Meet the Ascentria Team.
Your Partners in Leadership, Growth & Success
At Ascentria Search Partners, we go beyond recruitment—we cultivate long-term partnerships that fuel business success. Our team brings decades of expertise in executive search, career coaching, human resources, training, and leadership development, providing a strategic and consultative approach to hiring.
We believe executive search isn’t just about placing candidates—it’s about aligning great leaders with the right opportunities to drive transformation. By deeply understanding the culture, goals, and challenges of each organization, we deliver impactful talent solutions that don’t just fill positions—they shape the future.
Our success is defined by the success of our clients and candidates. With a steadfast commitment to integrity, authenticity, and lasting relationships, we serve as trusted advisors, industry connectors, and champions of exceptional leadership.
Meet the Team
PARTNER & CO-FOUNDER
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PARTNER & C0-FOUNDERFor nearly 3 decades, Ken Schmitt has been more than a recruiter—he’s a connector, strategist, and advocate for great leadership. After launching TurningPoint Executive Search in 2007, he spent 18 years growing a business that focused on high-touch, relationship-driven recruiting. Along the way, he built a reputation for matching top-tier talent with organizations poised for growth, earning accolades including ‘San Diego’s Most Admired CEO’ and one of the region’s ‘Fastest Growing Private Companies’.
Ken’s journey took an exciting turn when he teamed up with long-time colleague and friend Seann Richardson to launch Ascentria Search Partners in early 2025. After years of collaborating with one another, sharing a passion for authentic, consultative hiring, merging their firms was the natural next step. Together, they bring a powerful blend of expertise, insight, and a shared philosophy: great recruiting isn’t just about filling roles—it’s about building futures.
A thought leader in the industry, Ken publishes the weekly LinkedIn newsletter “Hiring Matters: Recruiting, Retention, and Real HR Strategies from a Leading Expert”, where he shares actionable insights on hiring trends, leadership strategies, and talent retention.
Beyond the search world, Ken is the founder of the Sales & Marketing Leadership Alliance (SMLA), a published author (“The Practical Optimist”), a podcast host, speaker and dedicated mentor. Since 2014, Ken has served as a volunteer with Junior Achievement and Co-Chairs monthly member meetings in San Diego as part of the Private Directors Association, Southern California Chapter. A San Diego native, he lives in Carlsbad, CA, with Juliet, his wife of 33 years, who runs her own Marriage and Family Therapist practice.
PARTNER & CO-FOUNDER
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PARTNER & C0-FOUNDERWith over 25 years in executive and professional recruitment, Seann Richardson is a trusted advisor and strategic problem-solver who helps companies build high-performing leadership teams. Her early career in finance and operations gave her a deep understanding of business challenges—not just in hiring, but in growth, succession planning, and long-term talent strategy.
Seann’s journey in recruiting began in accounting and finance recruitment, where she quickly rose through the ranks. In 2013, she became President of Caron & Stanley, where she led the firm’s transformation into a high-touch, relationship-driven search firm. In 2021, she took full ownership, rebranding the company as Collabrie to reflect its consultative, people-first approach to talent acquisition.
After years of sharing insights and collaborating with longtime colleague and friend Ken Schmitt, their complementary business expertise and shared vision led them to merge their firms—forming Ascentria Search Partners.
Seann’s analytical approach and deep industry expertise ensure that every placement aligns with business strategy and drives meaningful impact. With a background in accounting, budgeting, forecasting, and operations, she offers more than just recruiting expertise—she provides actionable solutions for long-term hiring success.
Approachable, insightful, and solutions-focused, Seann is passionate about building lasting relationships and helping companies and professionals reach their full potential—because great recruiting isn’t just about filling roles; it’s about shaping the future.
MANAGING PARTNER, MARKETING & OPERATIONS
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MANAGING PARTNER, MARKETING & OPERATIONSAs Managing Partner of Marketing & Operations at Ascentria Search Partners, Elaine Rosen is the strategic mind behind the brand, ensuring that the firm's identity, messaging, and operations align with its mission of building lasting partnerships and driving leadership success. With expertise in branding, marketing strategy, digital engagement, and operational efficiency, Elaine plays a key role in shaping Ascentria’s growth and positioning in the industry.
Elaine’s journey in talent strategy and business operations began in career coaching, recruiting, and human resources, with roles at Randstad, Bekaert, and RR Donnelley. These experiences provided her with firsthand insight into both corporate HR and staffing, giving her a deep understanding of talent acquisition, employee retention, and workforce strategy.
In 2008, Elaine joined TurningPoint Executive Search as the firm’s first Talent Manager, later transitioning into marketing and operations leadership. When TurningPoint and Collabrie merged to form Ascentria Search Partners, Elaine was instrumental in ensuring a seamless integration of branding, marketing, and operational strategies, positioning the new firm for long-term success.
Originally from Australia, Elaine first came to San Diego in 1993 through the University of Queensland’s international exchange program. With a background in anthropology, she has a unique perspective on people, culture, and the power of meaningful connections—a driving force behind her passion for executive search.
Now based in San Diego, Elaine shares her home with her husband, a Marine Scientist. When she’s not shaping the future of executive search, she enjoys practicing yoga, indulging in BBC television mysteries, reading, and traveling the world whenever she gets the chance.
MANAGING PARTNER, EXECUTIVE SEARCH
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MANAGING PARTNER, EXECUTIVE SEARCHAs Managing Director of Executive Search at Ascentria Search Partners, Raquel is a dynamic leader, mentor, and strategist who fosters a collaborative and solutions-driven approach to executive search. Since joining TurningPoint Executive Search in 2019, she has played a pivotal role in developing high-performing recruitment teams, guiding clients through complex hiring decisions, and mentoring recruiters to achieve long-term success. Her leadership, coupled with her ability to connect talent with opportunity, made her an integral part of Ascentria’s evolution and merger.
With the formation of Ascentria Search Partners, Raquel continues to lead with insight and integrity, ensuring that companies find not just great candidates, but leaders who align with their vision and culture. She has successfully placed executive leaders in roles including CEO, COO, CFO, CRO, CMO, VP and Director HR. In addition, she has been influential in building GTM teams across sales and marketing functions including VP Global Sales, VP Channel Sales, VP Sales Operations, Director of Business Development, VP Marketing and VP Product Management. Raquel is an expert in building transformative leadership teams that drive growth.
Her expertise in recruiting, career coaching, and human resources is backed by a degree in Psychology from the University of San Francisco and a deep understanding of what makes people and businesses thrive. Raquel’s passion lies in bringing people together and creating lasting, meaningful connections—whether she’s guiding companies through transformational growth, turnarounds, or helping candidates find life changing careers.
Raquel is based in San Diego and enjoys an active lifestyle with her husband and two children. When she’s not leading recruitment efforts, she enjoys traveling the world, exploring unique culinary experiences, maintaining an active lifestyle and supporting her children in their various sports activities.
RECRUITING DIRECTOR
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RECRUITING DIRECTORA relationship-driven recruiter with over a decade of experience, Sara Barthel is passionate about connecting great talent with the right opportunities. Known for her customer-centric approach, upbeat energy, and genuine care for people, Sara takes the time to understand both clients and candidates on a deeper level. Her approach blends data-driven analysis with intuition, ensuring that every placement is a natural, long-term fit that benefits both the individual and the organization.
At Ascentria Search Partners, Sara leads with positivity, patience, and a commitment to meaningful connections. She believes that great hiring is about more than just filling a role—it’s about setting people and companies up for lasting success. Her dedication to career advancement and company growth has earned her the trust of clients and candidates across major cities throughout the U.S.
Outside of recruiting, Sara brings her passion for holistic well-being into her work as a Functional Medicine Nutritionist, helping high-performing executive women prioritize their mental and physical health through individualized nutrition and lifestyle strategies. Whether she’s guiding a candidate to their next great role or empowering professionals to optimize their well-being, Sara is dedicated to helping people thrive—both in their careers and in life.