Lars Schmidt is the Senior Director of Talent Acquisition & Innovation at NPR where he is responsible for providing leadership and advocacy for talent acquisition strategies that align with NPR’s strategic mission and core values. Prior to NPR, Lars was the VP, Human Resources with Ticketmaster where he spent over seven years leading global talent initiatives. He previously held recruiting roles with a technical recruiting firm and several technology startups in Los Angeles.

Lars has over 14 years of recruiting and human resources experience across a broad range of industries including technology, web, media, non-profit, eCommerce and consulting. He’s a fierce HR advocate with a strong track record in leveraging innovative talent strategies to fuel proactive recruiting efforts and building, developing, and leading progressive teams across a variety of HR disciplines. He’s also the founder of Amplify Talent where he writes and speaks about talent and recruiting trends, social media, leadership, recruiting tools and technology; and the co-host of Career Hangout, a weekly show aimed at helping job seekers and professionals manage their careers. You can follow him on the following platforms: Amplify Talent, Twitter at @ThisIsLars, Facebook, and LinkedIn.