Speaker Info | Talent Acquisition Week

Audrey is the CEO of RippleMatch, where she is leading the company’s mission to transform how emerging talent connects with opportunity in the age of AI. Before joining RippleMatch, Audrey spent much of her career in the AI space, and teams helping scale through rapid growth and innovation. She’s passionate about ensuring early-career candidates aren’t just evaluated for experience they don’t yet have, but for the skills, adaptability, and drive that can power companies forward. At RippleMatch, she is focused on building a platform that levels the playing field for candidates while helping employers discover and hire the next generation of AI-skilled leaders.

Audrey Patenaude’s Session(s)

12:45 p.m.–1:15 p.m. PT —

Thought Leader Session: The New Rules of Early Career Hiring: What's Actually Working in 2026

The early career hiring playbook of the past few years is already outdated. Today’s candidates are applying and evaluating offers differently than any generation before them. Meanwhile, AI has fundamentally changed how companies source, screen, and assess talent.

In this session, RippleMatch CEO Audrey Patenaude and CodeSignal SVP Marketing & Strategy Brenna Lenoir will cut through the noise with real data and practical strategies that top companies are using right now. You'll learn exactly how candidate behavior has shifted, how AI impacts hiring outcomes, and the specific tactics that are helping teams fill early career roles faster without sacrificing quality. Walk away with actionable changes you can implement immediately.