She’s the Chief Executive Officer for Kinetix. She’s got a  background as a finance executive for companies that do hundreds of thousands of hires annually. She rode the corporate wave then opted out to do her own thing. Shannon founded Kinetix with the goal of creating a firm that could help growing companies get the talent they need to compete. In her role as CEO, Shannon is responsible for overall operations and leading the strategic direction of Kinetix. Prior to forming Kinetix, Shannon held various positions throughout ten years at Spherion Corporation, a Fortune 500 staffing, recruiting and workforce solutions company. Prior to Spherion, Shannon held various positions at large, public and privately traded companies such as W.R. Grace, M&M/Mars, Inc., and Kidder, Peabody & Co. Incorporated in the US and overseas. She earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics Management from Ohio Wesleyan University while running track and playing field hockey and achieving academic All-America status. 

Specialties: Financial chops. Deal-maker. Eye for talent. Lack of need for sleep.

5 Questions with Shannon Russo

1. What is 1 fun fact people might not know about you?  

I have ridden an Ostrich!

2. What lesson from your professional career has left a lasting impact on the type of leader you are today?  

Experiencing the challenges of navigating our business through the impact of Covid-19 in 2020 was a profound learning curve. The adversity we faced during that period has significantly shaped my leadership style. Witnessing our team's resilience, welcoming back and integrating new members, and fortifying client relationships showcased the strength of our collective efforts. The subsequent growth and improvement in our company's performance were particularly gratifying. Throughout this transformative journey, I deepened my trust in the team, and reciprocally, their trust in my leadership increased. This lesson in mutual trust has been instrumental in elevating my Glassdoor approval rating from 82% to 94%, emphasizing the importance of trust in achieving our shared vision at Kinetix. 

3. Which character from any show or film would you want to recruit to your team and why?  

Jason Bourne. He figures it out and makes it happen against all odds, no matter what.  

4. If you could give your younger self one piece of advice about leadership, what would it be and why?  

A reminder that “hire slow and fire fast” as a company leader is critical, no matter what. “Hire slow” doesn’t mean take a long time. It means take the time and effort to think through and get agreement/alignment on what you’re hiring with all involved. Don’t rush in because you “like” the person.  The process can be super fast once you take the time to know exactly what you need and what they will do for you. Most figure that out as they go, which can lead to failure. On the flip side, I’ve never let someone go where I afterwards said, “I wish they were here longer.” That tells me I didn’t move fast enough. Don’t let the fear of what you don’t know slow you down when someone is a bad fit or needs to go. It’s always better.   

5. Finish the following sentence: “People want to hang out with me because…” 

Others seem normal in comparison. 

Kipli Storey is the Chief Operating Officer at Kinetix. Prior to joining the team at Kinetix in 2013, Kipli was Vice President of Operations and Business Development for Snapfinger, Vice President of People Services for Church’s Chicken, Director of Shared Services for Randstad, Director of Business Services for Spherion and a First Vice President for Suntrust Banks. Kipli holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Resources from the University of Georgia.  

Specialties: Strategic maestro. Calm in the eye of the storm.

5 Questions with Kipli Storey

1. What is 1 fun fact people might not know about you?  

I’ve owned 71 cars. 

2. What lesson from your professional career has left a lasting impact on the type of leader you are today?  

In 2020, Shannon Russo, our CEO, and I found ourselves in the middle of some serious business decisions due to the pandemic. It was one of those make-or-break moments that really put our leadership to the test. We rolled up our sleeves and tackled the challenges, navigating through a whole bunch of uncertainties. It required us to be tough, strategic and super adaptable. Together, we made calls that not only got us through the rough patches but also made us stronger. As the Chief Operating Officer, this whole experience was like a leadership boot camp, refining my skills and cementing my commitment to our awesome team. Those tough times taught me a ton, and now, looking back, we've used those lessons to level up our team's game. Today, that chapter is a big part of my leadership style – it's all about the people and making sure we're delivering top-notch service to our fantastic clients. 

3. Which character from any show or film would you want to recruit to your team and why?  

Ted Lasso. The believe sign symbolized his biggest value. The show is about perseverance and doing one's best in every endeavor, even if that isn't enough to succeed.   

4. If you could give your younger self one piece of advice about leadership, what would it be and why?  

A mentor can help to minimize the mistakes we make and get us to where we want to be sooner. They can also transfer their experiences to us to accelerate our own learning. 

5. Finish the following sentence: “People want to hang out with me because…” 

I get things done. 

Allison Martiny started her career as an IT Consultant in Arthur Andersen’s Business Consulting practice and briefly made her way to PwC and IBM through acquisition. She spent a couple of years gaining exposure to Finance, Accounting, and IT-specific staffing and recruiting and quickly realized that she enjoyed the consultative side of providing recruiting services and engaging with clients, educating them on hiring trends, processes, and best practices, and providing them great talent to fill critical roles.  The challenge of bridging talent gaps became a passion.   
 
During her 12.5 years at eCommQuest, Allison primarily focused on enterprise technology solutions for IT and management consulting firms across a wide range of practices, industries, and skill sets.  During her tenure, she built and grew a Direct Hire practice and then worked to expand their client base with direct, commercial clients and small-mid sized consulting firms. 

She was fortunate to stay in touch with Kinetix’s CEO, Shannon Russo, over the years and 2024 led her back to Kinetix as SVP of Growth.  She is currently responsible for driving growth initiatives and leading Sales and Account Management functions. 

Specialties: Approachable. Even keeled. Spreadsheet junkie. Rainmaker. 

5 Questions with Allison Martiny

1. What is 1 fun fact people might not know about you?  

Just after college graduation, I attended a month-long Java Bootcamp in North Carolina.  No, I was not intensely drinking a variety of coffee…I was in class all day learning the object-oriented programming language.  I needed a lot of coffee to stay focused, that’s for sure.  

2. What lesson from your professional career has left a lasting impact on the type of leader you are today?  

Know the details, but don’t get into the weeds too deeply. It’s important to be engaged and aware of the details but owning them leads to micromanaging, which is exhausting and inefficient.  I learned this the hard way early on, trying so hard to make everyone on my team successful instead of leading by example, setting them up for success, and then letting them fly and figure it out.  I learned to empower my team to own their role, execute well, and drive positive results so I can strategically work toward a vision to meet and exceed expectations.  There is a time to be in the trenches as a teammate, but the team needs a leader. 

3. Which character from any show or film would you want to recruit to your team and why?  

Benjamin Barry (Matthew McConaughey in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days).  Beyond his southern drawl and good looks, he is kind, confident, committed to his goals, knows just the right thing to say, people trust him, and he can close a deal!  We can just pretend he isn’t an egotistical womanizer.   

4. If you could give your younger self one piece of advice about leadership, what would it be and why?  

Stand up for what you believe in, be authentic, and trust yourself because by being true to yourself, you will lead with compassion, set the bar high, and empower others to rise to the occasion.  Don’t worry too much about getting it all right or having all the answers.  The awesome people who surround you will fill in the gaps. You’ll learn together and succeed as a team. This is more than one piece of advice, but my younger self needed to hear all of these things. 

5. Finish the following sentence: “People want to hang out with me because…” 

I’m like a duck…I appear calm and collected and am paddling like hell to make things happen below the surface. I bring calm to a storm, genuinely care, fight for my people, and compete to win. 

In her role as the Director of Analytics & Reporting at Kinetix, Katelyn Asokan boasts over a decade of hands-on expertise in analytics. During her ten-year tenure at JPMorgan Chase & Co., she excelled as an Analytics Solutions Manager - VP, leading a team in delivering crucial data, reporting, and analytics for Chase CCB Regulatory Operations. In her time as a Business Operations Manager, she conducted root cause analyses for customer and employee pain points. Katelyn's strategic expertise shined through her execution of roadmaps for customer and employee experience analyses, showcased her proficiency in data exploration and analysis, modeling, forecasting, and storytelling. Holding a Master's degree in Statistics from Cornell University, Katelyn blends academic excellence with practical experience, actively contributing to Kinetix's mission of seamlessly acquiring and retaining top talent for growth companies. 

Specialties: Eye for design. Canoe/Hiking. Data & people management. Wanderlust.

5 Questions with Katelyn Asokan

1. What is 1 fun fact people might not know about you?  

 My first career path was fashion design and I have an interior design business.   

2. What lesson from your professional career has left a lasting impact on the type of leader you are today?  

My career journey has been a dynamic evolution, each role contributing to the leader I've become. I’ve developed a multifaceted leadership approach that combines strategic and analytical thinking, effective communication and a commitment to continuous improvement.   

3. Which character from any show or film would you want to recruit to your team and why?  

Sherlock Holmes from "Sherlock": Benedict Cumberbatch's portrayal of Sherlock Holmes showcases exceptional deductive and analytical skills, making him well-suited for a data analyst role where attention to detail and logical reasoning are crucial. 

4. If you could give your younger self one piece of advice about leadership, what would it be and why?  

Learn from others, learn how to manage your time, and work smarter, not harder. 

5. Finish the following sentence: “People want to hang out with me because…” 

If they're with me, they'll be taken care of because I'm the mom of the group.