CEO Works | How to Attract, Grow, and Retain Talent in Santa Cruz County

Santa Cruz County’s economic future depends not just on attracting talent, but on employers’ ability to develop, support, and retain the young professionals who want to build their lives and careers here. In this talk, Candice Elliott, Vice President of People and Culture at Unraid and Founder at Fortress and Flourish HR Strategy, draws on her experience advising innovative organizations to explore why recruiting local talent is a smart business strategy, what young professionals actually need to succeed at work, and where employers often unintentionally create barriers to retention. Designed for CEOs and senior leaders, the session offers practical, realistic insights on how to cultivate work environments where both employers and employees thrive while strengthening the local workforce and economy. Also learn about how Santa Cruz Works, Digital NEST, and the City of Santa Cruz are providing local Santa Cruz businesses with fully paid internships.

About the Presenter

I’m Candice Elliott, VP of People & Culture at Lime Technology (makers of Unraid OS), speaker, and founder of Fortress & Flourish.
I partner with visionary leaders to design equitable, human-centered workplaces by reimagining the systems that shape how we hire, manage, and grow. My work brings together strategy, culture, and care to create organizations where people and purpose thrive.
As a mother of two transformed by matrescence, I also write about motherhood, power, and identity in my Substack Witchy Mom and on candiceelliott.com. My perspective is rooted in regenerative business, sovereignty, and our relationship with the more-than-human world.
I believe that the way we work can heal and I’m here to help build what comes next.

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Host or Publisher Santa Cruz Works