Brooke Carter
Head of Global Talent Acquisition, OpenGov
Brooke Carter’s path into recruiting did not begin in an office. It began in the high-pressure pace of restaurant and hospitality management, where she spent her early career running multi-site operations. Long nights, holiday shifts, fire drills, and nonstop problem solving gave her an unusual foundation for the world she would eventually enter. It taught her how to read people, how to think on her feet, and how to make fast, practical decisions with whatever team she had around her.
When her location was closed after an acquisition, she decided to take a chance on herself. She chose not to relocate, accepted a severance package, and stepped into something entirely new. A Craigslist posting for a recruiting agency opened the door. The owner saw how her background could translate, and on day one she was thrown into recruiting .NET developers in a world that barely had LinkedIn. She taught herself acronyms, watched tech videos late into the night, and learned by listening to more experienced recruiters. That early stretch shaped the grit and curiosity that would define her career.
Brooke eventually realized she wanted to be closer to the companies she represented. She wanted to understand the culture, the hiring plans, and the strategy behind the roles she filled. That led her to AirWatch, a fast-moving mobile device management company that had just been acquired by VMware. She experienced the best of both worlds. AirWatch offered the speed and ownership of a startup. VMware showed her what an exceptional recruiting organization looks like at scale. The combination helped refine her approach to leadership and process.
Her next move became the arc that shaped much of her professional identity. OneTrust, led by executives she had worked with at AirWatch, recruited her early in its journey. She joined as a tech recruiter when the company had roughly one hundred and fifty employees. Over the years she built programs, managed global teams, integrated seven acquisitions in one year, and guided the talent function through rapid growth to more than three thousand employees. She led recruiting, internal mobility, operations, enablement, and even stepped into broader talent strategy. It was a period of intense learning and expansion.
Brooke then joined Rev as head of talent acquisition, adding new skills across compensation, immigration, HRBP work, and employee lifecycle management. When the head of HR departed, she stepped in to oversee HR. It gave her visibility into the entire people organization and a deeper understanding of how talent aligns with broader business health.
Eventually a former product leader from OneTrust, now at OpenGov, approached her about a new challenge. Government technology was not a space she imagined for herself at first, but the mission, leadership team, and fast-paced SaaS approach won her over. She joined OpenGov as the leader of global talent acquisition and moved back to Atlanta. The function needed structure, clarity, and a rebuild. She introduced process documentation, implemented Ashby, hired and reorganized the team, and created a unified TA function spanning the United States, India, and Argentina.
Today she leads an eighteen person global team with a focus on rigor, speed, and meaningful partnership with the business. Her work reflects a strong foundation built from every phase of her journey, from the hospitality floor to high growth technology to global people leadership.
Brooke’s Advice for 2026
Brooke shared three themes that she believes will define the most successful recruiters and talent leaders in the years ahead.
Take chances on yourself
You rarely feel fully prepared for the next step. Growth comes from betting on your ability to figure things out as you go.
Stay current with technology
AI is reshaping the talent landscape. Leaders who adopt tools that automate administrative work will give their teams more time for the human side of recruiting. Productivity, not volume, will separate strong teams from average ones.
Invest in relationships and personal brand
Your network is an insurance policy and a growth engine. The TA market remains unpredictable, and those who stay connected, visible, and engaged with the community will have more opportunities and more resilience.
Brooke’s career is a clear example of what happens when someone takes intelligent risks, stays curious, and continually adapts to the changing nature of the recruiting world. Her journey is a reminder that great talent leaders are shaped by both opportunity and initiative, and that the most meaningful careers are often the ones that evolve far beyond where they start.
