Talent acquisition teams have spent years optimizing pieces of the recruitment funnel — but what happens when you step back and look at the full picture? Join Symphony Talent’s Brandy Ellis-Kromah, Head of Transformation & Optimization, and Madeline Laurano, Founder of Aptitude Research, for an insightful discussion on the state of recruitment maturity in 2025.
Together, they’ll explore the realities behind “broken funnels,” uncover what high-performing organizations are doing differently, and reveal how data, technology, and strategy converge to create measurable impact. Expect real-world lessons, benchmark insights, and practical steps to evolve your team’s approach from tactical execution to strategic, full-funnel optimization.
Madeline Laurano is the founder and chief analyst of Aptitude Research. For over 18 years, Madeline’s primary focus has been on the HCM market, specializing in talent acquisition and employee experience. Her work helps companies both validate and re-evaluate their strategies and understand the role technology can play in driving business outcomes. She has watched HCM transform from a back-office function to a strategic company initiative with a focus on partnerships, experience and efficiency. Before founding Aptitude Research, Madeline held research roles at Aberdeen, Bersin by Deloitte, ERE Media and Brandon Hall Group. She is the co-author of Best Practices in Leading a Global Workforce and is often quoted in leading business publications including The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, Yahoo News, The New York Times and The Financial Times.
Brandy Ellis-Kromah is a seasoned expert in talent acquisition, recruitment marketing, and employer branding with over 20 years of experience working with renowned companies like SAP/Concur, NetApp, and IBM. She has led global initiatives to enhance talent attraction strategies and was instrumental in building the Recruitment Marketing Strategy & Services function at Symphony Talent. Passionate about leveraging data and understanding human behavior, Brandy helps companies drive impactful recruitment outcomes. Her innovative approach continues to shape the future of recruitment marketing.
