Spencer Stang, PhD
Founder & CEO
Spencer specializes in designing and implementing customized employee selection systems, with an emphasis on optimized algorithms to improve the decision making process. For over 20 years, Spencer has worked with many of the world’s largest business and sports organizations to help them identify, develop, and deploy the talent they need to gain a competitive advantage.
Scott Birkeland, PhD
Vice President
With over 20 years of experience in the field, Scott has been a core part of the HireScore team since 2007. He specializes in designing and delivering customized hiring assessments, leveraging data and behavioral science to help clients make smarter, more predictive hiring decisions. His work supports everything from job analysis and assessment design to ongoing validation and continuous improvement of selection processes. Outside of work, he stays busy with his wife and three kids in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area. In the winter, you’ll often find him on cross-country ski trails or in the basement fine-tuning skis before a race. When the snow melts, he’s out on the tennis courts or enjoying lake days with his family, soaking up everything a Minnesota summer has to offer.
Jody Johnson
Vice President/Human Resources & Talent Acquisition
Jody brings over 17 years of experience in key human resource functions along with certification in Organizational Behavior Management. For the past decade, she’s been a trusted advisor at HireScore, helping organizations of all sizes—ranging from Fortune 50 companies to startups and nonprofits—optimize their hiring and talent strategies.With a background that spans marketing, wealth management, and shareholder relations, Jody offers a uniquely well-rounded perspective. Her work focuses on aligning hiring strategies with organizational culture and goals, ensuring that teams are not only highly skilled but also deeply connected to the mission and values of their organization. She believes a thriving company is one where people, processes, and purpose are in sync—and she’s passionate about helping her clients get there.
Shannon Whitehouse
Director of Operations
Shannon works hands-on with her clients to ensure the right employee is hired every time. While her main focus is in the Upper Michigan area, she supports clients all over the U.S. and Canada. Shannon has a B.S. in Psychology. Shannon strives to improve the implementation of processes in many areas of our business in order to deliver the best possible customer experience.
Katherine Mitchell
Financial Controller
Katherine has been with HireScore since 2007—starting as an intern, then moving into full-time roles before becoming our Financial Controller. With over a decade of experience managing the company’s financial operations, she plays a key role in keeping HireScore running smoothly behind the scenes. Katherine holds a B.S. in Psychology and an M.S. in Training, Development, and Performance Improvement. Outside of work, Katherine enjoys spending time with her family in the great outdoors, running, tackling DIY house projects, and staying active on her Peloton. Her dedication, attention to detail, and client-focused approach make her an invaluable part of the HireScore team.
Jamie Burzan
Project Manager
With nearly 10 years of leadership experience, Jamie understands the importance of finding the right candidate for the right job. Since joining HireScore 3.5 years ago, she has assisted clients both locally and nationally in meeting their hiring needs with care and precision.Jamie holds an MBA and a master’s degree in management, bringing a strong educational foundation to her work. Her expertise spans the full employee lifecycle, including hiring, training, and retention. She is known for building strong client relationships and ensuring hiring needs are met with a high level of satisfaction.Outside of work, Jamie enjoys cooking and grilling, spending time with her family and dogs (a Belgian Malinois and a GSD/Husky mix), and getting outdoors—whether it’s hiking, biking, or just enjoying nature.
Diego Baños Fariñas
Lead Software Developer
Diego is coming up on his 10th year with HireScore, where he serves as Lead Software Developer. He brings a strong background in Computer Science, having earned his degree in Informatics Engineering from the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), followed by a Master’s in Development & Operations (DevOps) from the International University of La Rioja (UNIR). With a passion for designing and implementing elegant software solutions to solve real-world business problems, Diego plays a key role in maintaining and advancing the software systems that power HireScore. Outside of work, Diego is dedicated to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ), training nearly every weekday for two hours. It’s more than a hobby—it’s a discipline that reflects his focus, resilience, and drive for continuous improvement.
Ian Hale
Programming Intern
Lead CX at Wealthsimple. Former PagerDuty and Sqreen.Ian joined HireScore as a Programming Intern in July 2025, bringing strong skills in both front-end and back-end development. Currently a fifth-year Computer Science student at Oregon State University, Ian is specializing in Human & Computer Interaction (HCI)—a perfect fit for building intuitive and impactful user experiences. Outside of coding, Ian spends his time backpacking, fly fishing, and developing indie video games. He’s also passionate about classic motorcycles and is currently restoring his 1981 Honda CX500C. Ian’s curiosity, technical chops, and creative mindset make him a great addition to the HireScore team.
Joey McGroarty
Software Developer
Joey started with HireScore as an intern in 2016 and has since grown into a full-time role as a frontend developer. He focuses on designing and building pages for HireScore’s applications, helping ensure the platform is both functional and user-friendly. Outside of work, Joey enjoys hanging out with his two cats, Bennie and Murphy, and spending time with his fiancée, Kennedy. His hobbies include playing guitar, traveling and going to the beach, watching Red Wings hockey, gaming with friends, and going to concerts. Whether programming his own video games, playing piano, or catching a show, Joey brings creativity into both his work and free time.
Zachary Hayward
Software Developer
Zachary is a Software Developer at HireScore, where he’s spent the past six years helping build and maintain our applications. He holds a B.S. in Information Technology from Central Michigan University. When he’s off the clock, you’ll find him tinkering with his homelab or exploring new side projects.
Andrew Hogan
Software Developer
For the past 3 years, Andrew has helped HireScore ship smoother platforms and more engaging simulations. He comes from 6 years in process automation and has been making software since he was a kid, which shows in his knack for turning complex data flows into simple user experiences. When he logs off, he’s with his tiny family—his happily claimed slice of heaven.
Parker Scott
Software Developer
Parker is a Full Stack Developer Intern at HireScore, where he’s entering his third year with the team. Originally focused on backend development, his role has grown to include full stack responsibilities, and he also brings experience and interest in server infrastructure. Currently majoring in Computer Science, Parker is passionate about exploring programming languages to build automation tools, tackle security challenges, and create homebrew games. Outside of work and studies, he’s a multi-instrumentalist (guitar, drums, piano, and more) and a proud member of Central Michigan University’s marching band. He also participates in programming competitions, hackathons, and capture the flag events—always chasing the next challenge to sharpen his skills.
Jill Hayes
Director of Communications
Jill is coming up on her 7th year with HireScore and brings over 33 years of experience across the hospitality, education, and retail industries. Throughout her career, she’s specialized in delivering legendary customer service, implementing HR procedures, and upholding workplace safety and sanitation standards. At HireScore, her primary focus is ensuring that every client and candidate has the best hiring experience possible. Outside of work, Jill enjoys traveling—especially to the beach—volunteering at her local humane society, caring for feral cats in her neighborhood, and checking off bucket-list concerts (most recently George Strait and Chris Stapleton). She also continues to explore her background in culinary arts and is passionate about holistic remedy education.
Cheryl Gilin
Project Manager
Cheryl has been ensuring clients and candidates receive the fullest extent of our talent selection capabilities since 2014. Cheryl has thrived within our company, becoming a great example of finding transferable skills and aptitudes to be the perfect fit in an organization.
Bobby Carson
Programming Intern
Bobby joined HireScore in July 2025 as a Programming Intern, bringing a passion for clean code and creative problem-solving. A lifelong resident of Marquette, MI, he's no stranger to resilience—regularly surfing the frigid waves of Lake Superior. When he's not behind a screen, you'll find him deep in the outdoors: backpacking remote trails, camping under the stars, hiking rugged terrain, or carving fresh lines on skis. His adventurous spirit and dedication to learning make him a valuable addition to the HireScore team.
Josh LaVallie
Marketing & Sales Specialist
Josh joined HireScore’s Marketing & Sales team in 2022 with the goal of helping more organizations discover a better way to approach hiring. Much of HireScore’s online presence—social media posts, updates, and resources—comes from his efforts to share useful content and keep people connected with what we’re doing. He also supports clients directly by managing job postings, sourcing candidates, and creating short job posting videos to help ensure their applicant pools are filled with quality candidates. Outside of work, Josh enjoys traveling and spending time outdoors. Whether it’s hiking, fishing, or hunting, he values an active lifestyle and time in nature.