About Us
Our Team Works Relentlessly to Secure Elite Candidates
VivaHire’s Work Culture
INVESTMENT
We know the future of our agency depends on investing in the professional development of both our recruiters and clients. We take the time to invest in sincere, ethical contact with everyone involved in each step of the process.
WORK-LIFE BALANCE
We work diligently to create a fulfilling and flexible work culture because happy recruiters secure the best results for clients. Each search is assigned it’s own recruiter allowing for focused energy to find the perfect candidate.
TEAMWORK
On every search you get the time, singular focus, and an experienced industry recruiter backed by our entire team. Our tight-knit team pools its extensive operational knowledge to collectively recruit the perfect candidates.
TRANSPARENCY
We pride ourselves on clear, straightforward communication. There are no surprises regarding our recruitment process. Our clients recognize our commitment to being upfront—some of them have worked with us for more than a decade.
Meet the Owners
VivaHire is owned and managed by business partners Mike Tognotti and Bree Hendrick. Their expertise combines 20 years of Santa Barbara and Ventura recruiting experience, along with their extensive prior industry experience in healthcare, technology, and hospitality.
Mike TognOtti, co-Founder & Recruiter
Mike brings 18 years of Life Science and Diagnostic Sales and Marketing experience by having worked at Illumina, CombiMatrix, QIAGEN, and Fisher Scientific. After receiving his Bachelor of Science degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Arizona, he worked in research at Genentech.
Mike is on the Board of Advisors at Active Life Scientific and the Board of Managers at the Montecito YMCA, and the Development Committee at the William Sansum Diabetes Center. Mike lives in Santa Barbara, CA with his wife and three children. His hobbies include surfing, golf, running, hiking, and mountain biking.
Bree Hendrick, co-founder & Recruiter
Bree specializes in recruiting for the technology, health, and hospitality industries. At the start of her career, Bree worked in the luxury hotel and resort industry, recruiting for properties such as the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa and Carmel Valley Ranch. She gained extensive expertise in recruitment strategies and human resources before transitioning to executive search.
Bree holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Law & Society from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She lives in Ventura, CA with her son. Her hobbies include running, yoga and traveling.