Silvana Mello is an HR and early talent specialist with over 15 years of experience across private industry, post-secondary education, and career development. Her work brings together talent acquisition, campus recruitment, employer engagement, and co-op education, with a consistent focus on strengthening the connection between education and the labour market. Her perspective was shaped early in her career through HR and talent acquisition roles in private industry, where she developed a strong understanding of workforce needs, recruitment strategy, and the value of connecting business leaders to the campus experience.
As an HRBP, she led national early talent hiring for undergraduate and graduate programs, partnering with universities and business leaders to attract and assess high-potential students. She later applied her HR expertise at the University of Toronto, working across career centres to deliver employer relations and career development services, particularly within the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering and the Management Co-op Program. There, she led co-op curriculum, supported student career development, and partnered with hundreds of employers, bringing labour market insights into classrooms and student experiences.
As Founder of Talent Balloon since 2019, an early talent recruitment and career development company, she continues her mission to connect employers and early talent through recruitment strategy, employer education, and career initiatives. Her work is driven by a passion for supporting students and advancing inclusive hiring, helping organizations attract and develop early career talent.