Membership
Raines International Adds Two Senior Vice Presidents to its Leadership Team
Raines International announced that Ms. Kathryn Bardi and Ms. Melissa Oszustowicz have joined as Senior Vice Presidents, reinforcing the company’s leadership position in the industry. In the third quarter, Raines grew its business by more than 125%, expanded its team by 25%, and launched a Security Officers practice.
Mr. Dan Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Raines, said: “We have seen tremendous growth in our business, distinctly showing that the industries and companies most in-demand now are seeking exceptional talent that we can develop and deliver. We are committed to identifying and advising difference makers in the world, and we are extremely proud and excited to welcome Kathryn and Melissa to Raines. They are extraordinary leaders in their respective areas of expertise, and they will deliver an exceptional level of service to our clients.”
Ms. Bardi has joined as Senior Vice President in the Leadership & Organizational Transformation Practice and will be based in Chicago. Ms. Bardi joins Raines from Bain & Company, where she was Senior Manager – People and Organization, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, advising clients and teams on talent strategy within technology, finance, healthcare, and oil & gas. She led the firm’s global efforts on unconscious bias mitigation, inclusive culture, and employee engagement.
Prior to Bain, Ms. Bardi was a Senior Research & Solutions Consultant at the NeuroLeadership Institute, where she designed human capital initiatives for Fortune 500 companies, operationalizing neuroscience research to inform leadership development, business transformation, and diversity & inclusion. A graduate of Columbia University in New York, Ms. Bardi’s background is in neuroscience, specifically affective neuroscience with a research focus on the anti-correlated function between the default mode network and executive prefrontal functionality.
“Kathryn’s thought leadership places her at the forefront in educating global clients on the most in-demand subject matter of our time,” said Dr. Scott Thomas, Managing Director at Raines and Head of the Leadership & Organizational Transformation practice. “Her knowledge and passion will make an immediate difference and strengthen our team’s ability to advise clients and candidates with impact.”
Ms. Melissa Oszustowicz has joined as Senior Vice President and Head of the Agribusiness Practice, based in Minneapolis. She joins Raines from Heidrick & Struggles, where she was a Principal in the Industrial Practice, leading agribusiness and food for North America. Prior to that, she was the C.E.O. of an agricultural risk management company serving the United States Department of Agriculture, and other private and public clients in the United States and Pacific Rim. She also served as legal counsel for a large cacao and chocolate company and led the work for the development of a genetic repository located in Hawaii. She began her career in Torts Litigation with General Electric and as an Attorney with Arnold & Porter in Washington, D.C.
Over the course of her career, Ms. Oszustowicz has focused on how technology impacts agribusiness on a local and global scale, and her network extends across government to educational institutions and the private sector. Ms. Oszustowicz holds a J.D. Degree from Syracuse University College of Law, a Master’s Degree from the S.I. Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, and a Bachelor’s Degree in environmental science and government from Bowdoin College.
Mr. Patrick Gray, Managing Director and Head of the firm’s Industrial, Aerospace and Defense Practice, said Ms. Oszustowicz will play a critical role in the team’s expansion. “Melissa is a dynamic executive with tremendous talent, credentials, and ambition. She is a transformational leader and advisor whose sector expertise serves one of our key target growth sectors globally. Change is going to happen in the agribusiness sector, and those who embrace it take the Raines.”
