Elena Valentine

Ever felt disenchanted with the job-seeking/hiring process? Elena Valentine is changing the recruitment game through her company, Skill Scout, which works with local workforce agencies and companies to bring job descriptions and resumes to life through a hands-on, multimedia approach. The result: Candidates (often of populations that face many barriers to employment) and employers can better showcase what they have to offer, which leads to greater job placement.

Elena's passion for this enterprise has its roots in helping people to tell their stories. She can often be seen with a video camera in hand, and through her volunteer work as junior board chair of the Chicago Media Project, she is inspiring the next generation of social documentary filmmakers to transform philanthropy by finding and telling the stories of organizations and influencers making a positive social difference it the community.

Age:

31

Primary gig:

Co-founder and CEO of Skill Scout

On the side:

I film bar/bat mitzvahs. I’m in my happy place when I’m capturing the Hora or “Turn Down for What” … I’m not picky.

Relationship status:

Happily married to my 11-year-old school crush. And he is still as handsome as ever – without the bowl cut.

Describe yourself in 10 words or less:

Jewish Filipina pursuing life's mission to change the hiring process

Something most people don’t know about me:

My senior thesis in college was on “Kosher Hip Hop: The Relationship Between Musical Performance and American Jewish Identity.”

How do you Jew in Chicago?

In West Rogers Park born and raised. On the playground is where I spent most of my days. Literally. Never thought I would appreciate growing up in the epicenter of Chicago Jewishness until I got older. My father grew up on the same street a few blocks away. I don't just “Jew in Chicago” I'm a “Jew from Chicago” and proud of it.