Melissa Thompson to Headline RecFest USA 2025!
We’re kicking off our RecFest USA 2025 speaker series with a bang — and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome Melissa Thompson, Global Head of Talent Acquisition at Ford Motor Company, to the Inspire Stage this October.
With over 25 years of experience leading transformative Talent Acquisition strategies at global giants like Nielsen, McGraw Hill, Dell, Lenovo, and now Ford, Melissa brings bold thinking and a track record of shaking up the status quo. Her data-driven approach is redefining what success looks like in TA — and she’s not slowing down anytime soon.
🔍 Session Spotlight:
“The New TA Metric: Quality of Slate”
In a bold departure from the traditional “Quality of Hire” metric, Melissa will take us behind the scenes of Ford’s latest HR innovation. Partnering with the company’s HR Analytics team, she’ll share the origin story, learnings, and results from their Q1 2025 pilot program that introduced the game-changing metric: Quality of Slate.
What you’ll walk away with:
- How to define and measure “Quality of Slate”
- Real-world lessons from Ford’s pilot — missteps included
- Why the first version of any metric is just the beginning
Expect unfiltered insights, practical takeaways, and a candid look at how great talent strategies are built — and rebuilt — in the real world.
Melissa is setting the tone for the caliber of content we’re bringing to RFUSA25. If this is the bar, get ready for a truly next-level speaker lineup!
A Special Treat…
🎟 Use code MELISSA20 at checkout for 20% off Super Early Bird tickets — and lock in your seat before they’re gone!