about us
Your Talent Landscape Pathfinders
We guide clients through the complexities of the talent landscape—aligning the right leader to the right role, at the right time. By uncovering overlooked traits and experiences, we deliver candidates who not only fit but also solve critical business challenges.
Michael Mitchel
FOUNDER
Michael Mitchel founded OC National Search in 2001, leading national executive searches for Director through C-suite roles across venture-backed startups, middle-market private equity portfolios, and Global F50 enterprises. Every engagement receives the same white-glove attention for both clients and candidates.
He serves as a Board Member for ACG Denver supporting C-suite and thought-leadership events, co-hosts Veterans in the C-Suite with JPMorgan Chase, and hosts the CXO Conversations podcast, interviewing senior executives on leadership, growth, and enterprise transformation.
Michael completed Cornell’s Advanced Program for Executive Search, holds an Executive Education Certificate from Wharton, and is Hogan Assessment Certified.
He began his recruiting career in 1997 at United Parcel Service, using creative methods that were new to the industry. He went on to recruit classified national security roles globally for federal agencies and contractors before leading the recruiting function for a boutique IT consultancy. Michael’s passion is treating executive search as a craft—helping clients solve business challenges by aligning the right leaders to the right opportunities.
Veteran Leadership & Community Impact
Michael Mitchel began his service in the U.S. Navy while still in high school, later serving on the USS Midway, Yokosuka, Japan and at NAS Moffett Field, CA and NAS Whidbey Island, WA as an aircraft mechanic.
In 2002, he joined the historic Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1, ultimately serving as Executive Director from 2013–2016. During his tenure, the 116-year-old organization was transformed from homelessness to “Small Nonprofit of the Year” within 18 months. Additionally new programs were launched for the arts, elder mobility, and peer-to-peer support for veterans across Colorado. VFW Post 1 drew national media coverage, including a front-page feature in The New York Times.
In 2022, Michael founded Leadership Veteran, a nonprofit accelerator providing training in governance, fundraising, financial planning, and strategic growth for veteran-serving organizations (VSOs). Since launch, 43 VSOs have completed the program, securing over $500,000 in funding, launching a new clinic serving 1,500 veterans in its first six months, and strengthening collaboration statewide.
Michael has led fundraising efforts worth $3M for veteran initiatives, including leading the $2.2M Veteran Community Center Capital Campaign in 2022.
Research
Renowned for speed and precision, she averages less than 14 days from search launch to submittal of six qualified candidates per engagement.
Angie excels at going beyond stated requirements to uncover the true hiring need, ensuring each search delivers not only the right talent but also skills and experiences clients didn’t realize they needed—consistently exceeding expectations across multiple concurrent projects.
Beyond search, Angie serves as a grant writer for Leadership Veteran and advises university students on personal brand management, including resumes and LinkedIn strategy, drawing on her expertise as a Certified Professional Résumé Writer (CPRW) to prepare them for career success.
Diego Bonilla
Podcast Engineer
Diego Bonilla produces the CXO Conversations Podcast and supports search assignments with podcast-style candidate presentations that bring the client’s opportunity to life for prospective candidates, delivering professional, engaging audio content for both thought leadership and recruiting.
Executive assistant
Mindy Fennelly brings extensive experience supporting executive leadership teams at companies including Service Source, Netlink, and Stream/Convergys. Known for her professionalism and organizational expertise, she ensures seamless operations and executive support across fast-paced, high-growth environments.
Samantha Hunter
Digital Director
Samantha Hunter brings extensive digital expertise for companies such as Microsoft and Komatsu and now leads OC National Search’s digital GTM strategy and deliverables. She oversees the firm’s digital presence, search marketing strategy, and online engagement initiatives, ensuring OCNS stays at the forefront of digital innovation and client outreach.
Researcher
Sumit Gaigawali supports candidate and market research for OC National Search, reporting to the Director of Research, Talent Sourcing & Operations. He contributes to sourcing strategies and market insights that help deliver high-quality leadership candidates.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
At OC National Search, we recognize the power of diverse voices and perspectives. These ideals are fundamental to our values and culture, shaping how we build innovative, high-performing teams. As an executive search consultancy, we are committed to inclusive practices—listening, learning, and fostering a process that ensures every search strengthens leadership through diversity.