Lokana Reed

About Lokana Reed

With over 15 years of experience in recruitment, leadership, and talent strategy, I’m passionate about connecting people to purpose and driving business growth through impactful hiring. As Lead Executive Recruiter at Target, I partner with senior leadership across the Midwest to attract, assess, and hire transformative leaders who shape the future of our organization.My approach blends relationship-driven recruiting with a data-informed mindset. I leverage analytics to identify talent trends, optimize sourcing strategies, and forecast workforce needs — ensuring every hiring decision aligns with organizational priorities and long-term growth. By translating insights into action, I help business partners make smarter, faster, and more equitable talent decisions.Beyond hiring, I champion inclusive and innovative recruiting practices that strengthen pipelines, enhance candidate experiences, and advance representation at all levels. My early career in campus and early-career recruiting — where I was recognized as Recruiter of the Year by Colorado State University — built my foundation in talent development and strategic partnership building.Outside of recruiting for Target stores, I co-own and operate a small business in Northern Colorado, giving me firsthand insight into entrepreneurship, team leadership, and how strategic talent decisions can accelerate growth and culture in any organization.Core Strengths:• Executive and leadership recruiting• Data analytics and hiring strategy optimization• Inclusive and equitable talent practices• Workforce planning and forecasting• Stakeholder engagement and executive partnership• Entrepreneurial leadership and business insightI’m energized by opportunities to partner with mission-driven leaders who value people as their greatest asset. Let’s connect and explore how thoughtful, data-informed recruiting can unlock organizational potential.

Experience

1. Lead Executive Recruiter (Stores)

   Target

   Nov 2018 — Present · Midwest, US

   Oversee the full recruiting process, from sourcing to offers and negotiations, ensuring a positive candidate experience throughout.Collaborate with executive hiring managers to assess talent needs for salaried positions in Target stores across the Midwest, including single-store and multi-unit leadership roles.Lead recruitment and hiring for Level 5 executive, Level 6 individual contributor, and Level 7 director roles within the Midwest region.Conduct data analysis and produce executive summaries to track recruitment metrics and provide competitive insights for maintaining a strong market presence.Deliver a world-class experience for external candidates by building strong relationships, setting clear expectations, and maintaining continuous communication.Ensure a fair and consistent interviewing and assessment process to provide equal opportunities for all candidates and safeguard both team and candidate interests.Champion and promote a culture of diversity and inclusion throughout the recruitment process.Effectively implement recruitment tools, including Avature, Workday, TAS, LinkedIn Recruiter, and Indeed.

Education

• University of Northern Colorado

  Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.), Business Administration and Management, General

  2004 — 2005

Skills

• Personnel Management
• Team Building
• Management
• Human Resources
• Retail
• Leadership
• Program Management
• Customer Service
• Recruiting
• Staff Development
• Performance Management
• Employee Training
• Training
• Employee Relations
• Microsoft Office
• Sales
• College Recruiting
• Time Management
• Employee Benefits