About elevarae

elevarae is more than a recruitment agency. We are strategic partners in growth, building bridges between exceptional talent and visionary organizations.

The Story

Across our careers, we’ve crossed paths with people from every background, different cultures, different experiences, different ambitions. And even with the variety, one truth always feels universal: we all want to grow in our careers while actually living our lives. We want to do work that matters, and still be present with the people and moments which matter most.

But somewhere along the way, the balance can start to slip.

Some organizations proudly say they’re “not a 9-to-5,” but forget, people have lives outside of their laptops. Some coworkers step away from roles they love simply to get back the time and space their families deserve.

We don’t believe you should have to choose between the two. We believe you should have room for both.

To us, real balance starts with feeling valued, trusted, and connected to the purpose behind your work. It’s understanding how your role creates impact and knowing you’re supported by an organization which communicates with clarity, empathy, and intention.

And this balance is a shared responsibility. Coworkers bring commitment, understanding, and ownership. Organizations bring transparency, trust, and a clear path forward.

At elevarae, we help build alignment from the start. We bring clarity to expectations, values, and communication, so both sides enter the relationship aligned, supported, and set up for success.

Because when people feel seen and organizations feel supported, everyone thrives. And that’s where meaningful careers, strong teams, and true balance begin.

Our Team

Swagata Buck

Swagata Buck

Talent Acquisition Strategy
& Solutions

Swagata is an international recruitment strategist with 30+ years of experience in IT and cross-industry talent acquisition across the U.S., India, Europe, and the Philippines. What sets her apart is not just her expertise in building strategic, end-to-end hiring solution but the depth of trust she has cultivated over more than five decades.

Her professional foundation is built on lifelong relationships spanning school, college, post-graduate studies, and decades of work. These enduring connections form a credible, personal referral ecosystem that strengthens every search. Instead of relying solely on traditional networking or sourcing channels, Swagata draws on trusted recommendations, firsthand insights, and long-standing professional goodwill resulting in talent that is both highly credible and carefully validated.

To further strengthen the quality of each search, Swagata works closely with a panel of reputed domain experts. These specialists provide functional and technical evaluation when organizations have concerns about domain depth, ensuring every candidate meets real-world expectations.

Her HR and talent experience spans manufacturing (energy, pharmaceuticals, engineering), IT, aviation operations, and technology. Over the course of her career, she has worked in international organizations such as PwC, Pfizer, and Smiths Interconnect, as well as in high-growth startups and small businesses.

With an international lens, multi-industry exposure, and a people-first philosophy, Swagata brings not just recruitment expertise but credibility, trust, and enduring human connections to every engagement.

Education & Certifications

  • Master’s in Personnel Management & Industrial Relations – Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai
  • LinkedIn Recruiter: AI-Powered Talent Acquisition (LinkedIn)
  • Predictive Index Certification (Lever Talent)
  • Human Experience Management (SAP)
  • People Analytics and Evidence-Based Management (SAP)
  • Global Professional in Human Resources (HRCI)
Connect on LinkedIn
Paul Buck

Paul Buck

Business Strategy
& Financial Management

Paul is an entrepreneur and educator who supports elevarae with business development, financial management, and strategic execution. With experience that blends business leadership and educational insight, he brings clarity, disciplined decision-making, and growth-focused structure to the firm.

His background spans entrepreneurship, operational leadership, and academic roles, enabling him to combine analytical rigor with a people-centered approach to organizational development.

Education

  • BSBA – Georgetown University
  • MsEd – University of Pennsylvania
Connect on LinkedIn
Melanie Burke

Melanie Burke

Consulting Director
Organization Effectiveness & HSE Strategy

Melanie is an accomplished business leader with more than 20 years of experience driving organizational excellence across employee health and safety, environmental management, security, operational effectiveness, and corporate leadership. Throughout her career, she has partnered with organizations to improve performance, strengthen compliance, enhance workplace culture, and implement sustainable business practices.

As a Director with Elevarae, Melanie brings a strategic perspective, a solutions-oriented mindset, and a passion for helping organizations achieve their goals. Her ability to balance big-picture thinking with practical execution enables clients to navigate challenges, optimize operations, and build stronger, more resilient teams.

Connect on LinkedIn
Joyce Palma

Joyce Palma

Talent Acquisition Consultant

Joyce is an experienced talent consultant with a deep understanding of recruitment operations, candidate engagement, and client partnership. She has worked closely with cross-functional teams across the U.S. and Asia, helping identify and place the right talent to meet business goals. Throughout her career, Joyce has contributed to talent initiatives at Accenture, Inc., iRely, and Applause Technology, Inc., gaining broad exposure to diverse industries and recruitment environments.

Known for her commitment to quality and relationship-building, Joyce brings empathy, focus, and professionalism to every search. At elevarae, she supports recruitment delivery and ensures that both clients and candidates experience a seamless and thoughtful process.

Education & Certifications

  • BS Travel and Tourism Management — Pamantasan Ng Lungsod Ng Maynila
  • AI-Powered Talent Acquisition (LinkedIn Recruiter)
  • Project Management Foundations (LinkedIn Recruiter)
  • Talent Management (LinkedIn Recruiter)
Connect on LinkedIn

International Network

US USA Flag

United States

IN India Flag

India

UK UK Flag

United Kingdom

PH Philippines Flag

Philippines

EU Europe Flag

Europe

MX Mexico Flag

Mexico

Professional Endorsements

"Swagata is a highly competent HR professional with a great deal of experience in attracting and retaining talents. She helped me through a recruitment project, and I have never had a smoother experience. She made me feel comfortable throughout the whole process and beyond. Her competence and experience were key to the success of the initiative. She puts a lot of passion in all that she does, and her positive approach and energy are inspiring. Not only she is a great professional, but she is also a caring person and a true pleasure to work with."

R

Roberta Rebora

"Although not working directly with Swagata, the talent acquisition she facilitated during her time at Smiths was appreciated by the sales and marketing team. We were able to source and recruit some highly talented individuals with her support who continue to have a significant impact on the business. Swagata also moved the corporate conversation forwards during divisional calls with insightful and considered questioning. Would be happy to recommend her."

B

Bruce Valentine

"Swagata is consummate HR professional with expertise in Talent Acquisition. While working with Swagata at Smiths, Swagata identified critical gaps in our TA process and identified viable solutions to fill the gaps and enhance the Talent Acquisition process for all involved: candidates, managers and HR. Swagata follows through on end to end solutions that add true value. Swagata is a team player able to work cross functionally and cross divisionally to deploy solutions that benefit the overall ambition of the company."

A

Anne Fuhrmann

"Swagata Buck, GPHR, is a knowledgeable HR professional and volunteer. I had the pleasure of working with Swagata in a volunteer capacity in 2016. As a GPHR credential holder, she demonstrates the highest level of professional competence by holding the gold standard in professional HR certifications. As a volunteer, she served with an elite group of HR professionals as a Subject Matter Expert in international human resources. She dedicated numerous hours of personal time and a high level of mental energy to her work. Her passion and understanding of the international HR field demonstrates her dedication to the ever evolving profession."

I

Inga Fong

"I had the pleasure of being recruited by Swagata for the position of Operations Manager at Southern Tea in 2021. Throughout the entire process, from the first interviews to my onboarding, my time within the company, and even during my transition to new opportunities, Swagata was incredibly supportive. She is dynamic, approachable, empathetic, and genuinely altruistic. I always felt guided and encouraged at every step, thanks to her attentive and caring approach. Swagata’s energy and kindness make her an exceptional professional and an invaluable support for anyone lucky enough to work with her."

M

Maïssa Laadhari

"I had the pleasure of collaborating with Swagata on several high visibility initiatives during her time with Smith's Interconnect. her magnetic personality and drive to influence and impact the business beyond her role responsibility was inspiring and contagious. I really enjoyed her personal care and engagement she put forth in everything she did. I'm convinced that her open mind and big picture view of the business needs would be valuable to a wide array of roles and businesses, but her particular human touch is what really sets her apart when strategizing, attracting and retaining talent."

J

Jedidiah Bentz

"Wow, she is a person and a pleasure to work with! I was recruited by Swagata and gained employment with Air Products through her company Data Core as a contractor. She is the upmost professional and a star at her job. She was always available to me when I needed her and she checked in with my from time to time. I would love to work with her again and I recommend her to all my colleges."

E

Eric Connelly

"I have had the privilege of working with Swagata twice and in one instance I was actually recruited by her. Swagata has always been seen as an enthusiastic, committed and a mature professional. She actually brought about a sea of change in the HR functions at PwC giving it the much required impetus as one of the key functions of an organization. Beyond work, Swagata is a friendly, warm, approachable and a humorous person. To sum it all.... An asset to any organization that she is in. I wish her success in life."

S

Subha Chatterjee