Alumni Spotlights
Natalia Vitale '09
Employer
Head, Global Talent Acquisition
LinkedIn Profile
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliavitale/
1. Tell us about your journey since graduation.
During my junior and senior at GVSU, I partnered closely with
Troy Farley and the Career Center to help center my aspirations and
natural inclinations toward business and marketing. I was fortunate to
hold a multi-year internship at Steelcase in the Turnstone Product
Marketing department. There, I learned the value of a strong corporate
culture, what team building is, and the importance of developing
working relationships. At the end of my internship, I was tasked to
help interview and identify my replacement; a formative experience. I
exited the room and drew the connection between identifying talent,
meeting a team's needs, and drawing correlations for an
"interview hopeful" to meet an organization's priorities. I
left the interview room thinking "Let's do that again". I
graduated in August 2009, fresh off of the downturn of 2008, with a
flooded labor market in the metro-Detroit area. A close friend was an
intern at Kelly Services, a global recruitment agency that happened to
be looking for temporary workers to support a staffing ramp-up for a
client. I joined Kelly Services in September 2009 and have adventured
through a decade+ career in Talent Acquisition. From Michigan, I
relocated cross-country to Houston, Texas, and moved from a
recruitment agency to large corporate headquarters within the Food
Services (Sysco), Energy (Halliburton and Aramco), and now Life
Sciences (Avantor) industries. The support of a strong Career
Resources Center at GVSU, and leading an interview as a chapter was
closing at Steelcase, lead to a singular experience that sparked a
career, but also an impact across hundreds of lives, as I continue to
lead teams that connect people with a job opportunity, to support a
company mission that they can stand behind.
2. Share a favorite Grand Valley memory.
During my junior and senior at GVSU, I partnered closely with
Troy Farley and the Career Center to help center my aspirations and
natural inclinations toward business and marketing. I was fortunate to
hold a multi-year internship at Steelcase in the Turnstone Product
Marketing department.
3. What's the best piece of advice you've ever received?
Keep an open mind and an open heart. One opportunity can unfold
into a lifelong journey.
4. List three words you would use to describe your Grand
Valley experience.
Formative, Inspirational, and Fun
5. What difference would you like to make in the world?
People need people. People need community. I'm here to be a
support to those I love and others I meet along the way.
February 2023
Interest Area(s)
Business Administration, Finance, Marketing
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