Bains

Jason Dick

Jay Borchert

Rae Shungur

Lily Brooks

Ryan Puffalt

Paul Thandi

Misha Bains

Olivia Kirkland

Tony Marikar

Trent Mounter

Bobi-Jo Warner

Andre Donado

Eric Motuzas

Rylie Dobson

Vicky Vu

Ben Eckstrand

Samantha Germain

Lexie Robertson

Stephanie Wiebe

Shae Nesselbeck

Clarissa Lee

Shannon Bondad

Igor Unuz

Rob Mella

Raymond Luu

Julie Shepherd

Tania Christensen

Becky Webber

Apollonia Pucci

Nasrin Nishe

Julia Long

Antoinette Tiangco

Radhika Autar

Baltimore Rookes

Mateo DeSilva

Mario DeSilva

Edmonton Office

Calgary Office

Executive Search

Newsletter Signup

Mateo DeSilva

Mario DeSilva

Radhika Autar

Antoinette Tiangco

Shae Nesselbeck

Julie Shepherd

Ben Eckstrand

Lexie Robertson

Samantha Germain

Clarissa Lee

Rylie Dobson

Stephanie Wiebe

Trent Mounter

Tony Marikar

Ryan Puffalt

Jay Borchert

Rae Shungur

Esmond Desilva

Baltimore Rookes

Julia Long

Olivia Kirkland

Nasrin Nishe

Shannon Bondad

Igor Unuz

Raymond Luu

Apollonia Pucci

Becky Webber

Tania Christensen

Andre Donado

Bobi-Jo Warner

Vicky Vu

Rob Mella

Eric Motuzas

Misha Bains