Lavanya Shahani

About Lavanya Shahani

Passionate Talent Matchmaker | Strategic Technical Recruiter | DEI Champion at Okta With over a decade of experience in global recruiting and talent strategy, I take a people-first approach to building high-performing, inclusive teams that fuel innovation. As a Lead Technical Recruiter at Okta, I partner with Engineering, Security, Product, and Sales leaders to identify and hire world-class talent across North America, India, Mexico and new global markets. Adept at leading global recruitment initiatives, including greenfield projects such as establishing and staffing new international offices. I have a proven ability to design and execute end-to-end talent strategies for complex and niche technical roles and non-technical roles. What I’m Known For: Leading full-cycle recruitment for complex and niche technical roles Championing diverse hiring initiatives and inclusive candidate experiences Building scalable talent programs aligned to business growth Serving as a trusted advisor to executives and hiring managers Driving strategic hiring across functions and geographies Beyond the Role: I\'m actively involved in DEI and community initiatives, including Okta4Good, Women@Okta, VMT Projects, Latinx Women in Tech, and TechBridge Girls Mentorship. I thrive on collaboration, mentorship, and data-driven, human-centered hiring strategies that reflect both company values and candidate aspirations. Executive Advisory & Stakeholder Management: serving as a trusted advisor to executives and senior leadership, providing strategic guidance on talent acquisition, competitive market trends, and workforce planning. I excel at managing complex stakeholder relationships across geographies and business functions to consistently achieve and exceed hiring goals. 🤝 Let’s Collaborate: Open to advisory roles, guest speaking, panels, and collaborative projects—particularly around inclusive hiring, early-career talent development, or global recruiting strategy. If you\'re seeking a strategic thought partner in talent, hiring infrastructure, or DEI—let’s connect! Skills: Global Talent Sourcing • Recruitment Strategy • Data-Driven Hiring • Infrastructure & Security Hiring • DEI & Inclusive Hiring • Team Building • Process Improvement • Stakeholder Engagement • Full-Desk Recruitment • Employer Branding • Mentorship • Technical & Business Recruitment • Strategic Hiring • Internal Mobility • ATS (Greenhouse, Fieldglass, BambooHR, iCMS, Bullhorn, SmartRecruiters, Taleo)

Experience

1. Lead Talent Acquisition Talent Advisor (Identity and Access Management - Corporate)

   Okta

   Mar 2021 — Present · San Francisco, CA, US

   In my role at Okta, I focus on global talent acquisition across Engineering, Infrastructure, Artificial Intelligence (AI), QA, Mobile Engineering, Security, Product, and Solutions Engineering (Sales). My work is centered around identifying and attracting top-tier technical talent to drive Okta’s growth and innovation.*Strategic Talent Partner: Collaborated closely with Okta\'s leadership, recruiters, and sourcers to develop and implement tailored recruitment strategies that consistently meet and exceed hiring goals.*Global Team Building: Played a pivotal role in scaling Okta\'s operations, including leading the greenfield project to establish a new office in India, building high-performing teams from the ground up.*Data-Driven Recruitment: Leveraged advanced metrics and data analysis to refine and optimize recruitment processes, ensuring maximum efficiency and alignment with Okta’s strategic objectives.*DIB Expertise: Served as a subject matter expert (SME) in Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DIB) hiring, driving the creation of inclusive hiring practices that significantly enhanced Okta’s talent diversity.*DEI Leadership: Actively championed DEI initiatives, representing Okta at high-profile conferences and events, and contributing to key programs such as Women in Technology and Girls Who Code.*Program Support: Provided expert guidance on Referral and Alumni programs, generating engaging content and educating teams on effective program strategies.*Recognition: Honored with the FY25 Talent Acquisition Customer Satisfaction Award, FY22 Recruiting Okta Values Award (winning multiple quarters), selected for Okta\'s Racial Equity Philanthropy Fellowship. 2025 Oktane Ambassador, and elected leader of the Women at Okta (W@Okta) ERG Partnership Committee.

Education

• Calvin University

  BA, International Finance/Business Mgmt