inTulsa Sunset

Addie Ventris is a Marketing Strategist with a passion for helping companies elevate their brand and drive impactful results. A native of Tulsa and a proud graduate of Oklahoma State University, Addie holds a degree in Advertising from the School of Journalism and Communications.

With a strong background in both B2B and B2C marketing, Addie has honed her skills in creating tailored strategies that resonate with diverse audiences. Her experience spans multiple industries, where she has successfully led innovative campaigns, optimized digital presence, and executed data-driven marketing initiatives.

She enjoys Tulsa’s robust, contagious energy, innovation and growth that is set to provide Tulsans with the absolute best community.

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I was born in Shawnee, OK and spent most of my childhood living in Edmond. Having both my grandparents in Tulsa, and my parents born and raised in Tulsa, it was only a matter of time before my family moved back. I was excited to move here the summer before my sophomore year of high school. I knew I didn't want to go too far for college, so I chose OSU Tulsa, where I got a bachelor's degree in business. It was there I realized that whatever I did, I wanted to work with and help people. While in college, I worked at a local restaurant where I met my husband, Josh. We married and started our family, now of 4 (and two dogs). We love raising our daughters in Tulsa. It's a wonderful place to raise a family, and has only gotten better over time. We take advantage of the music scene, amazing local parks and restaurants as often as we can!

As I began my career, I knew I wanted to work somewhere I could learn, grow and become an expert. I knew the Helmerich name from seeing it at parks, buildings, etc. With the help of some connections, I interviewed at Helmerich & Payne and landed in HR, working in Recruiting. That was over 10 years ago!  My work introduces me to people who have done amazing things every day and there is nothing more satisfying than having a part in connecting someone to their dream job. I have a passion for helping people, understanding an organization's culture and trying to find the right fit; All with a deep focus on developing long lasting relationships. I have industry experience in oil & gas, financial services, and technology. Having worked in both corporate and staffing environments I know how to craft an amazing candidate experience and long term relationship while also executing with speed and efficiency.

I was hopeful there was a way to blend my professional life with something I can be passionate about. I feel like I really found that blend at Atento Capital. Growing up in Tulsa, I have seen lots of changes over the years. I am excited for the opportunity to be a part of that change and on the front lines being a voice telling the story to job seekers. Being a part of a team that has a direct impact on the community is what gets me up every day excited about work. As a Talent Partner, I am passionate about our mission for job creation in Tulsa, helping people land their dream job, and ultimately helping the city to continue to become more vibrant and inclusive.

Cesia Brabson is a Latin-American mom, wife, and gardening fanatic. Born in El Salvador and raised both there and in the US, she had the opportunity to experience different cultures before graduating high school and attending Universidad Evangélica de El Salvador in San Salvador to complete pre-med courses. An advocate for creating and supporting diverse and inclusive environments, Cesia has held various professional roles in HR and people leadership, supporting early-career talent through training and development, and recruiting in the Finance and Technology industries. She enjoys working with early talent and experienced candidates alike, supporting them to navigate all the steps it takes to build a pathway toward their career goals in Tulsa’s thriving community.

Conner Putman was raised in Ridgefield, CT where he grew up playing sports, hiking, and completing community service. Upon graduation, he joined a recruiting firm based in Chicago, where he spent two years learning about Technical Recruiting and working on roles ranging from entry-level to senior engineering. After discovering inTulsa and its mission, he decided to visit Tulsa and landed a role here. He is excited to take part in a community that promotes inclusion and diversity, has a vibrant entertainment, art, and music scene, and offers a welcoming community where he feels at home.

I grew up an hour outside of Houston, Texas, on an exotic animal ranch. Although I grew up in the country, I never identified with the country lifestyle. Instead, I wanted to live closer to the city. Growing up, I was lucky to have a supportive family that emphasized the importance of education and my involvement in extracurriculars. 

My high school graduating class included only 12 people, so I had the opportunity to play every sport offered by the school. There were times I felt like I was in over my head while trying to juggle all the different teams’ schedules. However, my parents always made sure to emphasize the fact that I had made a commitment and I needed to follow through. This experience taught me the importance of perseverance and commitment to my word. I also realized the importance of teamwork and the responsibility that you have to your team. It enabled me to find within myself the ability to manage busy schedules and prioritize school-work throughout the stress. At the end of the season, I was always glad I stuck it out and didn’t give up in the moments that seemed hard.

After high school, I went on to receive a Bachelor’s in Psychology from Texas A&M. When I started my educational journey, I had no clue what I wanted to do. Psychology attracted me because I was fascinated by people’s mental processes and interactions. It’s helped me understand that people come to different conclusions based on their own personal experiences. Knowing this has allowed me to live a life of empathy and compassion, as well as inspired me to make a career out of helping others.

Kindness and empathy are values that I hold most dear. I believe every person deserves to be treated with respect and given space to explore who they are. I try to see the positive in each individual, even when their behavior might reflect otherwise. 

Right after my husband and I were married in 2018, we decided on a whim that we would move to Tulsa. We soon found that we had fallen in love with the city, and now we’re trying to convince our family and friends to move here. Tulsa surprised us with its thriving business community and everything else the city has to offer. After we arrived, I knew I wanted to be involved in the Tulsa community doing meaningful work. Having a background in HR and recruiting, I arrived at inTulsa Talent and could not be more excited to be working with this group of people. I love being able to help Tulsans find career opportunities that align with their core values and allow them to create the life they want.

Since moving to Tulsa, my husband and I have made more friends than we’ve ever had anywhere else. The people are extremely friendly, and they all share a love for their city. I love the big city feel you get from downtown Tulsa’s architecture, cocktail bars, and excellent food options. Almost every weekend, you will find us downtown with our dogs at one of the many Tulsa breweries, cycling the riverside trails, or exploring the Gathering Place.

LaTonya Pratt has spent the last 17 years of her career in the field of Human Resources and Talent Acquisition. With a proven track record of leadership and a passion for people and talent development, LaTonya has consistently led multiple teams to remarkable success.

LaTonya’s commitment to caring for people and their success extends beyond the workplace. She actively contributes her time to mentoring our next leaders in her community and her alma mater, Oral Roberts University. She is very excited to merge all of her passions into her next position as InTulsa’s Head of Talent Solutions.  

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Princess Austin was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she pursued performance arts from a young age through the Cincinnati School of Creative and Performing Arts. After graduating, she attended Oral Roberts University, discovered the incredible creative community in Tulsa, and started her own business. Her experience as a small business owner inspired her to pursue an MBA and grow her brand and clothing line, Worthy Girl, dedicated to empowering women worldwide. Expanding her business also introduced her to the world of recruiting, which provides her the opportunity to help candidates achieve their passions and dreams.

Stacey Dirks moved to Oklahoma from Redding, CA, when she was nine, and now considers herself a Tulsa native. After spending time in New York City participating in a handful of fun, off-off Broadway experiences, she moved into corporate retail field management with an emphasis on recruiting and people development. She has a passion for creating diverse and inclusive teams through improving hiring processes, creating equitable opportunities for skilling up and career pathing and coaching hiring managers to understand and eliminate bias. Stacey loves sharing advice, brainstorming ideas and giving encouragement for that next big leap, while being part of Tulsa’s change and growth through her career at inTulsa.

Vyacheslav "Stan" Khrapak was born in Kyiv, Ukraine, and immigrated to the US at a young age. He earned a Bachelor's Degree in Social Studies Education and a Master's Degree in Education from the University of Oklahoma. Stan has 10+ years of leadership experience in nonprofit and higher education settings and has spearheaded community initiatives in K-12 education, publishing, refugee services, and adult learning. In his role as inTulsa's Visa Network Lead, he helps talented people from across the globe land career roles and settle into a new home in Tulsa.

Victoria DeLeon came to Tulsa from Erie, PA, as a teenager, and the city quickly became home to her. Her love of exploring and traveling led her into a career as a Travel Advisor at World Travel Service for nearly 12 years, helping people plan dream vacations and discover once-in-a-lifetime experiences in new destinations. She then moved into the role of Service Coordinator at a Native American/woman-owned business, aiding customers through effective communication and empathy across a broad range of industries. That passion to help people led her to inTulsa, where she manages projects and events that allow the team to connect current and future Tulsans to their dream jobs and contribute to Tulsa’s continued growth as a diverse and inclusive city.