Our Leadership
Kathy VanderHouwen: Kathy is VHA’s CEO and Business Manager. She brings over 25 years of Business Management experience. Prior to VHA, Kathy held management positions at Boeing and founded and ran her own successful business where she managed a team providing large publications consulting, graphic design, and desktop publishing services to both private and public sectors.
Eric VanderHouwen: VHA’s President, Eric, has been in the technology staffing industry since 1989. Currently he is responsible for the day-to-day operations of VHA. He also has extensive background in Technical Recruiting and Account Management.
Cynthia VanderHouwen: Cynthia has been with VHA since 1989 and has been involved in the technology industry in Portland since 1992. She has expertise as a Sr. Recruiter and Account Manager. Cynthia currently manages several key accounts and recruits for senior positions.
Brian Hathaway: Brian began recruiting in 1990 for the United States Navy and its Officer Recruiting Programs. After a nine-year Naval career, he spent five years in the professional services industry. He has been a Sr. Recruiter for VHA since 2003, and has since moved into the role of General Manager.
Our Portland Division
IT Sales Team
Geoff Smith: Geoff has been in the staffing industry since 1994. His background includes recruiting, staff management, and account development. He has served major clients in the Portland and Seattle markets. Geoff is the Regional Business Development Manager with VHA.
Brad Fisch: Brad has been in the staffing industry since 1997. He is currently a member of the SAO Development Forum, a member of the Portland Human Resources Management Association, and serves on the Advisory Board for the International Air and Hospitality Academy. Brad’s background includes recruiting, staff management, and account development. Brad is a Sr. Account Manager with VHA.
John Niemer: A long-time veteran of the services industry, John has been in the technical staffing business since 1989. He has performed as a Recruiter, Account Manager, and Branch Manager while serving and supporting client companies of all sizes throughout Washington and Oregon. He brings his extensive experience to clients seeking staffing solutions for their unique needs. John is a Sr. Account Manager with VHA.
IT Recruiting Team
Brett Kadz: Brett has been a staffing and human resources professional since 1998. His background includes work as a Technical Recruiter, Staffing Specialist, and Account Manager for companies in the Portland Metro area and the Washington DC Metro area. Brett is the Recruiting Manager with VHA.
Andrew Elder: Andrew joined VHA in 2006 as a Recruiting Assistant. He became extremely knowledgeable on the technical market of the Pacific Northwest. He has developed a honed sense for locating top talent to satisfy VHA’s client needs. Andrew is a Recruiter with VHA.
Mike Mitchell: Mike has been in the staffing industry since 1995 focusing in the technical arena. His background includes strong technical staffing agency experience along with Corporate/HR recruiting in several different industries around the Portland and Seattle Metro areas. Mike is a Sr. Recruiter and Account Manager with VHA.
Andrew Owen: Andrew began his recruiting career with a large firm where he was a top-ranked Technical Recruiter. He has experience in both direct-hire and contract staffing, and is skilled in locating top talent for a variety of roles including Software Development, Quality Assurance, Systems Analysis, Network/Infrastructure, and Project Management. Andrew is a Sr. Recruiter with VHA.
Andrea Peer: Andrea has been in the technical staffing industry since 2000. She was a Recruiting Coordinator for over eight years. She joined VHA in 2009 as a Recruiting Assistant and became extremely knowledgeable on the technical career market across the Pacific Northwest. She has since transitioned into sourcing top talent for an expansive client base throughout Oregon and Washington. Andrea is a Recruiter with VHA.
Ben Newbill: Ben has been in the technical staffing industry since 2005. He has experience with large and small firms as a top-ranked Recruiter. His recruiting expertise includes IT, Software Development, and Engineering positions as well as direct-hire and contract staffing. Ben enjoys working with people throughout the interview process, understanding motivations, values, and finding the right match for clients and candidates. He is a believer in keeping things straight-forward in the recruiting process. Ben is a Sr. Recruiter with VHA.
Joe DePaul: Joe has considerable experience in the IT, legal, health care, and staffing industries nationwide. Prior to recruiting, Joe enjoyed an extensive career working in the sports television industry. Joe is a Recruiter with VHA.
Matt Zaniewski: Matt began his recruiting career in 2012. Prior, he served in the United States Navy for eight years. His background includes Law Enforcement/Corrections as well Customer Service and Sales in the Telecommunications industry. He has a passion for developing strong relationships with people and is committed to delivering a high level of service to candidates and clients. Matt is a Recruiter with VHA.
Tyler Jones: Tyler began his recruiting career in 2010 serving Portland companies. He rapidly built a strong reputation in the technical career community which advanced him to the highest achievement rankings in his field. His recruiting expertise focuses on IT, Software Development, and Engineering for all position levels. Tyler greatly values relationship development and believes this is the cornerstone to aligning excellent talent with his clients’ needs. Tyler is a Recruiter with VHA.
Andrew Woodle: Andrew began his career in HR in 1999, and then transitioned to technical recruiting in 2006. Having cut his teeth in Silicon Valley, he has successfully served clients in the San Francisco Bay Area, New York, Boston, and the Pacific Northwest. Andrew is committed to industry integrity and excellence, and he currently serves on both the Mentorship and Membership committees for the Portland Human Resources Management Association. Andrew is a Sr. Recruiter with VHA.
Our Engineering Division
Tom Vargas: Tom has been in the staffing industry since 2000. His recruiting expertise includes IT and Engineers in Aerospace and National Defense for both large and small organizations. He brings strong technical recruiting experience as well as corporate HR recruiting experience. Tom is a Sr. Recruiter with VHA.
Our Accounting and Finance Division
Vada Zedlar: Vada has been in the staffing industry since 1997. Her background includes recruiting, staffing, and business development with a focus in the Accounting and Finance area. Vada is a board member and past President of the Portland Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA). She is dedicated to building lasting business partnerships while providing creative hiring solutions to achieve her client’s goals. Vada is a Sr. Account Manager with VHA.
Rob Swiontek: Rob has been servicing clients’ staffing needs since 2003. His career started in Tucson, Arizona as a Recruiter, and eventually he relocated to Portland, Oregon in October of 2005 as an Account Manager. Rob’s industry knowledge of recruitment/staffing includes Accounting & Finance, Environmental & Engineering, Light Technical Trades, and Healthcare. Rob truly enjoys building long-term relationships with customers and offers a variety of solutions to provide for their unique needs. Rob is an Account Manager with VHA.
David Rasler: David has been a Recruiter in Portland since 2007. He worked with a large international company where he achieved top regional recruiter status. He also operated a staffing company that offered permanent placement and consulting services. David specializes in recruitment and business development in the Accounting and Finance professions. David is an Account Manager with VHA.
Kerry Chaney: Kerry has been in the staffing industry since 1999. She brings a wealth of experience to VHA in both recruitment and placement of Accounting and Finance professionals. Kerry’s strong commitment to developing long-term relationships with both clients and candidates has resulted in her ability to consistently deliver top-quality service to companies in the Pacific Northwest. Kerry is a Sr. Recruiter with VHA.
Deb Seifert: Deb has been in the Recruiting and Staffing Industry specializing in Accounting and Finance placement since 2002. She began working for a large global staffing agency where she oversaw the temporary staffing division. She later became an Executive Recruiter and focused on placing candidates in Executive-level positions. Deb is instrumental in developing and maintaining candidate/client relationships and recruiting professional talent on a national basis. She has an extensive network of Financial Professionals who have worked with her for several years, and she’s highly enthusiastic about developing new business. Deb is a Sr. Recruiter and Account Manager with VHA.
Gabe Hoppe: Gabe began his career in the staffing industry in 1995 in Portland, OR. During this time, he has recruited and staffed entry to high-level administrative positions for a wide variety of industries. Gabe excels at establishing strong relationships with candidates and clients and really listens to what is important to both. Gabe is a Recruiter with VHA.
Our Seattle Division
Mark Stephens: After serving in the US Navy and completing his college degree, Mark started his career with IBM in Systems Design and later transitioned to a Sales Account Manager. He has worked in the staffing industry for over 25 years managing teams in the states of New York, Washington, and Oregon. Mark is a Branch Manager with VHA.
John Kelley: John has been recruiting in the technology and accounting and finance industry since 1989. He has corporate recruiting, direct placement and professional services experience for medium to large companies as well as a broad base of startup companies in the Puget Sound. Prior to joining VHA, John was a Senior Recruiter for Microsoft, Philips, Internap Network Services, and a Recruiting Lead with Resources Global Professionals. John is an Account Manager and Recruiting Lead with VHA.
Joe Watts: Joe has been providing business development and account management services to the IT staffing and placement industry since 1995. He is experienced in both the public and private sectors, and has served national firms as well as small-to medium-sized businesses throughout the Pacific Northwest. Joe’s commitment to customer service and his firm knowledge of the industry make him a valuable partner for his clients. Joe is a Sr. Account Manager with VHA.
Theresa Hebert: Theresa has over 15 years recruiting experience in agency and corporate settings. She specializes in Information Technology and Medical Device professionals. Theresa is diligent in matching top talent, both technically and culturally, to client needs, thereby providing candidates that are well suited and excited in their new roles. Theresa is a Sr. Recruiter with VHA.
Anthony Miller: Anthony comes from a large staffing firm where he was a high-performing Sr. Recruiter for IT, Engineering, and direct placement roles. He is greatly skilled in deep Internet sourcing and specializes in utilizing social media and the web to locate top talent for a variety of technical and engineering roles. Anthony is a Sr. Recruiter with VHA.
