Meet the team behind 1st Big Hire
Elaine Kennedy
Founder & Career Strategist
Elaine built her sales, marketing, and networking skills by leading strategy and marketing teams for large corporations and running a strategy and marketing services firm for 18 years. Storytelling, solution selling and aligning student strengths to professional skills are a few of her specialties. As an MBA alumnus of The American University's Kogod School of Business, Elaine routinely mentors students on marketing and entrepreneurship. She has shared her experience on building a long, successful career. She’s worked with a wide range of industries, including logistics, energy, tech, finance, manufacturing, media, non-profit associations, business services, and government.
Why 1st Big Hire?
When describing my plans for 1st Big Hire, a friend said you found your ikigai! Ikigai is a Japanese concept that combines iki (life) and gai (value/worth), representing the intersection of what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs, and how you make a living. We’ll help you find your ikigai.
Dawn Dangel
Managing Partner & Interview Coach
With 25+ years and thousands of successful placements spanning the non-profit, corporate, government contracting, academic and staffing industries, Dawn has mastered the art of connecting the right person to the right opportunity, and now she’s bringing that expertise to the next generation. Dawn builds more than pipelines, she builds trust. Her ability to cultivate meaningful relationships has made her a go-to partner throughout her career. She stays sharp on the latest interviewing best practices, outreach & networking, and job search strategies, blending human intuition with proven methodology.
Why 1st Big Hire?
I'm able to channel my expertise into a mission I care about most: guiding students and new graduates from potential to placement, helping them leverage their experiences, build confidence, own their stories, and land the roles they’ve worked for. I don't want to just find jobs; I want to open doors.