Meet the Team
Christina Olsen
Christina founded BlockForce Talent after reflecting on how broken the recruitment process is. She grew the company over the last few years into a multimillion dollar staffing firm that offers a unique blend of solutions to our clients. She finds enjoyment in understanding client issues and helping them build their workforce one hire at a time.
Fun Fact
"I love using data to tell a story, working with analysts to build out the info and then digging into it to understand trends. When not totally nerding out with work and data - I also love to host parties and events to celebrate friends and family.
Ann Benedik
Ann was brought on in 2020 to systemize BlockForce Talent operations as we continue to rapidly scale. Previously, she drove process efficiency tracking within go-to-market talent curation projects, staffing firm optimization, recruiting partnerships, and client services for Arch Advisory Group and UpCity.
Karla Dorsey
Karla joined Blockforce Talent in 2022 as a Recruiter. She has a background in customer Service, healthcare and dducation. Driven by helping people, she takes pride in providing the best service to employers and candidates. Karla likes working as a recruiter by helping people to become excited about their future.
Fun Fact
"I love the artist Prince."
Cassandra Frankel
Cassandra Frankel came to the BlockForce team with a background in customer service and event management. As a new recruiter, she has enjoyed getting the chance to learn the BlockForce model and put it into effect. She loves engaging with new people and is passionate about helping them. As a recruiter for BlockForce she gets to do both!
Hailey Gumble
Hailey joined the BlockForce Talent Team in June of 2020. Hired as an intern, she supports the temporary workers program and ensures each new hire has a great experience through the process. Along with this, she does payroll, onboarding, and other Admin related tasks. She has recently started to handle invoicing. She feels it is a truly unique solution to help people get in the workforce.
Fun Fact
"I like watching true crime documentaries and movies."
Jessica Irving
Starting with BlockForce Talent has allowed Jessica to help people provide a life they want to make for themselves. She enjoys helping people reach their goals and bring their talent to each position filled. Jessica feels rewarded knowing each job filled is bringing light into someone's life.
Fun Fact
"My husband and I took our first vacation/trip together in 2016 to Gatlinburg, TN. Four years later, we went back again and he surprised me by proposing to me on the Skybridge."
Cathleen Kruk
Cathleen joined BFT after 10 years in the IT/Financial consulting industry. Working at BlockForce has been extremely rewarding as she is able to apply the skills honed while consulting to the challenges faced in the recruiting industry. Cathleen has a passion for analytics, data, problem solving and process improvement all while leveraging technology. She is excited to continue to help BlockForce flourish as a leader within the industry.
Cierra Larson
Cierra joined the Blockforce Talent team in 2021. She has 10+ years of experience in Customer Service, Sales and Recruiting. She has the internal motivation to succeed, she drives to support our clients needs whilst making a great match for each person's dream job. She loves a good challenge and will find creative ways to solve hard to fill roles.
Fun Fact
"My favorite guilty pleasure is to rewatch One Tree Hill 2x a year!"
Tony Marshall
Tony Marshall started his career in the Staffing and Recruiting Industry a little over 20 years ago, after serving in the U.S. Navy as a Dental Technician. He has had a very successful career, which included owning and operating his own Executive Search Firm for 10 years. He has also worked on Corporate Recruiting and R.P.O. side of the industry as well.
Fun Fact
Tony has several grandchildren. In his off time, he is involved with coaching two of his grandsons in baseball and football. Tony is also a big music fan.
Alexis McCullough
Alexis has recently joined the BlockForce Talent team as an intern and has experience working in nonprofit organizations. She is completing her MHA degree this summer. Alexis loves interacting with people and always strives to make a positive impact, which is what her current position allows her to do in a unique way.
Fun Fact
"I love finding 'hole-in-the-wall' restaurants and coffee shops when I go to any new place."
Mirriam Retsch
Mirriam is our go-to girl for all types of print and digital designs. She joined BlockForce Talent with a keen interest in expanding her skill set and gaining experience relating to design, print, and digital assets. Mirriam is passionate about creative design, digital solutions, and branding, making sure that a layout will shine!
Scott Salantrie
Scott joined BlockForce Talent in August 2022 and provides senior financial leadership to help the company optimize its financial operations and performance to achieve key business goals. He has extensive staffing industry experience having led finance teams at middle market companies in NYC and Philadelphia.
Fun Fact
Scott really enjoys traveling and exploring new places, cultures, and historical sites. He has visited over 20 countries on 5 continents and serve as Treasurer and Board Trustee for the Historical Society of Princeton in Princeton, NJ.
Alexandra Siwek
Alexandra came to BlockForce as a new recruiter with a background in healthcare and coaching. She has since transformed her love for helping people from the healthcare setting to recruiting by helping candidates find the next step in their career.
Fun Fact
"In my free time, I enjoy reading, baking and spending time with the people that I love."
Lauren Spivey
Lauren has over 15 years of experience in office management and support. After speaking with Christina in 2019 she felt BFT was a company she needed to get involved with. She is the “Jill of all trades” at BlockForce as her responsibilities mainly focus on HR and Vendor Management.
Fun Fact
"My family tries to vacation in the same place at least every other year that my grandparents started going to over 60 years ago."
Cynthia Wallbruch
Cynthia joined the team in May 2021 after retiring from a successful career in HR. Over her 25+ years in the industry, she leveraged her industrial engineering education, manufacturing front-line leadership, and global program management experience to elevate talent and drive organizational results.
Fun Fact
"I am a fan of Formula 1 racing!"
Bernie Vogel
Bernie has worked as an HR/Talent Consultant since 1995-either onsite helping clients with talent solutions or driving talent from a search firm or in the middle as an RPO leader. He has assimilated his MBA in marketing, his management consultant style, sales delivery and listening skills in his passion to add value to people, client relationships and talent delivery.
Fun Fact
"Every year for the past 10 years on June 15th, my two daughters and I have had the tradition of riding the fastest wooden roller coaster in the northeast at an amusement park."