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Meet Natasha Makovora, Artemis’ newest Executive Recruitment Associate and someone who’s built her career around understanding what truly makes people want to join, stay, and thrive.
Before joining Artemis, Natasha spent years helping companies define their employer brands - the stories, values, and experiences that shape how people feel at work. “It’s not so different from any other kind of branding,” she says. “Your culture is your product. When people love it, they naturally become your biggest advocates.” Through her work with Equitable, Blu Ivy Group, and The Employer Brand Shop, she’s helped teams at Skywatch, Q4, and Sephora uncover the “secret sauce” that sets them apart - the parts of culture that can’t be copied.
Now, Natasha brings that same curiosity and storytelling lens to executive search. “People think headhunting is all wining and dining, but it’s really about solving puzzles,” she laughs. “It’s research, insight, and matching - finding that one person who’s the perfect fit.” For her, it’s simply a new way to explore what she’s always been drawn to: the connection between people and purpose, and how the right match can build something lasting.
When Natasha looks back on the start of her career, tech wasn’t even on her radar. “I went to school for Recreation and Sport Business,” she says. “I thought I’d work in the public or not-for-profit sector, maybe something like MLSE. It felt fun and exciting.” But after a few years, she realized it wasn’t quite the right fit. She found herself drawn instead to faster-paced, more ambiguous environments - places where creativity and curiosity were valued over rigid rules. “I’ve never liked too much structure,” she laughs. “I like operating in the grey, and that’s exactly where tech lives.”
If she could give her younger self one piece of advice, it would be simple: say yes. “You don’t need to have it all figured out,” she says. “Be curious, stay open, and try new things. When I was 17 or 20, I never would’ve guessed this is where I’d end up, but every yes led me somewhere important.”
Early in her career, Natasha faced what she now calls a defining moment - realizing her values didn’t align with the company she was working for. “When you’re young, you think about titles and money,” she says. “But there were moments where I felt, to my core, that something didn’t sit right. That experience changed everything for me. It made me intentional about who I work for and with, and gave me the confidence to operate from my values, even when it’s uncomfortable.”
She describes herself as a “people pleaser to the core,” so holding firm in those moments wasn’t easy. But that experience taught her that alignment matters more than approval. “My career has never been linear,” she says. “It’s gone from sport, to Learning and Development, to HR, to talent, to employer branding, and now to recruitment. And I’m okay with that, because every pivot came from following my gut. I really believe one door closes so another can open.”
Natasha laughs when asked about belonging at work. “I’m kind of the personality hire,” she says. “I’ll force you to be my friend - we will find common ground on something.” But beneath the humour is a deeper truth: she’s always believed in creating connection wherever she goes. One of her most formative experiences was her first job out of school, working in Student Success at the University of Waterloo. “It was an incredible office, and my manager, Pam Charbonneau, really set the tone,” Natasha recalls. “She modeled the kind of leadership I still admire - high-performing but grounded, confident about boundaries. The mix of excellence, trust, and humanity in that workplace set a lasting example of what belonging can look like.”
When it comes to her own style, Natasha describes herself as collaborative, action-oriented, and comfortable with ambiguity. “I love building consensus and finding a shared path forward, but once we have it, I’m ready to move,” she says. “I’m drawn to the unknowns, the grey areas. The problems that make you say, ‘I don’t even know where to start,’ those are the ones that excite me most.”
If Natasha could invent one piece of tech, it would come straight out of a late-90s movie. “You know that scene in Clueless where Cher scrolls through her closet on a computer? I want that, but for everything,” she laughs. “Not just outfits, but my home. I’m a new homeowner, and I wish I could just say, ‘I want to change my couch today,’ and have a machine create exactly what I’m picturing.”
When it comes to the broader shifts in tech, Natasha is fascinated by how AI could evolve beyond the current phase of “slop”. “Right now, it feels like we’re all producing and consuming the same things,” she says. “But I think AI will actually push us toward more individuality and self-expression. Imagine being able to design the exact thing you want - a space, an outfit, an idea - without needing the technical skill to make it real. It democratizes creativity.”
As for her own legacy, Natasha hopes her impact will be felt in how people experience work. “Most of us will spend decades working,” she says. “That’s a huge part of our lives. I want those experiences to be positive - to help people find the environments where they can thrive, feel good, and build their own legacies too.”
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Founded by Kristina McDougall in 2013, Artemis has grown to become Canada’s most trusted boutique executive search firm for startups.
We recognize that our work takes place on the traditional lands of the Attawandaron, Anishinaabeg, Haudenosaunee, and Mississaugas of the Credit. We honour Indigenous stewardship and commit to embedding reconciliation into our work, holding ourselves and our clients accountable.
