About Us 

Founding Partner

Katie Niekrash

Katie is a seasoned recruitment professional with 18 years of dedicated experience, specializing in healthcare and non-profit. With a passion for connecting exceptional talent with organizations that make a difference, she thrives in the people-centric world of recruitment. Katie’s extensive knowledge of the health and social services landscape allows her to identify the unique needs of both candidates and employers, ensuring successful placements that enhance patient and client care and drive organizational effectiveness.

As a founder of her previous firm’s first Employee Resource Group, The Women’s Network, Katie has a passion for fostering diversity and equal opportunity for all within the workplace. With Everly, Katie’s dream of partnering with like-minded female entrepreneurs to create a flexible, supportive and inclusive culture has been realized.

Katie is an avid reader and ran a marathon once, which was one too many. She loves all things ocean and in another life was a professional surfer; in this life, she wipes out a lot and mostly just paddleboards. Katie lives in Connecticut with her husband, 2 daughters and their dog Petey, and they all take advantage of the fact that CT is the self-proclaimed Pizza Capital of the World.

Founding Partner

Alison Kuhns

With over 20 years of experience in recruitment, Alison brings deep expertise across a variety of industries, including nursing, managed care, and the social welfare space. Her industry knowledge has shaped her ability to identify top talent and guide clients through the more nuanced aspects of the hiring process.

Alison's approach goes beyond just filling a role. She thrives on helping companies through the critical factors that will ensure long-term success: how a hire will align with a company's succession planning, tackling retention issues, and staying market competitive with hiring. At Everly Talent, Alison is driven by a passion for building strong, lasting connections between exceptional people and organizations, ensuring a future of growth and collaboration for both. While this will always be a competitive business, Alison believes in a high level of integrity to guide our business. Be a good human being, and the rest will follow.

When not getting the job done at Everly, she manages operations at home. Alison lives with her husband, 3 kids, an emotionally stunted dog and 3 chickens. She loves traveling and adventuring with her family; there is nothing better.

Founding Partner

Lauren Zebro

Lauren is an accomplished recruitment professional with over 10 years of experience in the healthcare and non-profit sectors, where her knack for connecting talent to purpose-driven organizations truly shines. Known for her approachable personality and genuine enthusiasm, Lauren has a gift for building connections that last—whether she’s matching talent with roles that transform patient care or understanding her clients. With a deep understanding of the healthcare landscape, Lauren adjusts her approach to meet the needs of employers and candidates, creating matches that impact positive change, and a few laughs along the way.

Lauren’s dedication to meaningful causes extends beyond her professional life. She has been actively involved with the Parkinson’s Foundation and was a Co-founder of the Young Professionals Board with Day One, an organization devoted to ending domestic violence. With Everly, Lauren is excited to partner with like-minded, passionate women who share her commitment to making a positive impact.

Outside of work, Lauren is an adventurer at heart - she is happiest with sand between her toes, collecting shark teeth, or riding waves—though her surfing is best described as "spirited." When winter hits, she trades her surfboard for a snowboard, hitting the slopes like she’s been doing since she could walk.

Founding Partner

Dana Thistle

Dana is a seasoned recruitment and business development professional with over 18 years of experience specializing in Healthcare along with HR and high level C-Suite executives.

Passionate about connecting exceptional talent with the right organizations, Dana excels in people-centric recruitment. Her comprehensive understanding of the health sector enables her to identify and have a true understanding of the needs of both candidates and employers, facilitating spot on placements and a impactful experience for everyone involved. Dana ascended quickly at her previous firm Tandym by launching their allied health, pharmacy and lab divisions. At Everly, she is proud to work with a team of partners with whom she has collaborated with for over 15 years.

Dana also has a love for fashion. Her career in healthcare recruiting began right after college, helping her go from broke fashionista to sophisticated trendsetter. When she's not at work, Dana can be found racing down ski slopes, satisfying her sweet tooth, and juggling her kids' busy sports schedules. She lives in Connecticut with her husband, three kids, a dog, and three baby turtles. Her husband runs Fjord Fish Market - it's amazing, if you're nearby check it out!

Founding Partner

Taylor Geraghty

Taylor has 8 years of experience in recruitment and is passionate about connecting talented individuals with opportunities that align with their skills and aspirations. She is a self-proclaimed “matchmaker” who enjoys pairing exceptional candidates with the right organizations, ensuring a perfect fit for both sides. She works closely with clients to understand their needs and help them find the best talent, making a meaningful impact in the process.

One of the aspects Taylor loves most about healthcare is the abundance of transferable skills across various roles. While she may joke that she could do an episode or two on Grey’s Anatomy, her expertise lies in the real-world connections she helps create. She is excited to take this next step as a partner in a minority women-owned company that prioritizes diversity and empowerment in healthcare placements.

Taylor graduated from the University of Georgia - Go Dawgs! - and now calls St. Petersburg, Florida, her home. In her spare time, she enjoys soaking up the sun by the water with her dog, Bentley. She looks forward to continuing to help clients find exceptional talent and make a meaningful impact in the healthcare industry!

Manager of Operations

Cathryn McLaughlin

Cathryn (aka Cat) graduated from a dual degree program at Iona University in 2020 with her Master of Arts in Industrial Organizational Psychology. Her love for recruitment started her sophomore year of college where she served as her sorority's Recruitment Chair. She began her career in recruiting at Aflac in 2018 as a Recruiting Intern and was then hired in 2019 as their Regional Recruiting Assistant. She joined Tandym Group in 2021 to launch their sourcing department, where she handled lead generation for staff level to C-Suite roles. Cat's success in the role led to a promotion in 2022 as Tandym Group’s first Senior Sourcing Specialist.

Currently, Cat serves as the Manager of Operations with Everly Talent. She handles sourcing for our recruitment team as well as strategic research, operations, and training.

In her spare time, Cat enjoys time with her family, friends, and cat Nala. She loves to meet new people and try new things whether it be a new recipe, craft, or activity. She has a passion for helping others which is what drives her in the recruiting industry. She takes pride in connecting talented individuals with the right opportunities, ensuring that both clients and candidates thrive in their careers.

Director

Kelly Pizoli

Kelly is a healthcare recruitment professional with a strong nursing background, bringing a unique perspective to her work. After starting her career as a registered nurse in adult inpatient oncology and outpatient pediatrics, she transitioned into recruitment, where her clinical expertise allows her to connect healthcare organizations with top talent who are passionate about improving patient care.

With a deep understanding of the challenges faced by healthcare providers, Kelly is dedicated to helping organizations build strong, compassionate, and skilled teams that drive better patient outcomes. Whether working with hospitals, clinics, or private practices, her focus is always on placing the right professionals in roles where they can make a meaningful impact.

Kelly lives just down the street from the beach in Southern Rhode Island, where she enjoys staying active with walking, yoga, and hiking, including tackling the challenge of Mount Washington. When she’s indoors, you can find her watching movies or attempting (with varying success!) to bake something new in the kitchen.

Executive Recruiter

Caitlin Cowan

Caitlin leverages her unique background and expertise to connect top-tier talent with exceptional opportunities. With a strong foundation in education, recruitment, and a passion for people, Caitlin specializes in identifying and placing candidates in roles where they can drive organizational success.

Prior to joining the world of recruitment, Caitlin spent eight years as a high school teacher, teaching AP Psychology and history in Lexington, Kentucky, where she also went to college- Go Cats! Working as a teacher honed her ability to understand diverse personalities, foster relationships, and communicate effectively—skills that have proven invaluable in her recruiting career. She brings a thoughtful, personalized approach to every search, ensuring both clients and candidates achieve the right fit. Caitlin and her husband- who works in healthcare- love life with their three-year old daughter and their energetic Pomeranian.

Caitlin’s commitment to delivering exceptional service and her genuine interest in helping others succeed make her a trusted partner for both companies and executives looking to elevate their organizations. Caitlin is excited to continue her recruitment career with Everly Talent and a strong team of founders.