Our Team
Jack Manning noticed a glaring flaw in the job-placement industry. Many firms were more concerned with quickly filling a position for their clients rather than finding a candidate who fits perfectly the client’s needs. Having worked with job recruiters as both a client and job candidate, he saw an opportunity to be the solution to this challenge. He founded Manning Personnel Group in 1992.
Prior to starting the company, Jack had a career in finance at Johnson & Johnson followed by the Gillette Company. In 1986, he moved first as a partner for a national accounting & finance recruiting firm and then with KPMG’s Boston office as a Manager in their Executive Recruiting practice. All of these valuable experiences that helped Jack form his vision for MPG.
Jack is a graduate of Villanova University and has taken advanced tax courses at Bentley College. He is a board member with the New England Center and Home for Veterans, he chairs their Nominating Committee and sits on their Audit Committee as well. He also chairs the Finance Committee for Old Colony Hospice and is a member of the Personnel Board for the town of Hingham, MA.
Kelly Manning – Executive Vice President 
In her role as Executive Vice President, Kelly oversees day-to-day operations of the firm’s temporary job placement contracts, which she created at MPG in 2002. She is also a client-services expert, helping other MPG team members gain the skills needed to provide the best service possible.
In her 20+ years of experience in the field, Kelly has built a client network ranging from pre-IPO startups to Fortune 500 companies. She has worked with and developed an expertise in assisting companies in industries such as health and life science, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, technology and financial services.
Prior to joining the family business, Kelly worked with an administrative recruiting firm in Boston. She is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of University of Massachusetts at Boston, where she double-majored in psychology and sociology, and she is a graduate of Notre Dame Academy in Hingham.
Kerri is a marketing/recruiting/accounting/finance/just-about-everything whiz for MPG. She joined our team in the early 2000’s after graduating from Westfield State College with a major in Business Management. Before she started at MPG, she developed an extensive client network as a sales manager with a national retail/manufacturing organization. She’s a natural at client-relationship building, plus knows the ins and outs of matching job candidates with the right positions thanks to 10+ years of recruiting experience.
She recently became a member of the Boston Women in Finance group. She lives in Cambridge with her husband, Jay, daughter, Ella and son Rowan.
Mary Manning – Vice President & Treasurer
Mary came to MPG after building an impressive resume in the arts. She is classically trained and graduated from the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, D.C. She went on to earn a theatre and dance degree from Providence College. After dancing with the Boston Ballet and Fusionworks Dance Company in Rhode Island, she transitioned to a career in recruiting. Mary has developed a significant outreach program with the Boston artistic community and sits on the Board of Directors of Fusionworks Dance Company of Rhode Island.
Colleen Manning – Vice President
Colleen brings nearly a decade of talent acquisition experience to her role. She has built a career-long reputation for relentlessly sourcing and attracting talent for job seekers and employers across a variety of industries and disciplines.
She is responsible for all search activities at Manning Personnel Group, from entry level to the C-suite. Colleen enjoys preparing candidates for interviews, helping them with networking and showcasing their talents during the hiring process.
Prior to joining MPG, she spent five years in the television industry. Most recently, she was the morning anchor at the ABC affiliate in Springfield, MA. Colleen earned a B.A. in Communications from the Catholic University of America, where she was a member of the Lady Cardinals basketball team. She is also a graduate of Notre Dame Academy. Colleen lives in Hingham with her husband, Tom, their son, Liam, and daughter, Gabriella.
Timothy Manning – Vice President
Tim worked in politics and management consulting before he joined the family business. In his role as a Senior Recruiter, Tim uses a personalized approach to help candidates with their job searches. He enjoys interacting with each individual to find out which type of position will allow them to thrive.
Tim is an avid Boston sports fan and also enjoys volunteering with the Missionaries of Charity. He received a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in history from Boston College. He lives on the South Shore with his wife, Jennifer, and their two sons.
Dan Fitzpatrick – Senior Manager
Dan joined Manning 2018 as a Senior Recruiter. Prior to joining the team Dan managed multiple restaurants in one of Boston’s leading restaurant groups. Here, he was able to hone the skills of communication, leadership, and customer service. Dan was responsible for recruiting, hiring, and on-boarding new staff in each of the restaurants. Dan thrives working in a fast-paced environment.
Dan grew up in Newton, MA. He attended Saint Michael’s College in 2016 majoring in Business Administration.
Helen Barna – Senior Recruiter
Helen joined Manning Personnel Group as a Senior Recruiter in 2022. Prior to her time at Manning, Helen worked as a Mortgage Originator in a fast-paced sales environment, honing her problem-solving abilities and her aptitude for connecting on a personal level with candidates. Helen graduated from Cornell University with a bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Labor Relations, where she worked as a Senior Hiring Manager for Cornell’s Visitor Relations team.
Helen lives in Maine and spends much of her time in Massachusetts with her family in Amherst, and her work family in Boston. She loves traveling and exploring the outdoors.
Ellie started her career with Manning in 2011, after graduating from Lehigh University. She learned how to recruit, develop relationships, and find talent from the Mannings for 6 years, until life moved her to Pennsylvania. She then started a career in industry, where she worked in non-profit/government defense, SaaS, and AV companies doing recruiting and process/candidate experience improvement. The shift in ability to work from home allowed Ellie to wholeheartedly return to Manning in 2023, where she has since been right back at it, finding top talent for our clients.
Ellie lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, Nowell, and two boys, Harrison and Rowan, as well as two boisterous dogs, Coda and Arlo (they are often the star of many Zoom calls!). Ellie is passionate about connecting people with amazing opportunities in the Greater Boston Area, and really working to understand her candidates to find the best fit. Ellie prides herself on the relationships she creates, and her time both in industry and agency has allowed her insight into the process from both sides. She works diligently to help candidates bring their best selves into interviews, and help them land their dream roles.
Krista Sisson – Senior Recruiter
Krista returned to Manning as a Talent Acquisition Analyst. She has moved back from Vermont, where she raised her family, coached basketball, and ran a Community Based Mentoring program at the largest High School in the state.
Prior to being a Recruiter and living in Vermont, Krista graduated from Canisius College with a degree in Psychology and Sports Psychology. She was also a member of the Women’s Basketball team.
Krista currently lives on the South Coast with her husband and 2 daughters.
Albert Hessberg – Director, Recruiting and Client Development
Albert grew up in Albany, NY and graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in sociology in 2010. Albert moved to Boston in 2011 and before joining MPG in 2019, he worked at a publicly traded software company where he specialized in project management and was responsible for all Subcontractors in North America. His experience in client services, management, and working in a fast paced team oriented environment prepared him well for his current role. His ability to connect with people on a personal level helps with candidate and client relationships.
Albert currently lives on the South Shore with his wife Caroline and their dog Farley. In the warmer months he can found on the beach fishing at sunrise.
Kathryn Ciullo – Director of People Operations
Kate’s journey with Manning started in 2012. From originally being placed as a candidate, to then working internally – Kate has worn many hats at Manning and has over ten years of collective HR experience in both the public and private sector. Kate recently took time off from Manning to have her first child and is now back as the Director of People Operations. Kate focuses on talent acquisition, employee engagement and the operational needs of the organization. She is also well versed in full cycle recruiting and client development.
Kate holds a MS in Communications with a concentration in HR Management from Northeastern University and a BS in Business from Bridgewater State University. In her spare time, she is a musical theater performer, yoga practitioner/teacher and is an avid traveler, having visited over 30 countries. She lives with her partner, Adam, and their son and dog who love to go for walks and frequent farmer’s markets.
Alexa Bourque – Talent Acquisition Manager & HR Generalist
Alexa started working at MPG in November, 2016, as an Administrative Assistant. We quickly discovered she had a knack for sourcing new candidates, and within her first year, promoted her to Talent Acquisition Analyst. A critical member of the team, Alexa helps the recruiters find exceptional talent in the Boston area. She also plays an important role with our digital media.
Alexa is a graduate of Bates College in Lewiston, ME, where she earned her degree in Psychology. As a retired member of the Varsity Field Hockey Team, Alexa is always a team-player and utilizes her competitive nature in her work.
Alexa currently lives in the North End and enjoys spending her free time exploring Boston. A Rhode Islander at heart, she can often be found visiting her family in Providence and Westerly, as well.
Anna Van Patten – Senior Talent Acquisition Analyst/Marketing & Social Media Strategist
Originally from Upstate New York, Anna moved to California where she attended Santa Clara University. She graduated with a degree in Environmental Science and began working in the non-profit sector at a Wildlife Rehabilitation Center as the Volunteer and Outreach Manager. She learned to wear many hats and especially enjoyed managing volunteers and the varied communications needs of the Center. Anna relocated from California to Boston, joining Manning Personnel Group in November 2019 as a Talent Acquisition Analyst.
Anna is currently living in the Back Bay area. She enjoys backpacking, camping and exploring New England with her 2 dogs and a cat (all rescues).
Patricia Eastman – Assistant Controller
Tricia joined Manning in October 2021 as the Assistant Controller. She brings a variety of accounting experience including public (audit, tax, and forensic), private, and non-profit. Tricia’s background gives her a unique perspective and is a welcome addition to the Accounting team.
Tricia graduated from Merrimack College with a B.S.in Accounting. She is also a graduate of Notre Dame Academy, Hingham. As a South Shore native, Tricia lived in California briefly, but is happily enjoying the existence of all 4 seasons in New England and being within driving distance of family once again.
Sheila Lynch – Operations Associate/Talent Acquisition Analyst
Sheila joined Manning in early spring of 2023 as an operations associate and talent acquisition analyst. She graduated from UMass Amherst where she double majored in Communications and Spanish. After college she worked as an account manager for EF Education First and later began to explore the HR world when she worked as a Human Resources Coordinator for New England’s largest network of physical therapy and chiropractic clinics.
Sheila enjoys traveling in her free time, and being active outdoors often frequenting the cape which is a short drive from where she currently resides on the south shore.
Richard Bagge – Chief Financial Officer
Rich joined Manning Personnel Group in January of 2016 as the Chief Financial Officer. He oversees all aspects of the finance, accounting, IT, and administration for the firm.
Prior to joining Manning Personnel, he was the Chief Financial Officer for Hearthstone Partners, the Boston area franchisee for Cosi. As CFO, Rich oversaw finance, accounting, human resources, information technology, and real estate for all 14 restaurants.
Rich enjoys volunteering at Hill House where he coaches inner city children. He also sits on the Alumni Board at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, and on the Board of Directors for the Fort Point Arts Community.
Rich graduated from University of Massachusetts with a B.A. in Political Science and Government.