Founder & CEO

Roy Notowitz

EXPERIENCE

As Founder and CEO of the firm, Roy advises his team as well as entrepreneurs, founders, executive teams, investors, and boards of fast-growing mission-driven consumer brands and retailers nationwide. He maintains a pulse on trends in business strategy, leadership, recruiting, and talent selection. Roy’s experience spans all disciplines including: executive leadership, marketing, strategy, operations, finance, product creation, design, innovation, merchandising, supply chain, and human resources. Prior to Noto Group, he was the founder and Managing Partner of Generator Group, a leading executive search and recruitment consulting firm that ranked as one of the fastest growing privately held consulting firms in the nation in 2007. Early in his career, Roy was a Recruiting and Staffing Manager at Nike in the apparel division during a period of exponential growth.

INDUSTRY AWARDS AND INVOLVEMENT

In 2009, Roy was a recipient of the Sporting Goods Business SGB 40 Under 40 industry recognition award. He has written for, and addressed, groups such as the American Marketing Association, American Electronics Association, Gear Trends, and the Outdoor Industry Association on topics that include talent alignment, hiring trends, executive recruiting, interviewing and selection. In 2019, Roy launched How I Hire, a podcast that taps into the best executive hiring advice and insights through conversations with top industry leaders.

EDUCATION

MAEd in College Student Development, Virginia Tech
BA in Communications, State University of New York

INTERESTS

Roy enjoys spending time with family, hiking, fishing, running and skiing.

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Sara Spirko

EXPERIENCE

Sara has over 15 years of experience in talent acquisition, marketing innovation, project management and supply chain operations. Most of her background has been within the CPG industry, with companies such as Mars, Inc., Gibson Guitars and Godiva Chocolatier. She started her career as the Recruiting Manager at Gibson Guitar, before moving to Mars Petcare as their Talent Acquisition Manager. To gain business experience, she moved into Project and Portfolio Manager for the Cat food business within Mars, managing all activities for go-to-market and portfolio planning. After Mars, she moved into the consulting space where she led supply chain efficiency projects with Godiva Chocolatier, customized a new Agile process for a pet insurance company, and developed a go-to-market strategy for an environmental products start-up. Sara joined Noto Group in January of 2018.

EDUCATION

M.Ed Organizational Leadership & Effectiveness – Vanderbilt University
B.A Public Relations & Business – Belmont University

INTERESTS

Sara loves anything outdoors, be it camping, hiking, golfing or sitting around a campfire. Also an avid bookworm, you’ll often find her curled up with a good book and a great glass of wine.

PRINCIPAL SEARCH CONSULTANT

Tami Bumiller

EXPERIENCE

Tami has 19 years of consumer brand and retail Human Resources leadership experience. Prior to joining Noto Group, Tami was the Senior Vice President of Human Resources for Eddie Bauer LLC. During Tami’s tenure, she led executives and associates through multiple phases of change as the retail landscape evolved. Tami has experience in Talent Acquisition Strategy, Executive Recruiting, Organization Design, Leadership Development, and Succession Planning. She also brings deep functional area expertise with knowledge of retail operations, marketing, ecommerce, finance, data analytics, product merchandising, design, development, finance, supply chain, and distribution. Early in her career, Tami worked in the Restaurant Industry, leading single and multi-unit operations in fine dining, casual dining, and quick service sectors

EDUCATION

B.S. School of Business, Michigan State University

INTERESTS

Tami spends much of her free time on softball fields across the USA, cheering on her daughter who is a Pitcher on a national travel team. When not on the fields, Tami enjoys walking in nature, is a Peloton fanatic, and enjoys farm to table cooking for family and friends.

PRINCIPAL SEARCH CONSULTANT

Lena Knofler

EXPERIENCE

Lena has 7 years of combined experience in Talent Acquisition, Accounting and Finance. Prior to her career in recruitment, she owned the Accounting and Tax operations as the Assistant Controller for an Aviation Engineering Investment company. She later leveraged her expertise within this field to kick off her agency recruitment career specializing in Finance recruitment for a variety of industries including software, manufacturing, tech, and startup businesses. Lena also gained experience and a passion for mission driven organizations through her recruitment work at Providence, the 3rd largest not for profit health system in the U.S.

EDUCATION

BA in Economics and Management from Ohio Wesleyan University.

INTERESTS

Lena has a passion for music and can often be found at concerts or playing the guitar at home. She spends most of her time backpacking, snowboarding, trying out new recipes and watching sports (Go Blazers!).

Business Development Director

Meredith Morrice

EXPERIENCE

Meredith has over 10 years of experience in business development, talent acquisition, and human resource management. Most recently, Meredith was the Director of Industry Engagement for Oregon State University’s Center for the Outdoor Recreation Economy leading the center’s corporate engagement strategy with the outdoor industry nationwide. Prior to her time with OSU, Meredith held talent acquisition roles in the outdoor industry, including several years at adidas and Noto Group recruiting for leadership positions in marketing, finance, HR, and operations. Early in her career, she served in administrative and human resources roles with Moss Adams and spent a year as a language instructor in Seoul, South Korea. Meredith rejoined Noto Group in February 2022 as the firm’s director of business development.  

EDUCATION

B.B.A. Human Resource Management & International Business – University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Senior Certified Professional – Society for Human Resource Management
 

INTERESTS

Meredith enjoys trail running, snowboarding, hiking, camping, and spending time outside with her husband and daughter. 
 

ORGANIZATION EFFECTIVENESS & LEADERSHIP ADVISOR

Ted Freeman

EXPERIENCE

Ted has extensive experience as an organization development consultant and executive. He served as Culture Officer at EILEEN FISHER, INC., leading the people and culture teams as well as Information Technology. As a member of the EILEEN FISHER Collective CEO, Ted led development and execution of a comprehensive strategy for transforming the business model, supply chain operations, technology and culture.

He couples his executive background with more than a decade of consulting experience in the areas of leadership development, organizational effectiveness and executive coaching. As a principal at Praxis Consulting Group, he advised dozens of organizations in such diverse industries as retail, manufacturing, professional services, pharmaceutical, aerospace, and financial.

Ted has taught leadership, organization development, and consulting at Rutgers University, University of Pennsylvania, and George Mason University. He also held a senior staff position at the Wharton School’s Executive Development Program.

EDUCATION

Psy.D. in Organizational Psychology, Rutgers University.
B.A. in Social Psychology, Haverford College.

INTERESTS

Ted is passionate about business as a force for good. When he isn’t working, he is parenting two young girls, expanding his repertoire on acoustic guitar and sneaking in surfing sessions whenever he can.

Executive Recruiter

Bridget Walsh Hope

EXPERIENCE

Bridget brings over 20 years of industry experience from top athletic, outdoor, and consumer lifestyle brands including Puma, Eagle Creek, and Nike. As a Director of Merchandising, she gained significant hands on and strategic business experience that included hiring and leading cross-functional teams. Most recently, Bridget built a consulting firm sourcing similar disciplines for small to medium brands expanding into soft goods manufacturing. Earlier in Bridget’s career, she was on the retail floor and spent several years in corporate operations for Banana Republic. It was there where she discovered her passion for product marketing, consumer insights, and the customer experience. As an Executive Recruiter at Noto Group, Bridget will be drawing on her experience in corporate leadership supporting a broad range of executive-level searches across our client portfolio.

Education

B.S. Broadcast Journalism, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Interests

Bridget is proud to call herself a soccer mom as she spends a lot of her weekends and late evenings on the sidelines of her son’s soccer competitions. Fitness and staying healthy are a compulsive need that she works hard to find time in her day to enjoy. Bridget loves living the coastal lifestyle in the active community of Encinitas, California where she spends as much time outdoors playing pickle ball, hiking, and discovering local trails with her family and their dog Biscuit.

Lead Researcher

Adolfo Portillo

EXPERIENCE

As the Lead Researcher for the firm, Adolfo is responsible for developing and implementing sourcing strategies to support executive recruiting projects across the portfolio of client brands. With a background in retail operations and interests in fashion, merchandising, marketing & advertising, Adolfo has a passion for the wellness, outdoor, and lifestyle industries. Prior to Noto Group, he spent 4 years as an Operations Manager for Madewell where he focused his learning on sustainable fashion.

EDUCATION

BA in Political Science with a Minor in Photography from UC San Diego.

INTERESTS

Adolfo enjoys learning about different cultures through cooking and also trying out the latest Ina Garten cocktails & recipes. When he’s not in the kitchen whipping something up, he’s often catching up on the latest season of Rupaul’s Drag Race.

Researcher

Jake Collie

EXPERIENCE

As a member of the research team, Jake aids in the sourcing strategies for the executive research projects. Jake is new to the recruiting field and will implement his many years of research experience to create an efficient and effective sourcing process. Jake cares deeply for mission driven brands that emphasize an inclusive culture and environment for all. Prior to Noto Group, Jake went to Whitman College for a degree in Psychology and Politics.

Education

BA in Psychology, with Honors; Minor in Politics from Whitman College ’21.

Interests

Jake loves to go out and play tennis or really get outside in any way he can! Whether rain or shine, you can usually find Jake out on a stunning hike in the gorge or wine tasting in the Willamette Valley. When he’s at home, Jake spends quality time with his friends, doodling in his notebooks, or running a mean game of Dungeons & Dragons.

MARKETING & CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Beth Alport

EXPERIENCE

Beth provides strategies and creative direction on marketing and design projects. Apart from her experience at Noto Group, Beth has worked on a number of art direction projects for Nike, Converse and The North Face.

Education:

BA in Art History from The University of Colorado Boulder

BS in Web Design from The Art Institute of Portland

Interests:

Beth enjoys time with her family, barre3, skiing and snowboarding.

Researcher

Anuhea Panui

EXPERIENCE

Anu assists with the sourcing strategies for executive research projects as a member of the research team. Prior to joining Noto Group, Anu had spent two years working with the Nike University Relations team as a Recruiting Coordinator for operations, digital product management, marketing, and innovation internship opportunities. As a newcomer to the field of executive research, Anu is excited to leverage her previous experience in recruitment and science educational background to cultivate a seamless research and sourcing experience.

Education

BS in Biology with a minor in Philosophy from Pacific University.

Interests

Anu loves to spend her free time hanging out with friends outdoors or going out to try new restaurants. When it’s too cold or rainy in Portland you can find Anu working out or binge watching the latest Netflix dating show.

Director of Barketing

Parker

EXPERIENCE

Parker has a great attitude and is a natural people person. He likes to collaborate with everyone on the team and often insists on being involved in every meeting. When he isn’t searching for tasty treats, he’s often found thinking creatively in his favorite spot.

Interests:

Food, walks, treats and sleep.