Charlie Odom - Nominee for Exceptional Leader Award

Charlie is the Senior Manager of Campus & Specialty Recruiting Programs at Better, a fin-tech company whose mission is to make homeownership accessible to all. In his role, Charlie is responsible for all internships & entry level hiring programs across the US, as well as programs that recruit adults with nontraditional educational backgrounds. Prior to his role at Better, Charlie worked in talent acquisition for 10+ years at Teach For America and Venture For America. He is passionate about building talent programs that center diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Career Highlight

In January, Charlie was tasked to create Better's first ever entry level software engineering program for recent graduates. Though behind the typical recruitment cycle, Charlie and his team immediately built relationships with universities, bootcamps, and diversity-focused organizations such as Grace Hopper & Afrotech. His team held info sessions & provided professional development to all applicants on how to put their best foot forward in tech interviews. As a result, this summer's entry level engineering cohort is the most diverse group of engineers the organization has ever brought on.