Experience & Expertise
Experience & Expertise
Decades of Knowledge, Unmatched Precision, and Proven Results
Rich Diaz
CEO
Rich brings 25+ years of experience building and leading high-growth, results-oriented companies. As CEO of Advanced Resources, he is driven by the desire to help others, whether it’s supporting clients to solve their workforce challenges or helping candidates expand their expertise. To deliver that level of service his focus starts internally on building high-performing, results-oriented, highly engaged teams.
By creating a culture focused on learning and growth, Rich has paved the way for team members to reach their potential. As he is known to say, “We only earn the right to advise our clients when we set the standard as a best-in-class employer.” Rich believes in the importance of having fun at work while doing what you can to make a difference.
Rich is an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® Midwest Finalist and under his leadership, Advanced Resources is a perennial Top Workplace winner. Rich earned a bachelor’s in Psychology from Northwest Missouri State University.
Mindy Diaz
President, Search
Mindy brings over 15 years of expertise in executive search. Known for her strategic vision and client-focused approach, Mindy excels in delivering tailored recruitment solutions and driving growth for both clients and candidates.
Her career is marked by a strong track record of leadership and innovation in the staffing industry, with a deep understanding of market trends and a commitment to fostering successful, long-term relationships.
Mindy holds a bachelor’s in Business, Marketing from the University of Kansas.
Dina Fiorelli
President
Dina has excelled at leading high-performing teams over the last 15+ years. She encourages the development of team members through clear vision, shared goals, open communication, and a focus on metrics, which in turn has yielded outstanding results.
Dina’s ultimate goal is to partner with candidates and companies to match the best talent with the best employers. She credits her team for their dedication and true passion for making a difference, one placement at a time.
Dina earned a bachelor’s in Social Work from Illinois State University.
Hannah Klopper
Controller
Hannah Klopper is a highly skilled accounting professional with extensive experience in financial management, ERP system implementation, and process optimization. In her previous roles, she has successfully overseen a NetSuite implementation and led key initiatives to streamline financial systems post-acquisition.
With a track record of enhancing month-end close processes and strengthening internal controls, Hannah brings strong leadership and strategic insight. She holds a Master’s in Accounting from Texas A&M Commerce and is actively pursuing her CPA certification.
Toni Foerster
Manager of Operations
Toni works with her team, clients, and candidates to ensure operational excellence. By providing the team with the resources they need, she enables them to put forth the best solutions for our clients and consultants.
Toni is the ultimate team player, jumping in at a moment’s notice to tackle any task. She believes the candidate and client experience is the most significant element of her job and strives to make a difference each and every day.
Stephanie Garwood
Vice President of Recruiting
Stephanie connects exceptional Human Resources professionals with award-winning companies in the Chicagoland area. With 15+ years of experience building high-performing teams, she has developed a reputation for consistently delivering top talent with an unmatched sense of urgency to ensure clients and candidates have the best advocate to meet their individual goals.
Stephanie has a passion for connecting people to companies they love and employers to people that make a positive impact for their organization. Through her straightforward, no-nonsense approach to gaining real-time insights, Stephanie consults clients and candidates to achieve their desired outcomes and remain competitive within the current market.
Stephanie is a perennial President’s Club winner.
Kristen Krope
Director of Sales
Kristen has over 20 years of staffing experience partnering with HR professionals to solve their workforce challenges. Her expertise has covered sales, recruitment, and management, including team development, training, and succession planning.
Kristen utilizes her knowledge by sharing best practices with leaders looking to augment their team for short-term projects, expand their executive team, or build an entire workforce.
Kristen has been a multiple time President’s Club winner and earned a bachelor’s in general studies from Ball State University.
Betsy Linhart
Vice President of Sales
Betsy works with leading organizations to provide staffing, direct hire, and consulting services in the critical business sectors of Human Resources, Accounting & Finance, and Administration. During her 15+ year tenure at Advanced Resources, Betsy has managed a wide variety of clients from locally owned private organizations to our largest national accounts.
She believes in building long lasting relationships with both our clients and talent. By taking the time to truly listen and integrate herself into each business, Betsy understands a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t always work. She strives to provide top talent and tailored services specific to each customer.
Betsy is a perennial President’s Club winner, CSP certified, and earned a bachelor’s in Sociology from Illinois State University.
Samantha Bahena
Director of Recruiting
Samantha works with clients to achieve their strategic hiring initiatives while supporting consultants with their career search. She has extensive knowledge in recruitment, account management, and training and development.
Samantha believes in making a difference every single day for her consultants and clients. She is passionate about helping people by supporting consultants with their careers. Samantha is proud to open doors for her local community by connecting them with great opportunities.
Samantha was recognized as the 2021 Rookie of the Year and earned a bachelor’s in Applied Communication with a minor in Human Resources Management from National Louis University.
Sarah Jarnac
Director, Human Resources Search
Sarah connects with HR professionals looking to take the next step in their career, matching them with top organizations adding to their team. With over a decade of industry experience, she is a firm believer in listening to needs, open communication, and building relationships.
When partnering with an organization, Sarah customizes each search to find the right solution. She does so while being an advocate for candidates in their journey to find their ideal position.
Sarah is a perennial President’s Club winner, CSP certified, and earned a bachelor’s in Business Management from Western Michigan University.
Sydney Carballo
Senior Manager, Human Resources Search
Sydney connects talented Human Resources professionals with highly ranked, reputable organizations across the Chicagoland area. With almost a decade of recruitment experience, she has developed a reputation for speed and quality.
Sydney is passionate about helping people and building long-term relationships. Her sense of urgency has led to her success when it comes to pairing top talent with the right opportunities.
Sydney earned a bachelor’s from Texas Tech University.
Lior Shragg
Manager of Human Resources, Search
Lior serves as a strategic partner to clients and candidates by helping leverage relationships and opportunities in specialist markets. His recruitment success stems from a passion for relationship building and human connection, with a critical and quantitative approach towards project management.
Before joining Advanced Resources, he worked as a recruiter and HR leader in tech, non-profit and the arts; honing his skills in talent acquisition, management, HR systems, community building and behavioral interviewing. He graduated from Ohio University with a PhD in ethnomusicology, a master of music degree from the University of Arizona and a bachelor’s from Winona State University.
Morgan Berroth
Program Manager
As Program Manager, Morgan works with the Chicago Public Library Foundation to manage grant-funded staff and programs.
Morgan believes that libraries are an essential resource to strengthen communities and empower Chicagoans. She is passionate about education and has worked with nonprofits both domestically and while living abroad.
Morgan holds a bachelor’s in International Studies from the University of Kansas.
Julia Williams
Search Manager
Julia supports skilled HR professionals to help them secure new opportunities that are best suited to their skillset. With 7 years of recruitment experience across international markets, she is confident in her approach and loves building new relationships with a diverse group of clients and candidates.
She has a consultative approach and loves looking at trends in the market to best support her network by providing insight and guidance based on the talent market.
Julia has a Bachelors degree from Illinois State University.
Internal Team Videos
Internal Team Videos
Empowering Our Team Through Insightful and Collaborative Visuals
