Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Timeline
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Stephanie Garza

Saginaw

Summary

Strategic People and Operations Leader with over 10 years of experience driving global talent acquisition, workforce planning, and DEI-centered transformation. Proven ability to scale teams, implement high-impact processes, and lead cross-functional initiatives that align with business goals. Recognized for building inclusive hiring frameworks, reducing operational inefficiencies, and delivering talent programs that support sustainable growth. Trusted partner to executive leadership, and a champion of data-driven, people-first strategies. Seasoned Senior Talent Acquisition Manager with deep understanding of full-cycle recruiting and talent management. Possess strong leadership skills, adept at building and maintaining relationships, as well as creating innovative strategies for talent sourcing and retention. Notable impact in previous roles include streamlining processes, improving candidate experience, and fostering inclusive work environments.

Overview

14
14
years of professional experience

Work History

Senior Talent Acquisition Manager

deepset
Berlin
09.2023 - Current
  • Lead U.S. People Operations. Set up the legal entity and compliance, as well as increased payroll accuracy by 30%, and reduced benefits admin time by 40% through system and vendor optimization.
  • Built and scaled the first North America GTM team, growing regional headcount by 75% in six months.
  • Created and executed a company-wide diversity strategy that embedded DEI principles into every stage of the talent lifecycle. Partnered with leadership to define inclusive hiring goals, and created equitable sourcing frameworks.
  • Standardized hiring processes across Sales, Tech, Ops, Marketing, and Admin globally, ensuring consistency and compliance.
  • Partner with leadership on TA strategy, leveraging analytics to reduce time-to-fill by 35%.
  • Founded and scaled a successful Employee Resource Group (ERG) to foster inclusion, belonging, and cultural awareness across global teams.

Senior Talent Acquisition Partner

Maze
02.2021 - 08.2023
  • Founding recruiter; scaled company from 24 to 120 employees within a year, across Product, Engineering, Sales, Ops, and Leadership.
  • Cut average time-to-hire by 55% and implemented global ATS & hiring analytics dashboards, achieving 98% hiring manager satisfaction.
  • Achieved 92% new-hire retention rate after 12 months through rigorous process alignment and hiring calibration.

Recruiter

States Title
10.2020 - 02.2021
  • Filled 25+ critical roles in 4 months, from SDRs to Director-level positions.
  • Reduced screening time by 50% through intake optimization and role clarity workshops with hiring managers.

Global Recruiter and Founding Diversity Partner

GitLab
06.2018 - 10.2020
  • Managed 40+ requisitions across six global regions and led onboarding for hires in 15+ countries.
  • Reduced sourcing costs by 25% by introducing automated tools and direct pipeline strategies.
  • Designed GitLab's first global DEI sourcing framework, boosting URM pipeline by 35% in five months.
  • Created scalable sourcing playbooks adopted by 10+ team members across multiple regions.
  • Built and launched the GitLab Mentorship program.

Technical Recruiter / Sourcer

PowerToFly
04.2017 - 06.2018
  • Placed 60+ women in technical roles, expanding access for underrepresented groups in tech.
  • Partnered with communities to increase diverse candidate outreach by 50%.

Earlier Career in Education & Workforce Development

MI
01.2011 - 01.2017
  • Advised 1,000+ students and graduates on academic and career pathways, achieving 90% post-secondary enrollment and 20% job placement increase via employer engagement.
  • Designed and led high-impact workshops with 90%+ participant satisfaction.
  • Advised and mentored 1,000+ students on academic planning, career exploration, and transfer pathways, resulting in a 20% increase in student retention and graduation rates.
  • Developed individualized academic plans and intervention strategies, supporting at-risk students and improving on-time degree completion by 15%.
  • Collaborated with faculty and student services to launch career readiness workshops, achieving 90%+ satisfaction in post-event evaluations.
  • Led student engagement initiatives that boosted participation in advising sessions by 40% through proactive outreach and program design.
  • Trained new advisors on advising systems and best practices, contributing to a more cohesive and student-centered advising model.
  • Partnered with employers and transfer institutions to streamline student pathways, leading to a 25% increase in successful transfers and job placements.

Education

Master of Arts - Education & Counseling Psychology

Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, MI
01.2011

Bachelor of Arts - Integrative Public Relations

Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, MI
05-2008

Skills

  • Talent acquisition
  • Diversity recruitment
  • Employee onboarding
  • Compliance management
  • Hiring analytics
  • Process optimization
  • Sourcing strategies
  • Team building
  • Stakeholder engagement
  • Project management
  • Data analysis
  • Mentorship development
  • Global recruitment
  • Hiring strategy
  • Team leadership

Timeline

Senior Talent Acquisition Manager

deepset
09.2023 - Current

Senior Talent Acquisition Partner

Maze
02.2021 - 08.2023

Recruiter

States Title
10.2020 - 02.2021

Global Recruiter and Founding Diversity Partner

GitLab
06.2018 - 10.2020

Technical Recruiter / Sourcer

PowerToFly
04.2017 - 06.2018

Earlier Career in Education & Workforce Development

01.2011 - 01.2017

Master of Arts - Education & Counseling Psychology

Central Michigan University

Bachelor of Arts - Integrative Public Relations

Central Michigan University

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