Joslyn Brooks

Jocelyn Carter is a powerhouse in executive recruitment, known for her ability to uncover hidden talent and place transformative leaders in high-impact roles. As Managing Director at Carter & Co. Executive Search, Jocelyn partners with venture-backed startups, private equity firms, and Fortune 500 companies to build leadership teams that drive results. With a background in organizational development and over 12 years of experience in retained search, Jocelyn has led more than 250 successful placements across technology, healthcare, and consumer sectors. She’s especially known for her work with first-time founders and scaling companies, helping them make their first key executive hires with precision and foresight. Jocelyn began her career at Hawthorne Talent Partners, where she quickly rose through the ranks, earning recognition for her strategic insight and client advocacy. Her recruitment philosophy blends data, instinct, and storytelling — creating hiring processes that are as human as they are effective. A champion for women in leadership, Jocelyn speaks frequently on inclusive hiring practices and sits on the advisory board for Future Female Founders. She holds a BA in Sociology from UCLA and lives in San Francisco with her partner and their rescue dog, Olive. When she’s not on a plane meeting with clients or hosting leadership dinners, she’s mentoring up-and-coming recruiters and preaching the gospel of “culture-add” over “culture-fit.”