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Ann is a sixth generation Texan. After graduating from The University of Texas, Ann practiced in public accounting. Ann has been recognized as an industry leader since she entered the Executive Search and Staffing industry and has received numerous awards for outstanding performance as an Executive Recruiter and a national industry leader. Ann has been inducted into the National Association of Personnel Services Hall of Fame for her leadership, innovation and contributions to the Executive Search and Staffing industry. Ann received the prestigious Norbert I. B. Fried Ethics National Award in recognition of her efforts to upgrade the image and practices of the Executive Search and Staffing industry. Ann is the Founder and CEO of Deacon Recruiting Inc., Deacon Professional Services LLC, and Lux Concierge LP. Deacon is one of the largest Executive Search firms in central Texas. Lux Concierge founded in 2021 is the largest concierge firm in Austin, Texas and has recently started to serve the Denver market.

Ann continues to give back to the community through her many Board activities. Ann currently serves on The University of Texas’ Chancellors Council Executive Committee and the Dean’s Advisory Council for the UTSA Alvarez School of Business. Ann is a Past Chairman of the Board for the National Association of Personnel Services; previous Community Board Leadership positions include the International Entrepreneurs Organization, the Battered Women’s Shelter of Bexar County, Arthritis Foundation, and the Junior League of San Antonio. Mrs. Deacon has received Distinguished Volunteer Awards and the President’s Award from various organizations.

Ann has been married to her husband, Charlie, for 37 years. She has strong family values and she considers herself fortunate to have close lifelong friends.

Dana is Senior Vice President of Deacon Recruiting and leads the Accounting-Finance Division.

Dana graduated from Texas Lutheran University with a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies.  She began her career with Deacon Recruiting in 2011 as an Associate Recruiter and was quickly promoted to Director, and then to her current role, Senior Vice President.  During her tenure, Dana has consistently received numerous awards for Top Quarterly and Top Monthly Performer and was recognized as Deacon’s 2012 Rookie of the Year.  Combined with Dana’s results driven approach and Deacon’s Best Practices, she is able to identify the very best candidates for Deacon’s Client Companies.

Dana lives in Spring Branch with her husband, John and daughter, Brooke.  She enjoys running, attending workout classes, and spending time with her family and friends.

What do you love best about working at Deacon Recruiting?

I love the flexibility, autonomy and opportunity to change lives!  Team Deacon is fun, supportive and rewards going above and beyond.  The ability to strategize and think creatively is what we do best in order to have fun and do great things for the San Antonio community.

What do you love best about your job?

What don’t I love?!?  I love that no days looks the same, the opportunity to work with impressive talent on both the Client and Candidate side to build relationships AND the endless opportunity offered.  What is not to like about doing great things for others and get paid handsomely for it!

Lauren Costley is the Senior Divisional Director of the Corporate Services & Training & Development Divisions.  Lauren joined Deacon with 11 years of experience in Management, Sales and Marketing, predominantly in the Health and Fitness arena.  Lauren graduated from Texas State University in 2003 with a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications. She was Rookie of the Year in 2013, and was an inductee in to the company’s “Million Dollar Club” in 2017.  Her specialties include all levels of professionals in the areas of Human Resources, Operations, Legal, and Executive Administrative support.

Lauren is also very involved in her community. In 2012, she served as the Ambassador Lead for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society promoting their Inaugural Herothon Half-Marathon Series.  In 2013, Lauren and other Deaconites participated in the Light the Night event with LLS to raise money for research to find cures for blood cancers. She is excited to continue her involvement with LLS in 2021 by fundraising and running for “Woman of the Year”. In 2018, Lauren was on the Executive Leadership Committee for “Go Red”, a program dedicated to the awareness and importance of heart health for women through the American Heart Association.

Lauren also serves as a Committee Chair for SAHRMA; a local chapter that supports the education and further development of Human Resource professionals. Lauren has been a Speaker on panels for the National Association of Personnel Services and local Universities in San Antonio.  In 2016, she served on a committee for Executive Women International, awarding non-traditional students scholarships.  Currently, Lauren serves on the North Chamber Leadership Lab Alumni Board.

Lauren has two children, Camryn and Jordan. In her spare time, Lauren loves to run, play golf and to have FUN with family & friends.

Lauren is dedicated to helping those in San Antonio look for their next opportunity!

What do you love best about working at Deacon Recruiting? 

What I love about Deacon is the never-ending learning and professional growth that the Organization fosters.  I also love the support and camaraderie between all of our Divisions.  I like to be a part of a winning team, and I love that fact that we all want each other to succeed.

What do you love best about your job? 

What I love about my role is consulting with our Client-Companies to solve hiring issues to find them the very best candidate match.  Improving the lives of both Clients and Candidates around our great City is what motivates me every day!

Cathi is a Director in Deacon’s Medical Division. The practice focuses on placing professionals in hospitals and clinics nationwide in Radiation Oncology, specifically Medical Physics, Dosimetry, and Radiation Therapy.

Cathi Mitchell Beecroft is the product of a military upbringing.  Her mother was in the United States Air Force which allowed the family to travel the world.  Cathi spent most of her formative years in Japan and the Philippines, moving to Texas in 1989.

Cathi started her career on the clinical side of healthcare then transitioned to a successful career in medical device sales.  She earned her Green Belt in Six Sigma during her tenure with GE Medical.

Cathi started in the Executive Search and Staffing Profession in 2006, joining Deacon in 2010.  Cathi has held significant positions while at Deacon, currently she is a Director with our Medical Division.  As a contributor on the Medical team, Cathi collaborates with client companies to identify solutions for their strategic talent needs.  Through her efforts in the community, she earned a seat on the San Antonio North Chamber Board of Directors in 2019 and served as the Executive Council Chair for Technology in 2020.  She continues to be an advocate for businesses and leaders.

Cathi considers herself very fortunate to have great friends and family with which to spend her free time.  She enjoys the outdoors in our beautiful South Texas area, listening to live music and experiencing the many cultural activities that are available.  Cathi is the proud Godmother of a beautiful 12 year old girl.  Cathi is married to the love of her life, Jeff, who she first met in High School in the Philippines.

What do you love best about working at Deacon Recruiting?

I love the continuous training and development that we do here at Deacon.  We have so many collective years of experience in our office and access to the best insight in our business.  We use that to our benefit when it comes to training.  Whether you are just getting started in recruiting or have a long history in the business, like me, you can find value in the T&D focus here at Deacon.  Not to mention, we have a ton of fun together!!

What do you love best about your job?

Hands down, it has to be helping people!!  My whole career, both in healthcare and recruiting, has been about that.  Moving jobs can be stressful, but it can also be life-changing for a person and those around them.  I can’t think of anything more rewarding than to help someone navigate to a better situation for them and their family.  I have the BEST job ever!!

Holly is the Senior Divisional Director of Deacon’s Medical Division. The Medical Division focuses on placing professionals in hospitals and clinics nationwide in Radiation Oncology, specifically Medical Physics, Dosimetry, and Radiation Therapy.

Born and raised in Danby, Vermont, Holly graduated from Southern New Hampshire University with a 3-Year Honors Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership. Holly celebrated 10-years with Deacon Recruiting in April of 2021.

Serving on almost every Division throughout her tenure at Deacon, her extensive experience in the Recruiting Profession ensures a high level of cultural and functional fit for each selected candidate for Deacon’s Client Companies.

Holly has been consistently recognized throughout her tenure at Deacon, including the 30 Day Club membership, Recognition of Excellence, Outstanding Accomplishment 2013 and multiple Top Quarterly and Top Monthly Performer recognitions.  Holly has also served multiple terms on Deacon’s Social Committee and is a founding Member of Deacon’s Book Club.

She believes in giving her time and supports the Greater Chamber’s Technology Council as well as serves as a founding member of the Medical Divisions efforts to support Radiation Oncology talent entering the market through Deacon’s – “Accelerate” Your Job Search – Entering the Job Market with Confidence webinar series.  She supports youth sports and is an active volunteer with the Greater Helotes Little League and the YMCA.

Holly lives in San Antonio with her husband, Bernie, and four children, Brianna, Hudson, Beckett and Gabriel.

What do you love best about working at Deacon Recruiting?    

The Deaconite Team is a group of high performing, fun and caring individuals.  It’s amazing to be surrounded by the best of the best, our group feels like a family.

What do you love best about your job? 

Watching the professionals we work with evolve and grow throughout their careers!

Phil is the Director in Deacon's Medical Division. The practice focuses on placing professionals in the hospitals and clinics nationwide in Radiation Oncology, specifically Medical Physics, Dosimetry, and Radiation Therapy.

Philip Darrah has been a professional Recruiter since 1997 and joined Deacon Recruiting in 2004 as a recruiter in the Medical Division. Over his tenure, Phil has transitioned from a Recruiter in the Medical Division to an IT Recruiter, and then returned to the Medical Division into his current role. Throughout his career at Deacon, Phil has earned numerous awards for Top Quarterly Performer, Top Monthly Performer, and Top Producer of the Year. Phil is also a 3-Time Deacon Consultant of the Year Award Winner and 4-Time Deacon Recognition of Excellence Award Winner. Additionally, he was recognized by the Texas Association of Personnel Consultants for Outstanding Achievements in 2005 in the Medical arena. Phil continues to be a top producer amongst his colleagues placing top tier candidates with Deacon's Client Companies. 

 Phil lives in San Antonio with his partner, Mary.

If you're looking for someone who speaks fluent Accounting and can tell you where to find the best live music south of Austin, meet Amanda Johnson! As a Director in the Accounting and Finance Division at Deacon Recruiting (proudly headquartered in San Antonio), Amanda has been connecting top-tier Accounting Professionals with career-changing opportunities since 2012.

Recruiter by day, arrowhead-hunter and live music enthusiast by weekend, Amanda brings more than just spreadsheets and job descriptions to the table—she brings heart, humor, and a Southern accent that’s as warm as a Texas summer.

Amanda lives in the beautiful town of New Braunfels, just minutes from the legendary Gruene Hall, where the music is always good and the vibes are even better. When she’s not matching candidates with their dream roles, she’s spending time with her five-year-old son, searching the Texas Hill Country for hidden arrowheads (and yes, she’s got quite the collection).

Her secret weapon? Truly getting to know people—who they are, what they value, and where they shine. She believes that finding the right fit isn’t just about the resume, it’s about the real person behind it. And she’s made it her mission to help those people thrive. She’s the recruiter who will remember your dog’s name, your favorite fishing spot, and exactly what kind of job lights you up. Because for Amanda, this isn’t just a career—it’s a calling. And she can’t imagine doing anything else.

What do you love best about working at Deacon Recruiting? 

I enjoy working with a team that is passionate about what they do each and every day. Deacon is a work hard/play hard environment, where we have the opportunity to change people’s lives and have fun doing it. I truly enjoy, building long and lasting relationships with both my candidates and clients.

What do you love best about your job? 

I love the challenge of finding people that are hard to reach or difficult to find, by being creative and thinking outside the box. I know the right person is out there, I just have to figure out how to find them and I bring on the challenge with open arms.

Suzanne Trainor is the Vice President of Accounting for Deacon and provides support for the internal staff.  Suzanne joined Deacon with twenty-seven years of experience in the accounting field.

Suzanne was raised in a military family and settled in San Antonio when her father retired from the Air Force.  Suzanne graduated from Texas Lutheran University with a BA in accounting in 1994 and went on to pursue her Certified Public Accountant license.  She has gained experience in public accounting and various industries throughout her career.

Suzanne has received various awards over the years for her dedication, hard work, contribution, and attention to detail.

Suzanne and her husband, Kevin, have been married seven years, and have a four-legged adopted child, a German Shephard named Champ, that keeps them busy.  She enjoys traveling and hiking with her husband, doing crafts, and volunteering at her church.

What do you love best about working at Deacon Recruiting?

Working with great people!

What do you love best about your job?

Helping others!

Lauren is thrilled to be back on the Operations Team at Deacon Recruiting as an Executive Administrator. A proud San Antonian, Lauren earned her degree from the University of Texas at Austin and began her career with Deacon Recruiting in 2011. She served as a Senior Operations team member for several years prior and is now back with the organization focused on supporting the Executive and implementing strategic initiatives, organizational development, and key operational priorities for the company. 

With two decades of communication, marketing and operations experience, Lauren has a thorough background with managing internal and external client services and has a passion for meeting and travel planning that she has loved utilizing at Deacon Recruiting.

Lauren and her husband Chris love experiencing all that life has to offer together whether it be through traveling, working out, cooking and spending time with family. Together they have two children, Blaire and Caeli, who are animal lovers and incredibly gifted girls. Also serving as a fitness instructor for the past 15 years, Lauren teaches all kinds of classes, but the heart of her work is the dance fitness community she has created and nurtured. Whether it’s how she serves others at Deacon or through her high-energy workouts, Lauren is all about creating a positive, empowering space where everyone feels motivated to reach their goals.

Kelly is a Talent Acquisition Specialist at Deacon Recruiting. With over seven years of experience in client-facing roles, she has built her career around developing strong relationships, fostering trust, and helping people navigate important professional decisions. Her path to talent acquisition was driven by a genuine desire to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.

Kelly values connection, communication, and integrity in every interaction. She is committed to creating a positive experience for both candidates and clients, understanding that every opportunity represents growth, purpose, and possibility.

In 2017, Kelly earned her Bachelor of Arts in Leadership Studies. She is passionate about helping individuals find opportunities where they can thrive while supporting organizations in building strong teams.

Outside of work, Kelly enjoys spending time with her husband, Mason, and their Chihuahua and cat. She also loves antiquing, reading, and creating art.