Michael Dha
Managing Director
Michael Dha is the Managing Director of STRIVE Recruitment and has nearly 20 years of experience in the recruitment industry. Michael founded STRIVE Recruitment in 2008, at the brink of the global recession. While the early years of taught critical business lessons, they paid off as he transformed STRIVE into a preferred recruitment partner for many of the top organizations in British Columbia as well as prominent Fortune 500 companies throughout North America. Michael is also a proud Board Member of the Make-A-Wish Foundation for the BC and Yukon Chapter and has served the non-profit organization since 2016.
When Michael isn’t in the office, he can be found chasing after his son and his daughter, playing beer league soccer, or travelling to the many places he hasn’t seen around the world.
Kim Tocher
Managing Partner - GTA
Kim Tocher is the Managing Partner of STRIVE Recruitment and has over 17 years of experience in the staffing industry. Kim has worked her way up from a Staffing Consultant/Recruiter to a Vice President of one of the largest staffing firms in the world. She has provided staffing solutions to companies across Ontario, specifically in the manufacturing and logistics world. She has had 5 branches report to her in the Southwestern Ontario market, including a special projects team. Kim is an expert in customizing recruitment solutions to meet the needs of her customers, with experience in RPO, MSP, SME and large accounts.
She is known for being a people-oriented leader who builds trust with her teams. Giving back to the community is important to Kim. She has been volunteering with the Breakfast Club of Canada for over 10 years.
Outside of the office, you can find Kim at the arena or ball field. She plays co-ed hockey with her husband every Saturday in a beer league. Plus both her kids Liam and Hannah play hockey in the Hamilton area. In the summer she is busy watching her kids play rep baseball and flag football; and enjoying the weekends at her trailer.
Pearl Dha
Director, Internal Operations
Pearl Dha has been a pillar at STRIVE Recruitment since 2010 when she joined the team! Her journey started in the Operations & Manufacturing division where she succeeded in sourcing top talent across Canada for the major manufacturing and distribution industries. During her tenure, Pearl had developed a keen eye for talent and a proven track record of delivering successful recruitment solutions.
Today, Pearl is our go-to-gal for everything administrative! From Internal Recruitment, Onboarding and Training to Payroll, Administration, and Accounting (plus much more!), Pearl manages it all. You can always find her being cheerful, personable and willing to help others, gaining her the award for “Team Player of the Year 2018 and 2021”.
In her spare time, Pearl enjoys spending time with her son and daughter, long walks on the water, and catching up with friends and family. Pearl has been a long-time supporter of BC Children’s Hospital and has been involved with the Make-A-Wish Foundation Canada since 2016.
Mackenzie Smith
Marketing Specialist
Mackenzie is our Marketing Specialist here at STRIVE Recruitment. She utilizes her Marketing Management Communication Diploma and Business Degree, with her industry experience to connect with STRIVE’s clients and candidates, provide marketing support to our recruiters, and continue propelling STRIVE’s online presence forward.
She is a social person who loves to be surrounded by friends and family, including her two pups Ringo and Ozzy. In her spare time, she can be found trying new restaurants, visiting a happy hour, playing a round of golf and snowboarding (on the bunny hill).
Ben de la Fosse
Practice Lead – Accounting & Finance
Ben is a real people-person who enjoys working with candidates and clients alike, ensuring he takes the time to truly understand their wants and needs from a recruitment point of view. This is one of the reasons Ben enjoys working in recruitment; a service based around people.
Ben is an experienced consultant who started his career working for the largest independent recruitment firm in the UK, before deciding to pack his bags and move to sunny Vancouver, a place he now calls home. Ben was welcomed into the STRIVE family and is now an integral part of the Accounting and Finance division.
Ben typically recruits for designated positions within Accounting & Finance. Designated roles include Controllers, Senior Accountants & Analysts, finance management roles, and directorate-level finance roles.
In his spare time, Ben likes to make the most of Vancouver’s beautiful landscape and is often found snowboarding, hiking, surfing, playing soccer or out on the golf course.
Derek Chan
Account Manager – Accounting & Finance
Derek Chan is an Accounting & Finance Account Manager at STRIVE Recruitment.
Derek considers himself a true Vancouverite, having grown up in Vancouver, however, when he was presented with the opportunity to work in Hong Kong, he took on the challenge head-on! Upon arrival in Hong Kong Derek immediately integrated himself into a new culture and working environment, ultimately helping him grow as an individual and gain new perspectives.
Derek is an experienced consultant with over seven years of experience in the field. Freshly back in Vancouver, Derek has now decided to take on his newest challenge of Managing the Accounting & Finance accounts at STRIVE Recruitment. Derek will focus on Accounting & Finance roles such as Controllers, Senior Accountants, Assistant Controllers, Accounting Managers, Accountants, and Accounts Payable & Receivable.
In Derek’s spare time, he likes to play basketball, go hiking, grab some great food around the city, and hang out with friends and family.
Alison Caldwell
Senior Recruitment Specialist – Accounting & Finance
Alison (Ali) is an Accounting & Finance Senior Recruitment Specialist here at STRIVE Recruitment. Ali will tell you she went to McMaster University to play Water Polo despite graduating with a Bachelor’s in Classics and learning Latin “for fun”. With a background in hospitality, operations, management and sales, Ali thrives in a people-focused environment and brings a “career manager” approach to her recruitment process.
Ali began recruiting within the hospitality industry where she was a driving force, hiring 250+ people during the opening of a large flagship restaurant. She transitioned into Accounting & Finance last year to focus on technical designated roles within the Accounting & Finance industry. Ali loves the hunt for a strong FP&A Analyst, Internal Auditor, Finance Manager, basically anything that poses a challenge!
Moving from Ontario to Vancouver in 2018 with adventure on her mind, Ali can be found hiking, camping, snowboarding, and exploring on her days off.
Samantha Kent
Practice Lead – Corporate Administration
Sam was born and raised in North Vancouver and after 6 years of living in Australia and Victoria, BC she has now settled in Squamish. Sam completed her BA in Psychology and started her professional career in the fitness industry. She decided to pursue a new opportunity which allowed her to partner with amazing businesses throughout the lower mainland. Sam joined STRIVE Recruitment in January 2019, won rookie of the year in her first year, and has not looked back since.
She has an impressive history of working on Legal, Sales, Human Resources and Administrative roles. In her spare time, you can find her in the Sea to Sky area mountain biking, backcountry skiing, and trail running.
Jessica Volpe
Senior Recruitment Specialist – Corporate Administration
Jessica (Jess) spent her first year as a Recruitment Specialist within the Accounting & Finance team here at STRIVE Recruitment, and has since transitioned into the Corporate Administration Division!
Born and raised in Vancouver BC, she completed her Communications degree from Simon Fraser University along with a minor in publishing. Jess brings 14+ years of experience in hospitality and customer service, having started her career as a people-person working in large-scale restaurants and hotel chain operations. She loves creating and nurturing genuine relationships with everyone she meets, so she decided to take her career over into the world of recruiting in 2021.
With experience in roles from Accounting Clerks to VP of Finance and everything in between, her focus is now primarily on recruiting for Legal/EA/Administration/Sales/Marketing, etc. – essentially anything in an office.
In her spare time, she enjoys a variety of different things. She has backpacked 3 continents, can usually be found in the gym, or boxing/doing martial arts, and is always in the kitchen experimenting with different cuisines while blasting Hip Hop and R&B. A self-proclaimed foodie, you’ll probably spot her on a restaurant patio with friends (and her dog).
Ella Curran
Recruitment Specialist – Corporate Administration
Ella is our Recruitment Specialist within the Corporate Administration division here at STRIVE Recruitment. Ella is a local Vancouverite who moved to Ontario in 2018 to complete her Bachelor of Science degree at Queen’s University. After completing her degree and returning to BC, she decided to take on a new adventure in the world of Recruitment and hasn’t looked back since.
Ella thrives in social environments and loves to be surrounded by enthusiastic, positive people- which is what inevitably brought her to STRIVE Recruitment! Her desire for building authentic and meaningful relationships, as well as a never-ending curiosity to learn keeps her motivated. In her spare time, you can find Ella touring Vancouver’s best patios, skiing in Whistler, or blasting old rock music with her friends and family.
Sarah Monahan
Account Manager – Manufacturing & Operations
Sarah is our Account Manager within the Manufacturing and Operations division here at STRIVE Recruitment. Sarah brings years of experience in the Food Manufacturing Industry and Customer Service to the team alongside a bachelor’s degree in food science & Health from the University of Limerick.
Sarah got the travel bug over two years ago and decided to head to Vancouver with her partner & friends and has not looked back since. Sarah is determined, always enthusiastic and has a never say die attitude. Sarah prides herself on building and nurturing relationships. She comes to STRIVE new to the recruitment space but is determined to make a difference from the get-go. She has always thrived working in a fast-paced environment, so naturally, recruitment felt like the next step in furthering her career path.
In Sarah’s spare time she can be found chilling at Sunset beach in the summer with friends, walking the seawall or planning her next trip or festival. Sarah is an avid foodie and can often be found in the kitchen blaring grime or disco while testing new recipes or visiting one of Vancouver’s many great restaurants that it has to offer.
Jose Carmona
Account Manager – Manufacturing & Operations
Jose is our Account Manager within the Manufacturing & Operations division here at STRIVE Recruitment. Jose is originally from the beautiful, vibrant county of Mexico, however, has been residing in British Columbia for over ten years and now calls Vancouver home. Jose brings over five years of sales and customer service experience to the STRIVE Recruitment team which he gained from several industries including fashion, recruitment, and media.
In his previous Recruitment role, Jose focused on hiring for positions within the operations field before transitioning into supporting inbound clients. Jose joined STRIVE Recruitment to continue his career path within the recruitment industry and build genuine relationships with clients and candidates alike.
In his spare time, Jose enjoys kayaking for long hours, camping, swimming, and exploring the various remote cities BC has to offer.
Kent Ho
Senior Search Consultant – Manufacturing & Operations
Kent Ho is Senior Search Consultant within the Manufacturing & Operations divsion here at STRIVE Recruitment.
A career in sales ranging from online recruitment advertising to forex trading eventually led me into the world of skilled trades recruiting. Combining my passion for sales and genuinely helping others is a dream come true! I join Strive Recruitment as a Senior Search Consultant and bring years of experience of recruiting in skilled trades to the Manufacturing & Operations team.
When I’m not looking for solutions for my clients I can be found with my wife and kids out on hiking trails and looking at new restaurants to try. I also enjoy cheering on the Canucks, grilling on nice sunny days, and spending time with family and friends.
Veronica Gardiner
Account Manager -GTA
Veronica is our Account Manager within the Ontario Manufacturing & Operations division for STRIVE Recruitment. She brings over eight years of experience in the Industrial & Manufacturing and Professional Admin industries Veronica joined STRIVE Recruitment to continue her career path within the recruitment industry and build genuine relationships with clients and candidates alike.
She prides herself on building and nurturing professional relationships and has come to STRIVE to make a difference. With her many years of experience working in a fast-paced environment and extensive recruitment knowledge, she will be able to help clients and candidates find the perfect fit. In Veronica’s spare time, she can be found surrounded by her family, playing volleyball or reading. She is also an absolute foodie who loves to be in the kitchen trying out new recipes.
Layla
Peer Support Specialist
Layla is our Peer Support Specialist here at STRIVE Recruitment. She’s an office dog, and has a very important job! Her main responsibilities include morale boosting, reducing employee stress through cuddles, supportive tail wags, and lots more! Layla is a very important member of our team and knows how to make everyone smile wherever she goes!
Most days when she’s at the office, Layla can be found participating in meetings, snoozing in the middle of the office, and making sure everyone feels loved – she thrives in an environment where belly rubs are supported! While it may seem like Layla spends a lot of time sleeping on the job, she is a very essential part of the STRIVE Recruitment team and our company culture.
When she’s not napping in the office, she’s joining in on client and team meetings, and calls with potential candidates – she has a great judge of character!
Out of the office, Layla enjoys going for walks and playing outside, making new friends on a local patio, and spending time with her human, Jessica Volpe!”
Cedar
Chief Petting Officer
Cedar is our Chief Petting Officer here at STRIVE Recruitment. She’s our office dog, who receives no lack of attention and loves every minute of it! Her main responsibilities include ensuring team members get fresh air with regular visits to the Bentall Bark Park, fostering a positive work environment with tail wags, keeping the team active with fetch and lots more!
Most days when she’s at the office, Cedar can be found roaming from one staff member to the other begging for pets.
Out of the office, Cedar is an outdoorsy girl like her owner Sam. She loves to go on big hikes in Squamish, emerge herself in any puddle she finds, and play with her best friend Huxley.
She is a valued team member and the office moral is that little bit higher when she’s in!
