Heristic is a talent management consulting firm for growth-stage organizations. We guide our clients in building scalable and sustainable talent acquisition and talent management strategies through a lens of Action, Belonging, Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity (ABIDE). In practice, this looks like working with growth stage organizations of all types to develop custom solutions for People Operations, Talent Acquisition and Onboarding, and Diversity, Equity and Belonging (DEI) initiatives and strategic planning. Heristic is dedicated to planting seeds of inclusion to dismantle systems of bias across the employee lifecycle.
heristic was conceptualized in 2020 at the height of the summer of social justice. As career-long recruiters and talent management leaders, co-founders Mercedes & Kristin were determined to use their passion and expertise to be on the front lines building the future of work that works for all.
Leaning into their core drivers to uplift historically marginalized people with intentionality, they help scale organizations from founding teams to full-scale operations as internal talent management strategists in People Ops, building and growing talent programs and organizational culture from within.
Today, you'll find them working with growth-stage companies & nonprofits to build inclusion into the bones of their organizations and dismantle systems of bias anywhere they find it.
Ensure a better existence for all on this planet by campaigning for a future of work that everyone can contribute to.
Be Intentional
Be Courageous
Be Generous
Be Future-Forward
Kristin
CoFounder, Strategy Advisor
Mercedes
CoFounder, Talent Advisor
Kristin Bonds (she/her/ella) has a long history of recruiting and building Talent Acquisition infrastructure inside organizations of all sizes, and now she most enjoys helping startups create efficient talent programs that build inclusion into the bones of organizations from day one. Her longtime activism and community work serves as her guide in advising companies on inclusive strategies that will make a tangible difference in the communities they intend to serve. She believes that with intention, we can reach the future of work where inclusive, fulfilling practices of belonging are normalized and everywhere. Kristin lives in Austin, TX, where she catches live music a few times a week, enjoys the incredible food scene, and plays D&D.
Mercedes Ballard (she/her) is a Talent Management specialist with a successful track record in talent acquisition and culture. Mercedes specializes in talent management programs and technologies that showcase holistic employee engagement strategies that lead to high-performing, agile, happy organizations. As a tenured Talent Management professional, Mercedes is motivated to inspire individuals to master connection with others and their own purpose. This philosophy has guided Mercedes through her career and ultimately to Co-Found heristic, a consulting firm dedicated to helping growth stage companies build inclusive and scalable talent strategies. Mercedes lives in Philadelphia where she can be found dancing to all kinds of music and enjoying the high caliber of dining options available in the city.