Skip page header and navigation

40 Under 40

The 40 Under 40 honors the rising stars making their mark on the workforce solutions ecosystem.

2024 40 Under 40

Samantha Holt

Senior Director, Talent Acquisition and Employee Success | Cross Country

honoree profile

When Cross Country made the move to remote working amid the pandemic, Samantha Holt spotted an opportunity. The company’s senior director of talent acquisition and employee success spearheaded an initiative called Cross Country University. The aim? To move the company away from siloed, divisional training and introduce an organization-wide learning program for new hires.

It was a complex project with several moving parts, from securing the buy-in of the company’s CEO and divisional leaders to planning all the program’s video-led content and coordinating filming. Now embedded within the onboarding process, Cross Country University provides every new hire in the US with the same comprehensive introduction to the company.

Holt points out that the benefits of the initiative go far beyond basic employee education: “It really helps make sure employees are knowledgeable across lines, especially when it comes to referrals,” she points out. 

Holt’s route into staffing was varied, having held roles in finance, marketing and academic publishing. After initially applying to Cross Country for a role in marketing, Holt joined the company in 2019. Today, she is responsible for talent acquisition, reputation management and employee success. “I really enjoy helping people,” Holt says, noting that she’s driven by “making somebody’s day a little easier by knowing they can come to me and ask me questions.”

As for the future, Holt plans to continue her professional development by studying for SHRM-SCP certification. She also looks forward to rolling out Cross Country University to the company’s offshore team in India. “It’s extremely exciting to see the program grow,” she shares.