Lily Winsaft

Founder And Principal

Lily created Aldebaran Associates shortly after 9/11. It was a challenging time for our national economy but in many ways it was the best time to start a company dedicated to helping people advance their careers. Lily’s professional background spans 25 years of experience in business development and sales. She is an idea machine and a true entrepreneur with a love for making a difference in how people view themselves both personally and professionally.

Lily graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, which has helped fuel her natural ability to understand human nature. She is an adept relationship builder, coach, and leader. Professional recruiting and career coaching are the vehicles through which she is able to fulfill on her lifelong dream “To Create a World Where People Love What They Do.”

Lance Winsaft

President And Managing Partner

Lance hails from the East Coast having lived in New York, South Florida, and Atlanta. He graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a B.A. in Philosophy, and since then, Lance has worked with some of the best business coaches and mentors in the country. In 2014, he bought 50% ownership stake in Aldebaran Recruiting and now manages the Aldebaran Sales and Recruiting teams that support our operations and clients nationwide.

Lance is a subject matter expert on the topics of talent acquisition, recruiting and headhunting, staff augmentation, leadership and management training, sales, and culture building. He loves the outdoors, travelling, watching comic book movies, playing poker, and his 2 dogs Elvis and Tasha.

Jackie Kallas

Associate Vice President, Recruiting and Business Development

Jackie began her career in recruiting shortly after moving to San Diego. She graduated from the University of Colorado (Go Buffs!) with a B.S. in Sociology. After graduating she found a career in Chicago real estate, nurturing her passion of working in a fast paced environment while helping people make important decisions. She used to help people find homes, now she helps them find jobs! Jackie enjoys running, hiking, traveling, and spending time with her family. Her ability to connect with top companies and talent alike has helped her to thrive at Aldebaran Recruiting.

Brandi Wheeler

Associate Vice President, Recruiting and Business Development

Brandi is a born and raised Georgia native who loves all things Southern! She graduated from the University of Georgia with a B.S. in Psychology, focusing on Child & Family Development. She prides herself on her ability to build and maintain relationships with people from all walks of life, and strives to help people reach their career goals and full potential. She is constantly bringing great value to our recruiting efforts and business expansion. She enjoys hiking, yoga, basketball, football (GO DAWGS!!), and anything on the beach. However, nothing exceeds her love for UGA and a peaceful, country landscape!

Mimi Cerutti

Director of Sales Operations and Marketing

Mimi is a San Diego native along with her entire family. She is very much a family woman, with five children and two grandbabies. Her professional experience lies in business management and organization, and she keeps our sales pipeline and marketing channels smooth and seamless! She has a passion for health and wellness and loves road trips, hiking, and anything outdoors.

Amanda Lang

Director of Operations

Amanda was born and raised just outside Detroit. After a long stint in Seattle, she made her way to San Diego in 2014. Amanda has extensive high level customer service experience credited mostly to her background in retail management. As the liaison between our clients and candidates, she is highly organized and keeps our process seamless for both parties! Amanda spends most of her spare time outside surfing, camping, and hiking. When she isn't soaking up the sun Amanda likes to craft, read, and watch professional wrestling!

Jamie Norman

Recruiting Associate

Jamie is a San Diego native and lives in the East County area with her family. She brings thirteen years of healthcare industry and recruiting knowledge to the Aldebaran team. Recruiting and helping others find their dream job is something that she prides herself in. She's insistent about making the client/candidate transition as effortless as possible. Jamie is a team player and reliable for any support that may be needed. She has two young sons that keep her very, very busy! In her spare time she loves going to concerts, gardening, movies, and crafting.

Lauryn Thompson

Recruiting Coordinator

Lauryn is a born and raised San Diego native. She graduated from Grand Canyon University (Lopes Up!) with a B.S. in Business Administration, minor in Communications, and has lots of customer service experience from working in the retail industry. She is passionate about helping people and enjoys being a critical part of the recruitment process to help others find their dream job. She is highly organized and dependable to help make the administrative process run smoothly. She loves reading, traveling, thrift shopping, soccer, and most importantly her dog, Davis.

Brandie Hockaday

Senior Recruiting Associate

Brandie is a San Diego native who loves to explore everything, from a new recipe to a new travel destination. Her enthusiasm to build and nurture relationships with people is just what the Aldebaran family is about. Brandie has over 10 years of experience with concierge services to ensure clients are getting the best possible outcome.

Alphonso Estrada

Sales and Marketing Associate

Alphonso is a Southern California native and San Diego State University graduate with a thirst for knowledge and experience. Alphonso loves immersing himself in foreign cultures to better connect with the world and speaks four languages (English, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese). Meeting and making meaningful connections with new people is of high value to him. Alphonso enjoys exploring new restaurants, laying out by the beach, volunteering at non-profits, and has the guilty pleasure of enrolling in too many online courses! In order to stay mentally sharp and physically fit he regularly trains at the gym and competes at the poker tables.

Cathryn Valles

Sales and Marketing Associate

Cathryn moved to San Diego as a young child and has lived here ever since. She has 20+ years working in customer service and enjoys connecting with new people. She is passionate about helping others to live their best lives and she always lives life to the fullest. She focuses on building and growing meaningful relationships both personally and professionally. Cathryn loves traveling and learning about new cultures and her hobbies include spending time with her family, photography, gardening and crafting.

Eric Bradford

Sales and Marketing Associate

Eric was born and raised in sunny San Diego, CA. He is a graduate of San Diego State University with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing. Eric has been involved in business development throughout his life; in which, he prides himself in building and fostering relationships with clients as well as his coworkers. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with friends and family. Some of his favorite activities include golfing, playing poker, hiking, paddleboarding, and traveling. He also loves trying new foods, meeting new people, and experiencing different cultures.

Matthew Pundeff

Senior Recruiting Associate

Matthew is a San Diego native through and through. He graduated from San Diego State University with a B.A. in Communications. His ability to connect and build lasting relationships has allowed him to succeed in that field. He is happiest out in the ocean surfing or swimming. When he is not in the water you can find him playing volleyball, basketball, running, or hiking one of San Diego's many peaks. He values honesty, integrity, and progression towards a better tomorrow and loves being able to connect others with their dream job.

Dana Salom

Recruiting Associate

Dana was born in the Philippines and moved to the Bay Area at a young age. She graduated from San Jose State University with a degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resource Management. Her background in Sales and Administration fuels her passion for connecting with people. Dana is a fan of (most) Bay Area sports teams, enjoys spending time with her family and friends, or catching up with her K-Dramas.

Maria Guevara

Recruiting Associate

Maria Guevara was born in Arizona but has lived in Mexico her whole life. She enjoys volunteering and learning about different cultures which led her to go for a Degree in International Relations. Spending time with her friends and family is her favorite hobby, especially if it’s by the beach.

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