Top 15 HealthTech Recruitment Experts
Explore a curated list of the best HealthTech recruiters, recognized for their expertise in placing top professionals in innovative healthcare technology roles. ↓
HealthTech is one of the fastest-evolving industries, driven by groundbreaking startups, digital health platforms, and next-gen medical innovations. Behind this rapid growth are exceptional recruiters who have become instrumental in building world-class leadership teams. These professionals include executive search veterans, digital health talent strategists, physician recruitment experts, and VC talent partners – all playing a crucial role in shaping the future of healthcare.
Below is a curated list of 15 of the most impactful HealthTech recruitment experts globally, selected for their influence, proven track records, and active involvement in transforming healthcare hiring.
- Kathy Jordan
- David Krahe
- Paul Pellegrino
- Norman Volsky
- Tim Gordon
- Denise DeMan
- David Woodward
- Trevor Price
- Michelle Garland
- Leah Scanlan
- Karsten Vagner
- Aisha DeBerry
- Allan Cacanindin
- Nick Stephens
- Alexis Stiles
Below we provide more detailed profiles of each recruiter.
Kathy Jordan
Nationality: American
Founder of Jordan Search Consultants, a healthcare executive and physician recruiting firm she established in 2003. With nearly three decades of recruiting experience, Kathy is known for her thorough understanding of the evolving dynamics in healthcare hiring.
Her firm has provided innovative recruitment and talent retention solutions to hospitals, medical groups, and other healthcare organizations across the U.S. (Jordan Search was acquired by AMN Healthcare in 2020, expanding its reach). Kathy is frequently cited in industry publications for her expertise on physician recruitment trends and strategies for engaging today’s healthcare workforce. As an entrepreneur and accomplished recruiter, she has helped shape how healthcare organizations attract and retain top clinical and executive talent.
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LinkedIn: Kathy Jordan
David Krahe
Nationality: American
Based in Dallas, David Krahe leads the global Medical Devices & Diagnostics practice at Russell Reynolds Associates. With over 20 years of executive search experience in healthcare, he advises medtech companies worldwide on CEO and C-suite hires.
Krahe has conducted high-profile searches for Fortune 500 medtech manufacturers, diagnostics firms, and innovative digital health startups, often for roles requiring a blend of technical expertise and leadership (e.g. General Manager for a surgical robotics division). He is known for his strategic insight into industry trends, and has written about the future of medtech leadership – emphasizing the need for leaders who bridge product development and technology. His global perspective and successful placement record have established him as an influential figure in healthtech executive search.
- LinkedIn: David Krahe
- X (Twitter): @dbkrahe
Paul Pellegrino
Nationality: American
Paul Pellegrino is a seasoned executive recruiter who founded 3D CRO Search Group in 2008 to focus exclusively on talent for the life science R&D and clinical research (CRO) arena. A former top-performing medical sales executive, Paul transitioned to recruitment and has conducted over 500 successful executive searches across North America, Europe, and Asia.
His firm is a trusted partner to VC-funded biotech and CRO companies, known for delivering high-value candidates while minimizing hiring risk. Over 18+ years, Pellegrino has placed dozens of senior commercial and scientific leaders, contributing to the growth of many biotech startups and research organizations. He is praised for a pragmatic, detail-driven approach to talent acquisition and an ability to rapidly understand client needs. Paul’s credibility in the biopharma community and his global search capabilities make him one of the top recruiters in the healthtech and drug development sector.
- LinkedIn: Paul Pellegrino
- X (Twitter): @3DPellegrino
Norman Volsky
Nationality: American
Norm Volsky is Managing Partner and Practice Leader of Digital Health at Direct Recruiters, Inc. (DRI). Recognized as one of the most resourceful digital health and healthcare IT recruiters in the U.S., Volsky has built DRI’s Digital Health practice into a go-to resource for healthtech companies.
He and his team connect high-growth digital health and employer-benefits tech firms with top executive and technical talent. Known for his tenacity and relationship-focused approach, Norm has a reputation for successfully completing searches while providing a positive experience for candidates and clients alike. He frequently shares industry insights (e.g. hosting a Digital Health Heavyweights podcast) and is an active mentor in healthtech startup programs, underscoring his thought leadership in the hiring ecosystem.
- LinkedIn: Norm Volsky
- Twitter: @Norman_DRI
Tim Gordon
Nationality: American
Tim Gordon is the Founder & Managing Partner of Aequitas Partners, a boutique executive search firm for high-growth healthcare technology companies. After being employee #4 at Oxeon Partners (where he placed C-suite leaders at companies like Evolent Health and Privia Health), Gordon launched Aequitas in 2014.
Since then, Aequitas has led Board and executive searches across all functions and even invests in some of its clients alongside VCs. Tim is passionate about aligning talent with healthcare entrepreneurship – he advises startup CEOs on recruitment strategy, compensation benchmarks, and long-term team building. He has mentored entrepreneurs through Startup Health, MATTER, and other incubators. Gordon’s blend of executive search expertise and hands-on venture involvement has made him a trusted talent partner for many digital health startups.
- LinkedIn: Tim Gordon
Denise DeMan
Nationality: American
Everyone must leave something behind… something your hand touched. It doesn’t matter what you do, so long as you change something from the way it was before you touched it into something that’s like you after you take your hands away.
Founder, Chairman & CEO of Bench International, one of the longest-standing life sciences executive search firms (celebrating 50 years in 2024). DeeDee is “one of the most respected leadership architects in global life sciences,” with over five decades of experience placing board members, CEOs, and other top executives in pharma and biotech.
She built Bench International from a one-woman operation into a global firm known for its ethics and high-touch approach to search. Denise has been a pioneer in promoting diversity in life science leadership, often emphasizing the importance of women and underrepresented groups in executive roles. Under her guidance, Bench has led numerous high-profile CEO and C-suite searches for companies driving medical breakthroughs, making her a true icon in health and life science recruiting.
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LinkedIn: Denise (DeeDee) DeMan
David Woodward
Nationality: American
A Partner at Chasm Partners, David Woodward leverages 20+ years of executive search experience to help transform healthcare through talent. He has expertise in placing C-suite and VP-level executives across multiple functions in healthcare technology and services. Woodward believes that as healthcare shifts to value-based care, healthtech companies need “best-in-class” human capital for competitive advantage.
He specializes in recruiting commercial leaders (in sales, marketing, operations, etc.) for venture-backed digital health and health services companies. Prior to Chasm, he led searches for VC-funded healthtech firms at other search boutiques and has worked with clients from startups to Fortune 500, as well as top VC/PE firms. Widely respected for his strategic counsel to clients and coaching of candidates, Woodward has played a key role in scaling many healthtech innovators.
- LinkedIn: David Woodward
- Twitter: @DavidWoodwardJr
Trevor Price
Nationality: American
Trevor Price is the Founder and Chairman of Oxeon, a healthcare executive search and venture firm that has had outsized impact on digital health. In building Oxeon, Price pioneered a model combining executive search, investment, and company creation.
He spent 11 years as CEO of Oxeon, igniting transformation in healthcare by placing exceptional leadership teams and even co-founding several healthtech startups (Eleanor Health, Hopscotch, etc.). Oxeon’s portfolio and client list include many of the most innovative U.S. healthcare companies (Evolent Health, VillageMD, Bright Health, etc.). Price is also co-founder of Town Hall Ventures (a VC firm) and co-hosts a popular healthcare podcast. Renowned as a consummate connector of people and ideas, he’s a trusted advisor on human capital to top CEOs and investors driving change in healthcare.
- LinkedIn: Trevor Price
- Twitter: @TrevorPrice
Michelle Garland
Nationality: American
Michelle Garland is the Founder & CEO of Soul Search Partners, an executive recruitment platform focused on innovators in healthcare. Before launching Soul Search, she was Managing Partner at Daversa Partners, where she built one of the top healthtech practices in the executive search industry.
Now also a Partner at AlleyCorp (a venture studio), Garland combines recruiting with incubating new healthtech companies. She and Soul Search’s team are dedicated to building leadership teams for emerging healthtech disruptors, with a mission to ensure broad access to modern care. Known for her extensive network and long-standing experience (including prior roles at major firms like Bentley, Barnes & Lynn), Michelle has been at the forefront of connecting high-impact talent with high-growth digital health and medtech startups.
- LinkedIn: Michelle Garland
Leah Scanlan
Nationality: American
Leah Scanlan is Partner, Talent at Oak HC/FT, a leading venture growth fund, where she works closely with portfolio companies on talent strategy, executive recruiting, and team building. Joining Oak HC/FT in 2019, Scanlan brought 15+ years of recruiting experience, including as an Operating Partner at Khosla Ventures advising entrepreneurs on exec searches, and as a Partner at Daversa Partners focusing on high-growth tech and healthcare companies.
At Oak, she and her talent team actively engage with startups (even embedding with them) to shape management teams – a value-add so impactful that founders credit Oak’s talent support as a key advantage. Leah Scanlan’s blend of VC and search experience and her relentless dedication to helping healthtech CEOs build world-class teams have made her one of the most respected in-house talent leaders in global healthtech.
- LinkedIn: Leah Scanlan
Karsten Vagner
Nationality: American
Karsten Vagner is Head of People at Define Ventures, an early-stage digital health VC firm. After nearly 20 years leading people teams at healthtech startups (Maven Clinic, Zocdoc, etc.), Vagner joined Define in 2022 to bring his expertise to a broad portfolio of startups. At Define, he serves as a “secret talent weapon” for founders – helping them navigate scaling challenges, build resilient teams and culture, and connect with talent across the fund’s network.
Vagner has been recognized by Crain’s New York and Business Insider for his HR leadership and sits on the Forbes HR Council. He convenes regular knowledge-sharing sessions among portfolio company HR leaders and coaches founders on hiring decisions. With his deep operational experience and platform approach, Karsten Vagner exemplifies how VCs can go beyond funding to actively support healthtech team-building.
- LinkedIn: Karsten Vagner
Aisha DeBerry
Nationality: American
Executive Director of Provider Recruitment at UVA Health and a nationally recognized leader in physician recruitment. With extensive experience in recruiting doctors and advanced practice providers, Aisha excels in strategic talent initiatives for healthcare systems.
She currently serves as President of the Association for Advancing Physician and Provider Recruitment (AAPPR) while also contributing as a board member of Women in Healthcare – Central Virginia. Aisha is known for her focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion in clinical hiring, helping UVA and other institutions attract providers who align with organizational values and patient care excellence. Her leadership in AAPPR and within UVA Health highlights her impact on elevating best practices in physician recruitment nationwide.
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LinkedIn: Aisha DeBerry
Allan Cacanindin
Nationality: American
Vice President of Executive & Provider Recruitment at SSM Health and a prominent figure in physician recruitment. Allan oversees both on-site and remote recruitment teams for a $9.3B multistate health system, guiding efforts to attract top physicians and advanced practice providers.
He is President-Elect of AAPPR (Association for Advancing Physician and Provider Recruitment) and sits on its Board of Directors, reflecting his leadership in the field. Allan’s influence is seen in how he implements cutting-edge strategies to meet the physician staffing needs of hospitals and clinics, all while advocating for professional development among recruitment peers. His dual role as a hands-on recruitment VP and an industry leader in AAPPR positions him as a key voice shaping the future of clinical talent acquisition.
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LinkedIn: Allan Cacanindin
Nick Stephens
Nationality: British
Executive Chairman (and former CEO) of The RSA Group, a global executive search firm focused on life sciences. Nick has led RSA’s growth and innovation in placing leaders across pharma, biotech, medtech, and healthcare investment firms. He pioneered RSA’s data-driven due diligence methodology to reduce hiring risk and maximize upside, which has set a benchmark for quality in executive search.
With 40+ years in the industry, Nick is an influential voice on talent trends; for example, he has written about the “war for talent” in life sciences, particularly in emerging markets like Asia. Under his leadership, RSA has expanded globally, and Nick frequently engages with industry forums and media to discuss leadership, governance, and what makes an effective board in health organizations. His long-term perspective and commitment to excellence have made him a trusted advisor to life science boards and CEOs around the world.
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LinkedIn: Nick Stephens
Alexis Stiles
Nationality: American
Global Healthcare Practice Leader at Spencer Stuart, one of the “Big Five” global executive search firms. With over 30 years in healthcare as an executive and leadership consultant, Alexis leads Spencer Stuart’s work across all sectors of healthcare – providers, payers, life sciences, and academic health – guiding senior executive and board searches.
She previously led the firm’s North American Healthcare Practice and has deep expertise in leadership assessment and advisory. Alexis is a champion for advancing women in leadership; she often speaks about empowering female executives and co-authored Spencer Stuart’s insights on women in the workplace. Her broad view of the healthcare industry and track record in placing transformative leaders have made her a key figure in global healthcare executive search.
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LinkedIn: Alexis Stiles
Sum Up
These distinguished recruiters have played a pivotal role in shaping the HealthTech sector by sourcing top-tier executives, driving digital innovation, and leading growth in emerging healthcare technology markets. However, working directly with these experts can be difficult, as they are often in high demand and come with a premium cost.
A more accessible solution is to partner with EchoGlobal, where our vast industry knowledge and global network can seamlessly connect you with the ideal HealthTech talent to fuel your growth.
Lou Reverchuk