Ellyn Baumgardner

Director

Ellyn Baumgardner is a Director based in Austin. Prior to Bespoke, Ellyn was an Executive Recruiter at The Millard Group where she led GTM recruiting efforts for PE- and VC-backed technology companies.

Before Millard Group, Ellyn worked as a recruiter on the founding talent acquisition team for a hyper growth fraud prevention technology start-up.

Ellyn graduated with a degree in Psychology from the University of Arizona where she was also an 8x All American and team captain on the women’s swim team.

Outside of work, Ellyn spends her time exploring Austin’s local restaurant scene with friends and staying active by playing sand volleyball, golfing the muni courses, running town lake trail, and swimming at Deep Eddy Pool.

8

years with my furry side kick, Zona

50

Approximate number of chipotle migas tacos from Tamale House consumed since living in Austin

18,000+

and counting miles swam in my life

Leah Schmalz

Search Coordinator

Leah Webb

Benefits, Payroll & Compliance Manager

4

The number of States lived in (Juneau, Alaska; Slidell, Louisiana; Ruidoso, New Mexico;  home in San Antonio, Texas)

400+

Weekends spent glamping at the lake

2

Senior rescue dogs that rule my world

Jen Mendoza

Search Coordinator

As a Search Coordinator, Jen manages several components of the recruitment process and provides administrative support to ensure a seamless and high-quality experience for recruiters, clients and candidates.

Jen brings over 15 years of administration and operational support in the finance and non-profit sectors at firms including DNS Capital, BDT Capital Partners, and The Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

Born and raised in the Midwest, Jen enjoys road trips with her family, exploring nearby cities and experiencing the changing seasons. When not working or hanging with her husband and two kids, Jen enjoys listening to science podcasts and diving into all things interior design.

2007

Year I watched my husband perform at the Red Sox Playoff Rally

19

Age I was when I backpacked through Italy and Spain with my best friend

5

Times I’ve used my Peloton in the last two years

Reid Akers, CPA

Vice President of Accounting

Prior to joining Bespoke, Reid was the Accounting Manager at an investment fund asset manager working on financial accounting and reporting on their corporate and fund entities. He has spent 5+ years in financial accounting within the asset management and oil and gas industries.

Reid was born and raised in Houston, Texas and graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting. He remained busy in college, occupying his time working in a winery, singing in an a cappella group, and as a member in a fraternity.

Outside of work, Reid is passionate about food. He enjoys finding new and exciting places to eat and/or making fun new recipes at home. Reid and his partner have two incredible dogs, Phoebe (Mini Aussie) and Finley (Vizsla), and they aspire to one day become the people their dogs believe them to be.

25+

House plants and growing (both in size and number)

12

Different choirs and ensembles I’ve performed in – choirs, show choirs, and a capella groups

2

Amount of times I’ve been skydiving

Michael Calderone

Vice President of Research

Michael is Bespoke’s Vice President of Research in the Austin, TX office. Prior to Bespoke, he worked as a Team Lead and Client Relationship Manager at Guidepoint, where he connected high-touch institutional investment clients with subject matter experts to support their market research due diligence. In his nearly 6 years with the company, Michael was responsible for leading high performing client services teams, managing relationships with high priority private equity and venture capital clients, process improvement, idea generation, and training new talent. He blends a passion for leadership with a growth-focused mindset in order to develop strong teams and cultures. Michael graduated from Gettysburg College where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Organizations and Management Studies, and was a four year member of the varsity football team (Go Bullets!). Outside of work, you can find Michael playing or watching different sports, trying out new restaurants, and exploring Austin with his Golden Retriever puppy.

5

Number of states lived in

7

Times I’ve watched the series Friday Night Lights from start to finish

1300

Approximate number of NY Mets games watched