Inside Jennifer Kaufman’s Playbook for Modern, Data-Led Talent Acquisition

Host Matt Staney, VP Community at HIGHER, sits down with Jennifer Anker Kaufman, VP of Talent Acquisition at Illumio, for a rich, honest conversation about how recruiting becomes a trusted business partner. Jennifer shares her unexpected start as a dolphin trainer, how she built credibility across hyper-growth tech companies, and why she believes in “talent partners,” not “order takers.”

They discuss Illumio’s shift to Ashby, how data reshapes executive conversations, and the future of AI and capacity planning in TA. Along the way, Jennifer reveals her NICE framework and the leadership lessons that turn small wins into lasting impact.