Nicole Magaddino, CPA
Founder
Nicole founded Propel Recruitment in 2017. Her perspective is rare: she’s been the candidate, the hiring manager, and the recruiter – which makes her unusually effective at translating what each side actually needs.
Her story
Before founding Propel Recruitment in 2017, Nicole built her career on both sides of the hiring conversation. She began in KPMG’s Assurance practice in San Francisco, where she spent nearly five years serving clients across industries, supervising audit engagements, and serving as a National Instructor. A Certified Public Accountant, Nicole holds a B.A. in Business Economics with an emphasis in Accounting from UC Santa Barbara.
After earning her CPA, Nicole found herself reflecting on what she enjoyed most about public accounting. The answer was clear: client service, relationship building, and understanding the needs of a business. Her own experience working with recruiters during her career transition also left an impression. The recruiters who stood out were not necessarily those who presented the most opportunities, but those who listened, understood what mattered to her, and approached her career with genuine thoughtfulness.
That experience ultimately led Nicole to recruiting, where she found a natural intersection between her financial background, business acumen, and passion for connecting with people. More than two decades later, she remains energized by the complexity of a search: understanding what a company truly needs, navigating a competitive market, identifying talent that may never apply to an open position, and advising both clients and candidates through important decisions.
Throughout her recruiting career, Nicole has been recognized as a top performer, including receiving a Chairman’s Award after ranking #7 worldwide. Yet the measure of success she values most is not an award or an individual placement. It is earning the trust to become a long-term resource to clients and candidates and seeing the lasting impact of a successful hire.
Community involvement is equally important to Nicole. She served eight years on the Board of Trustees of Episcopal Day School of St. Matthew, including four years as Board Chair, and previously served as President of the Day School Parents Association. Today, she serves on the board of Help a Mother Out (HAMO), remains involved with the Hillsborough Auxiliary to Peninsula Family Service, and volunteers alongside her son through the Young Men’s Service League (YMSL).
Outside of Propel, Nicole enjoys spending time with her family, cheering from the sidelines at her son’s sporting events, traveling, and reading biographies.