Skip to content

OUR TEAM

Meet Our Team of Experts

CEO & Co-Founder

Dena Taylor

Dena is the CEO and Founder of Talent Elevation Partners. She has over 30 years’ experience in financial services recruiting and 20 years’ experience in recruiting management. Before starting her own company in February 2000, she worked for Prudential and AXA Advisors. After 13 years with her own firm, she re-joined Prudential as Director of Recruiting and Diversity before being promoted to Vice President of Talent Acquisition for Financial Advisors. As VP, Dena had 41 direct reports. She successfully headed dozens of initiatives focused on recruiting through social media, purposeful recruiting strategies, and diversity-centered recruiting. In January 2022, she founded Talent Elevation Partners to address an unmet need in the Financial Services and Veterinary Recruiting industries. Dena cultivates an efficacious team with a candor, humor, and grace that sets her apart from other leaders in the field. When Dena is not working, she enjoys knitting and spending time with her family.

Co-Founder

Sean Denny

Sean is President and Co-owner of Talent Elevation Partners. He has worked in the financial industry as a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) and Chartered Financial Consultant since 1989. In addition to being a CFP, Sean is a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA). He has wide ranging expertise in money management and business acquisition. He has worked with both private sector businesses and government organizations. He is passionate about helping clients with big goals transition from where they are today to where they want to go. For the last 25 years, he has provided strategic advising and planning for businesses at all stages of development, guiding them from start-up to success. He brings his wealth of knowledge and experience in the financial industry to Talent Elevation Partners as co-owner. Outside of work, he enjoys traveling, exploring new places, spending time with family, and golfing.

Vice President of Recruitment

Kim Zakrzewski

Kim has 30 years’ experience in the financial industry. Her expertise is in recruiting and sourcing for niche roles, coaching, and advising practice development. Her main responsibility as Vice President of Recruitment at Talent Elevation Partners is to work with hiring managers and leaders to develop world class recruiting methods and identify top talent for our clients. She leads our National Recruiting Team to implement strategies that attract high caliber professionals. Kim works closely with the recruiting team to scale sourcing strategies to fit each client’s unique recruitment goals. She is an avid dog lover and supporter of female led businesses.

Vice President of Recruitment

Liz Zaloznik

Liz has leveraged her 15 years of recruiting experience to become a top-notch Vice President of Recruitment. Working closely with hiring managers and leaders to create successful recruitment processes, Liz leads our National Recruiting team in devising methods that bring in the highest caliber professionals while also meeting each client’s individual goals. In addition to her recruiting background, Liz has an impressive portfolio which includes policy and program development for a non-profit and finance/operations for a grassroots marketing firm. This wide range of experience brings valuable knowledge to both the clients she works with and the candidates seeking employment. Liz is passionate about providing the best possible service to both clients and candidates and strives to maintain the highest standards in recruitment methodology that allows us to serve our clients with world class recruitment solutions. When she’s not busy helping others achieve their career goals, Liz loves spending quality time with her husband and two sons. They enjoy exploring new places together and embarking on thrilling adventures that create lasting memories.

National Recruiting Manager

B.K. Hardin

B.K. received his BS degree in Sports Management/Education and his MS degree in Business/Marketing Education while participating as a member of the University of TN football program from 1985-1990, and an Ed.S degree in Administration/Supervision from LMU. B.K. spent 10 years as a high school business teacher and football/baseball coach in both Knox and Sevier Co. Then, after a period of time in the business world working in insurance/financial services, he made the transition to law enforcement with the Knox Co. Sheriff’s office in 2007 where he served as a Reserve Deputy and Corrections Officer. B.K. transitioned to KPD in 2011. During his time at KPD, he was assigned to Patrol, Central Business District, Investigations and School Resource Officer. He was a Crisis Intervention Officer, Community Liaison Officer, Peer Support Team member, Recruit Mentor, Field Training Officer, Driving Instructor, and served on the Search & Rescue Team and Mobile Field Force. B.K. received a Purple Heart for a line-of-duty attack in 2018.  He retired from law enforcement in 2022 and is now working as a Recruiter with Talent Elevation Partners. B.K.’s volunteer activities have included Badges for Baseball with the Boys & Girls Club, Philip Moore Youth Boot Camp, KPD Literacy Initiative, CAC Leadership Council, Big Brothers Big Sisters Mentor 2.0 and he is currently a board member of Real Talk Mentoring Inc. and Hand Up For Women. In addition to his POST certification, B.K. has held licenses in secondary education and administration, insurance and investments and currently holds his TN real estate license. B.K. is married to his wife Adrienne, and has 2 children and 2 stepchildren.

Marketing Coordinator

Sara Erwin

Sara graduated from NC State University in 2013 with a BS in Animal Science with a Veterinary Bioscience Concentration. During her undergraduate studies, Sara worked as a veterinary assistant at a companion animal clinic. Following graduation, she worked as a veterinary assistant at an ambulatory equine primary care clinic where she got her unofficial start in marketing and web design managing the clinic’s website. Sara is proud to bring this knowledge of the veterinary industry to her work at Talent Elevation Partners. While not working for TE Partners, Sara is a Cell Biology PhD student and veterinary student at the NC State University College of Veterinary Medicine. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, camping, and spending time with her husband, Daniel, and their two cats, Stella and Newton.

Social Media Manager

Madison Taylor

She has 2 years of media experience.

Director of First Impressions & Mascot

Parker

As a valued employee he comes to work every day to check on his team. In his off time enjoys long walks and cookies.