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Imani Smith
Early in Career Talent Outreach Manager
NetApp
Nominated For: The Talent Innovator Award
This award recognizes the experienced early career professionals who are reimagining how companies connect with Gen Z talent. They challenge traditional thinking by introducing new strategies, platforms, and touchpoints to meet students where they’re at. Whether through technology, storytelling, or community-building, they’re closing the gap between how recruiting has always been done—and how it needs to evolve.
From the Community: Why this Nominee Stands Out
To be considered for the CRCAs, individuals had to be nominated by a peer, manager, colleague, or direct report. This quote was shared by the person who nominated this person for recognition, highlighting the impact and excellence they’ve demonstrated.
“Imani has reshaped the landscape of early career recruiting at NetApp by challenging the status quo and introducing groundbreaking strategies to engage with Gen Z candidates. Through her leadership in Talent Outreach, she has forged partnerships with universities, student organizations, and national entities, expanding NetApp's reputation as a premier employer for early career talent. Some of her noteworthy accomplishments include hosting DiverseIT, an inaugural event designed to provide students with a unique opportunity to learn about NetApp, attend professional development workshops, and explore various tech career paths. This event, aimed to create a professional development program for diverse candidate pools with attendees from a range of educational backgrounds and majors in the local community. Additionally, Imani designed and implemented a mentorship program for students selected as NetApp scholarship recipients in the 2024 - 2025 academic year. These outstanding initiatives provided early in career talent with opportunities to further their career journey but also build NetApp's brand as an employer of choice.”
Vote for Imani Smith as the winner of the Talent Innovator Award by voting through the form below!
Congratulations to Imani for being nominated for the Talent Innovator Award, part of RippleMatch's 2025 Campus Recruiting Choice Awards!
Explore all Award categories and this year's standout nominee class by clicking the button below:
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