Our Story
Reengineering the Executive Search Process.
We’re the people you call when you want to find the right fit – the first time. As one of three LGBTBE-certified executive search firms in the country, Retained offers a unique solution to address your diversity spend goals and secure top-tier executives for your organization. Each principle of our executive search practice has at least 20+ years of leadership experience.
Meet Our Team.
Betsy Robinson
Founder & Ceo
Betsy has 20+ years of experience in recruiting and executive search. Betsy is an active volunteer with WIT (Women in Technology), currently serving on the Board of Directors. Betsy has also served on the Board of Directors for the Technology Association of Georgia’s Diversity & Inclusion Society, as well as the Business Advisory Board for ITT Technical Institute. As the 2023 Georgia LGBTQ+ Businessperson of the Year and an honoree for Inc. Magazine’s 30 under 30-ish, Betsy has built a solid reputation as the go-to for diversity tech recruiting and equitable hiring processes. Adding to her accolades, Betsy was recognized in Inc.’s Female Founders 250 list of 2024, solidifying her impact and influence in the industry.
Tino Mantella
President & Managing Partner
With a passion for community engagement, Tino led a dedicated team of stakeholders to establish the largest tech trade association in North America, expanding membership from under 350 to over 36,000. As a transformational leader, Tino orchestrated the growth of an established leadership development company, achieving a remarkable 200% expansion over a five-year period. Throughout Tino's tenure in the not-for-profit sector, he facilitated substantial donor contributions and secured over $300 million in funding, earning recognition as the first recipient of Fast Company's George Land award for innovation. Additionally, Tino directed efforts to allocate more than $50 million towards research for arthritic diseases, contributing significantly to medical advancements. As CEO of a dynamic for-profit company, Tino pioneered a program to recruit Regional Presidents, now boasting over thirty influential leaders nationwide. Furthermore, Tino managed the largest single-room occupancy housing complex in Illinois and initiated a prestigious 501-C6 organization dedicated to National Security Policy, earning accolades from Governor Nathan Deal. Notably, Tino successfully led a gang intervention initiative in Chicago under Mayor Richard M. Daley's administration, resulting in a substantial decrease in gang-related deaths within the city.
Robert Bouchard
Chief Operating Officer
Mr. Bouchard is an established thought-leader in IT staffing, having implemented multiple programs surrounding international recruitment strategies, talent acquisition, work authorization, and third-party process during his 20-year career in the private sector. He has built global delivery teams using cutting-edge technologies in recruitment automation and talent analytics that have produced high volume output.
Patti Dismukes
Senior Advisor
Patti Dismukes’ career reflects a demonstrated track record of leading successful large-scale transformational initiatives and optimizing financial management processes. She is known for leading and launching new service offerings and practices and maximizing resources to meet client goals and objectives. She has served in leadership roles for several regional, national and global companies. Additionally, she has led multiple enterprise-wide transformation initiatives focused on growing the company’s business model to adapt to changing marketing conditions and disruptive market forces. Patti’s dedication to improving the lives of young girls and women led to her involvement with such organizations as Women in Technology, TechBridge and Year Up. She served six years on the WIT Board and was Board President from 2020-2023. During her tenure, she led organizational changes and assisted in the creation and support of innovative programs such as WIT Single Mothers Program, Board Readiness and WIT Career ConneXions. She served on the Board of Advisors for 3Ci from 2023 – 2025 providing her experience in helping expand their service offerings. In 2019, she received the Ann Cramer Volunteer Award for her exemplary volunteerism in the technology community. She is also the recipient of the 2019 TAG Sales Leadership Community Award. Patti currently serves as a Senior Advisor to Retained whose mission is to provide strategic, tailored, and client-centric executive search solutions to meet the evolving needs of today’s business landscape. Patti shares her experience in knowledge to assist in strategic growth plans and help to continue implementing best practices. Additionally, she will lead many of the Executive search opportunities.
Anthony Angelo
Director of Business Development
Anthony Angelo brings over 15 years of experience in business staffing solutions to his role as Director of Business Development at Retained. Known for his consultative approach and commitment to building lasting partnerships, Anthony works closely with executive leadership to deliver high-impact executive search strategies tailored to each organization’s unique needs. Throughout his career, Anthony has supported companies of all sizes, from nimble startups to Fortune 500 enterprises, across industries like healthcare and IT. His track record of success in highly complex, fast-moving environments is rooted in his deep understanding of compliance, precision, and speed. Whether navigating nuanced talent challenges or scaling leadership teams, Anthony approaches every engagement with a thoughtful, white-glove touch. A three-time Presidents Club honoree (2017–2020) and part of a team recognized with a Best of Staffing award in 2022, Anthony is no stranger to delivering excellence. He was drawn to Retained by its culture of commitment, to clients, to candidates, and to each other, and is energized by the firm’s long-term, partnership-first approach to executive staffing.
Jonathan Palombo
Marketing Communications Manager
Jonathan is an energized, results-oriented marketing professional who understands how to effectively combine a variety of media to achieve communication and business objectives while building revenue growth and opportunity. Over the course of his career, Jonathan has played an integral role in helping organizations revitalize their brand, reshape their marketing efforts, and drive measurable results through a marketing engine. He has gained experienced in multiple verticals that have spanned both B2C and B2B. As the Marketing Communications Manager at Retained, Jonathan leads the marketing function to drive brand awareness, lead generation, and business growth. With seven years of experience in marketing, Jonathan leverages several dynamic marketing channels achieve marketing objectives and business goals. His responsibilities include social media management and growth, content strategy, email marketing, SEO, regional expansion, enhancing digital presence, and more. Passionate about connecting top IT talent with the right opportunities, Jonathan leverages data-driven insights and creative storytelling to position Retained as an industry leader.
Kelly Ruane
Technical Sourcer & Recruiter
Kelly Ruane supports Retained with a sharp focus on sourcing top-tier executive talent, managing behind-the-scenes search operations, and directly recruiting for high-impact roles. She plays a key role in enabling the success of Retained’s by ensuring every search is strategically supported from start to finish. With a strong foundation in candidate research, pipeline development, and talent engagement, Kelly brings precision, persistence, and a people-first approach to every search she touches. Her ability to identify and connect with exceptional leaders ensures that our clients are introduced to candidates who not only meet technical requirements but align with organizational culture and vision. Kelly began her career in sales before transitioning into recruiting, where she quickly found her passion for building meaningful connections between talent and opportunity. Since joining Retained, she has contributed to the success of numerous executive searches. Known for her team spirit, attention to detail, and commitment to delivering a seamless search experience, Kelly is an essential part of the Retained team’s continued growth and success.
Melisa Huskic
Marketing Associate
As our part-time Marketing Associate, Melisa Huskic brings fresh ideas and an appetite for growth to our team. In her role, Melisa supports the execution of our marketing initiatives across digital channels, from LinkedIn to YouTube to email and web. She collaborates closely with the Marketing Communications Manager to create content, manage campaigns, assist with website updates, and bring fresh ideas to the table. She's already making an impact by helping us stay creative, organized, and audience-focused in everything we do. Before joining Retained, Melisa worked on the Marketing Committee at Georgia Gwinnett College’s Kaufman Library, where she helped elevate the library’s visibility through data-driven outreach, branding strategy, and engaging social content. Whether she’s analyzing trends or editing short-form videos, she brings a thoughtful, strategic, and creative approach to every project.
Core Values.
In Your Shoes.
Proven practitioners delivering exceptional executive talent.
Casting a Wide Net.
Uncovering diverse executive brilliance as part of every search.
Invested in People.
Transforming executive recruitment through a powerful alliance of human capability and state-of-the-art technology.
Dynamic Synergy.
Clients, candidates, our team, and the community. Relationships over transactions always.
Mission.
Our mission is to empower companies to thrive by providing them with diverse, quality candidates who bring unique perspectives, experiences, and skills to the table.
Vision.
Our vision is to be the preferred choice for technology and nonprofit executive search.
Building Resilient Teams With Diversity at the Core.
Our active participation in community organizations allows us to serve our community and gain access to networks full of diverse executive talent.
Building on Tier4 Group’s Legacy.
As an extension of Tier4 Group, Retained’s clients benefit from the extensive network and trusted reputation that earned Tier4 Group a spot in the Inc. 5000 for 5 consecutive years, along with 18 other awards and honors.
Tier4 GroupReady to Secure Top Talent?
Speak with Tino Mantella to start your executive search journey today.
