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Melissa Vernon
Talent Attraction Partner, NAM Early Careers
Nokia
Nominated For: The Career Catalyst Award
This award recognizes the team managers who are helping their organizations better engage Gen Z talent—while also developing the next generation of recruiting professionals. These nominees drive meaningful change on the ground through empathetic leadership, strategic program design, and a deep commitment to helping both candidates and recruiters grow. Their work is shaping more intentional, human-first early career experiences that resonate with today’s students.
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.
“Melissa Vernon exemplifies what it means to be a Career Catalyst. As the driving force behind Nokia’s New Graduate hiring in North America, she leads with empathy, clarity, and a deep understanding of what today’s Gen Z talent seeks in their early career journeys. With a background spanning both agency and in-house recruiting, Melissa brings unmatched expertise to strategic program design while never losing sight of the human element. Her leadership not only shapes more meaningful, student-centered experiences—it also empowers her team of early-career recruiters to grow with confidence and purpose. Melissa’s impact is felt across every candidate interaction, team collaboration, and process improvement. She is not just building talent pipelines—she’s cultivating futures.”
Vote for Melissa Vernon as the winner of the Career Catalyst Award by voting through the form below!
Congratulations to Melissa for being nominated for the Career Catalyst 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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