Contact Us Employees & Consultants News & Articles About Us IT Solutions Managed Solutions DIVERSANT Careers IT Careers LOGO Leadership & Advisory Board Bringing thought leadership, experience, and passion to DIVERSANT. Contact DIVERSANT! If you are an organization looking for an expert IT Staffing firm, or if you are looking for a diversity partner, contact us today! Get in touch! About DIVERSANT About Us Leadership & Advisory Board Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Awards and Recognitions Office Locations & Directions DIVERSANT Leadership Team Gene Waddy, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer Gene C. Waddy is a visionary entrepreneur and co-founder of DIVERSANT LLC, the nation’s largest African-American owned IT staffing and solutions firm. In many ways, DIVERSANT is a reflection of Gene’s professional expertise, personal drive, and commitment to helping others. The company has enjoyed dramatic growth, even during the economic downturn, and has developed a reputation for excellence among numerous Fortune 500 companies. The son of two Harlemites, Gene was raised in New Jersey. Gene attended Fairleigh Dickinson University where he earned his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. A “Jersey Guy” at heart, Gene chose to stay in his home state where he now resides with his wife and children. Prior to founding DIVERSANT, Gene was the National Practice Director for Infrastructure Services at Spherion Technology where he managed the provision of IT staffing and solutions for large clients nationwide. With an extensive background in the staffing and technology services industry, Gene now combines his business acumen with his desire to help others by developing transformative programs that promote diversity in the workforce and supply chain. In his local community, Gene coaches minority youth about how they can get involved with technology and use it to advance their careers and lives. A member of Alpha Phi Alpha, the country’s first African-American fraternity, Gene is very active in many of their community service programs. Gene believes that each person should set his or her own destiny, and does what he can to help them on their path. “No one can stop you from reaching the stars,” he says. “It’s up to you. How badly do you want it?” What’s motivates me as a business owner? John Goullet, Co-Founder & Chairman John Goullet is an entrepreneur who has led the development of a number of highly successful ventures in the IT sector. John began his professional career initially working as an IT consultant before switching to IT staffing in 1994. With a clear understanding of emerging market trends, John founded Info Technologies, an IT staffing company that focused on providing solutions to Fortune 500 companies nationwide. Within five years, Info Technologies grew to $30M, earning it the number 8 spot on Inc. Magazine’s list of the 500 fastest-growing privately-held firms in the US. In 2010 John and Gene merged Info Technologies and DIVERSANT Inc. to form DIVERSANT LLC. As DIVERSANT’s chairman, John is able to continue his passion for developing new ways of meeting the challenges facing the ever-evolving IT marketplace. William (Bill) J. Grubbs, President Bill previously served on DIVERSANT’s Advisory Board for over six years helping the firm devise strategies and business improvements. He brings more than thirty years of experience in the industry. Bill has held a variety of senior executive positions in both the United States and the United Kingdom. Most recently, Bill was the Chief Executive Officer of Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. (NASDAQ: CCRN), an $865 million public healthcare staffing company. He has served as EVP and COO of TrueBlue Inc. Previous to that, he was the Chief Operating Officer of SFN Group (formerly known as Spherion Corp.), a $2.1 billion North American temporary work agency where he was responsible for all field operations including the $525 million IT staffing division. Bill was part of the executive team that successfully sold SFN Group to Randstad in 2011. In 2013, Bill was named to the Top 100 most influential people in the staffing industry by Staffing Industry Analysts. Jim Yoshimura, Chief Operating Officer Jim Yoshimura is a successful executive and leader with over 30 years of staffing, consulting, and industry experience. As the Chief Operating Officer with DIVERSANT, the nation’s largest African-American owned IT staffing firm, he provides leadership and strategy to effectively grow the organization and to ensure financial strength and operating efficiency. Prior to joining DIVERSANT, Jim held various key positions in the staffing industry. As the Senior Vice President for Experis (formerly Comsys), he was responsible for over $500MM in revenue and over 20 branches. Jim also served as National IT Leader at Kelly Services. Jim has held senior-level roles in the consulting and outsourcing industries with companies such as EDS, Coopers & Lybrand. He also has several years of experience working in various IT management roles. Jim is a thought leader on topics including the staffing industry, talent acquisition, and diversity in the workplace. Elena Chkolnikova, General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer Elena Chkolnikova is General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of DIVERSANT and serves on its leadership team. In this position, Elena leads the company’s legal strategy and compliance on all legal matters, including employment, immigration, transactions, and litigation. Elena brings a wealth of diverse professional and personal experience to her role. Prior to joining Diversant, Elena focused on employment litigation and counseling for ten years working with a private law firm and a leading global law firm of DLA Piper. In addition to her law degree from Rutgers Law School, she has both a language degree from Kiev University and a Masters of Education from Rutgers University. She remains closely involved with Rutgers serving as a Trustee on the Rutgers Alumni Board. Elena is admitted to the State Bars of New Jersey and New York, as well as the Supreme Court of the United States and other federal courts. Amy LaScola, Vice President, Enterprise Delivery & Diversity & Inclusion Amy is a result-orientated sales, operations, and recruiting Leader, with an extensive understanding of all aspects of the recruitment process. Design, implement and manage fulfillment solutions that match recruiting expertise to specific client delivery needs while maximizing candidate quality and speed to market. Upon joining DIVERSANT, Amy implemented an offshore program beyond its national footprint, a talent engagement program, and created a part-time delivery model that covers more client opportunities. Amy focuses on process and operational excellence with an emphasis on performance management. Before DIVERSANT, Amy was the national recruiting director for ManpowerGroup following 15 years at Spherion. Amy LaScola also leads our diversity and inclusion journey through programs that drive alignment, action, advocacy, and awareness. She is an active member of The Women Business Collaborative Staffing Leadership Council. Amy is also listed as a Global Power 150 Women in Staffing, a recognition by Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA). Advisory Board DIVERSANT created its Advisory Board as a means to benefit from the guidance of senior executives not involved in the day-to-day operations of the company. The Board is comprised of industry leaders and business experts who provide advice and counsel on matters pertaining to commercial development and strategic planning. Board Members meet regularly with DIVERSANT Leadership to review market conditions and company performance. John P. “Jack” Cullen, Board Member Jack Cullen served as the President of Modis, an IT and Engineering Staffing firm, overseeing the North American region which eclipsed $1.3B in annual revenue. He joined the company in 1997 via the acquisition of his company, Technical Software Solutions, Inc, and assumed the role of President in November 2000. Jack has been in the Information Technology and Engineering Recruitment business since 1985 and previously worked for Johnson & Johnson and Colgate Palmolive before entering the Staffing and Consulting Industry. He is a graduate of the University of Maryland. Jack served on the Board of Trustees at the University of Maryland and led the campaign that raised $1B for The University. Mr. Cullen is a former President of the Washington Chapter of the National Association of Computer Consulting Businesses (NACCB) and has been a speaker and panelist at their National Conference. Mr. Cullen has served as a keynote speaker at numerous conferences and conventions throughout his career. He is an avid fan of all things basketball and a recreational golf enthusiast. Boris Groysberg, Board Member Professor Groysberg teaches business administration in the Organizational Behavior unit at the Harvard Business School. He is the author of Chasing Stars: The Myth of Talent and the Portability of Performance, and co-author of Talk, Inc.: How Trusted Leaders Use Conversation to Power their Organizations and Wall Street Research: Past, Present, and Future. He has published more than 100 articles, notes, and case studies on how firms develop and utilize their talent, and has won numerous awards for his research on managing human capital. B.S., 1994, New York University Stern School of Business; D.B.A., 2002, Harvard Business School. Nicholas T. Florio, Board Member With over 30 years of experience in the staffing industry, Nick Florio founded Strategic Staffing Consultants Inc. in 2020. Nick advises staffing companies in mergers and acquisitions, business valuations, general consulting and helps clients with their long-range, strategic planning. Nick’s experience is utilized by staffing business owners, private equity groups, and law firms in the M&A arena. His expertise is leveraged in deal structuring, tax minimization, deal negotiations, and resolving post-acquisition disputes. Nick has a bachelor’s degree in Public Accounting from Pace University and is a Certified Public Accountant. He also sits on the Board of Directors for a publicly-traded staffing company. IT Careers Why DIVERSANT is Different For Veterans Find an IT Job DIVERSANT Careers Compensation & Benefits Visa Sponsorship & Tuition Reimbursement Careers Employers Industries Serviced IT Staffing About Us Leadership Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Awards and Recognitions Locations DIVERSANT, LLC 331 Newman Springs Road Building 3, 2nd Floor, Suite 350 Red Bank, NJ 07701 ©2021 DIVERSANT, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy Legal