NW Arkansas Talent Showcase (May 2023)

Northwest Arkansas is officially the 100th largest metro, and continuing to add 36 people a day to its population. With rapid growth, comes an increased need for talented professionals across a range of fields to contribute to the region's burgeoning industries. And that's where our talent showcase comes in. Comprising experienced professionals from diverse fields, such as Accounting & Finance, Information Technology, Human Capital Management, Community Engagement & Marketing, and Event Management, our May showcase offers a unique blend of skills and expertise to meet the needs of any organization.

Meet Katrina Ceryanec, Jon Ernst, Noah Scheer, Laura Basch, Susie Douglas, and Cindy Gelinas - a group of dynamic professionals ready to bring their unique skills and experiences to the flourishing business landscape of Northwest Arkansas.

Katrina Ceryanec - Field of Interest: Accounting & Finance

Katrina enjoys leading and mentoring a team. “Truly getting to know the individuals on your team and promoting and supporting their unique work style is the best way to achieve a willingness to give their best and usually results in productivity, autonomy, responsibility, and happiness.”

Katrina is a mom of two young boys and loves to get outside to explore with them. Her ideal start to the day is with a run and a cup of coffee. “Though I’m an accountant by trade, I have a passion for interior design, ballet, and drawing and painting.”

Jon Ernst - Field of Interest: Information Technology

Jon is someone of integrity. He believes in people and works with anyone with a sense of partnership and purpose. Jon works well with teams of any size, and enjoys building relationships with colleagues, both internal and external to his organization, and his personal life.

Jon likes to work with a free hand, responding to strong leadership decisions and direction when it’s provided and works to provide deliverables on time by deadline when possible. 100% is his “bare minimum”.

He is talented in a wide variety of technologies, from Microsoft MDM platforms, to communications and collaboration, corporate printing solutions, and end user computing solutions. Specializes in Microsoft 365 ecosystem and virtualization such as VMware, Hyper-V and Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops.

As a Northwest Arkansas native, he enjoys the outdoors and is quite active, going camping, hiking, cycling, swimming, SCUBA diving, kayaking, just about anything he can outside. He enjoys staying fit and seeing new things, traveling when possible and seeing the sights, meeting new people, trying new things, networking. As a musician, he’s always enjoying chances to visit concert venues to enjoy the fine arts, jazz, or even vocal ensembles, and attends art exhibits and theatrical performances.

Noah Scheer - Field of Interest: Human Capital Management

Noah is a dynamic and enthusiastic individual who injects a refreshing energy into the workplace. His adventurous spirit is reflected in his work style, as he is always open to exploring new ideas and taking on new challenges. He approaches complex tasks with a creative mindset, focused on delivering complete solutions. This combination of tenacity and meticulousness make him an invaluable asset to any team.

Laura Basch - Field of Interest: Community Engagement & Marketing

Laura is a passionate and creative relationship builder and change-maker that specializes in high-quality customer interactions and fostering positive connections. She thrives on passion, and authenticity, and has a love for all things media and branding. Laura has a rich history in the NWA nonprofit sector and is looking to continue her career serving the community in a corporate setting. On the weekends, you'll find Laura spending time outdoors with her friends and her American Eskimo Dog, Lupa, or trying new cuisine in the NWA food scene.

Susie Douglas - Field of Interest: Community Engagement & Event Management

With over 16 years of experience leading teams across a variety of industries including polar exploration, this strategic operations and events manager is an ace in the hole for any organization. Susie’s core competencies include aviation management, logistical coordination, process improvement, and emergency response, among others. She has a proven track record of successfully managing projects, events, and stakeholders while adhering to policy and procedural compliance. Additionally, her entrepreneurial experience and ability to develop and implement initiatives for start-up businesses would make an excellent candidate for start-up companies looking to innovate and grow.

A typical off-work day for Susie starts with a freshly roasted cup of coffee and a long walk in the woods with her sweet dog named Evie, followed by a mountain bike ride exploring the NWA trail systems.

Cynthia Gelinas - Field of Interest: Information Technology & Program Management

During her 28 years at Fedex, Cindy developed excellent communication, time management and leadership skills that allow her to interact effectively at all levels.? She is also detail oriented, works well independently and with others, and takes opportunities to make things as efficient as possible.?

In Cindy’s spare time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, cooking and grilling.? She likes to visit the farmer's markets, attend concerts at the AMP, explore the downtown areas and the many walking trails that NWA has to offer.

If you are looking for talent, we hope you will reach out and consider opening your doors to these bright and capable individuals.

If you would like us to facilitate an intro or know someone who might be interested in connecting with this talent, visit and/or share this link with them:?https://people.getro.com/app/shared-lists/talent-showcase

If you would like to be featured in a future showcase, we invite you to join the?Northwest Arkansas Talent Network?and reach out to?Justin Stewart, MBA?on Linkedin or via email at?[email protected]

Wishing you all the best,

Justin Stewart, MBA?and?Aron Shelton, Talent Initiatives Team at?Northwest Arkansas Council

Check out the previous showcases:

• January 2023 Talent Showcase
• February 2023 Talent Showcase
• March 2023 Talent Showcase
• April 2023 Talent Showcase