
We are driven
We’re driven by the mission to give all students the chance to build the career they want, no matter where they’re from or what school they attend.
Committed to
democratizing
opportunity
While studying at Michigan Tech University, Handshake founders Garrett Lord, Ben Christensen, and Scott Ringwelski discovered the glaring inequality in career opportunities for students across the country. Believing that software had the potential to bridge this opportunity gap, they built the foundations of Handshake. The friends took their idea on a cross-country road trip to better understand the challenges students face when applying to jobs and to persuade college career centers to partner with them.
Handshake was created to ensure that all college students have equal access to meaningful careers. Since our 2013 founding in Michigan, our network of university and employer partners—and the impact for students— has grown exponentially. Within a few years, Handshake has become the leading early career community in the US.
The Handshake network
9m+
active student users
1,400+
college and university partners
650k+
employers
Building the #1 early career community
Careers at Handshake
Our team is growing! Join a passionate, driven, and empathetic team that’s focused on making an impact, and committed to creating an inclusive culture for all.
Leadership team
Mike Bailen
VP Talent
Luke Baxter
Chief Product Officer
Valerie Capers Workman
Chief Legal Officer
Ben Christensen
Co-Founder
Christine Cruzvergara
Chief Education Strategy Officer
Ashish Desai
VP Consumer Product
Ankit Garg
VP Enterprise Product
Katherine Kelly
VP Education Marketing
Brian Kreiner
Chief Financial Officer
Deepak Kumar
VP Data
Garrett Lord
Co-Founder and CEO
Asif Makhani
Chief Technology Officer
Jordan Pedraza
VP Global Support
Jessica Peluso
VP Enterprise Sales
Scott Ringwelski
Co-Founder
Malthe Sigurdsson
Chief Design Officer
Brett Skale
Chief Revenue Officer
Jonathan Stull
Chief Operating Officer
Kamal Thakarsey
VP Employer Marketing
Paloma Thombley
VP People
Mallory Wheaton
VP Employer Customer Experience
Board of Directors
Ben Christensen
Co-Founder
Margo Georgiadis
Partner, General Catalyst
Mamoon Hamid
General Partner, Kleiner Perkins
Michael Lomax
President and CEO, UNCF
Garrett Lord
Co-Founder and CEO
Alistair Mitchell
Partner & Co-Head, EQT Ventures
Megan Quinn
COO, Niantic
Toni Schneider
Partner, True Ventures