David Barner

I build talent systems, communities, and recruiting engines for companies that care deeply about quality, creativity, and the people behind the work.After 18+ years in talent across agencies, brands, startups, and high-growth creative businesses, I’ve learned that great hiring is never just about filling roles. It’s about building trust, creating clarity, spotting potential, and designing the kind of experience that makes people want to do their best work.Today, I lead Talent at Taste, an AI company building the human taste layer for the next generation of creative technology. My work sits at the intersection of recruiting, community, operations, expert experience, and scale. I help build the systems, processes, and talent networks that allow exceptional creative and technical people to contribute meaningfully to the future of AI.Before Taste, I led and built recruiting functions across advertising, design, media, and tech, including global talent work at Grey Group and consulting with fast-moving creative companies. I’ve hired hundreds of people, built teams and processes from scratch, partnered with founders and executives, coached candidates through major career moves, and helped organizations grow without losing the human part.I care a lot about doing things the right way: with taste, integrity, humor, empathy, high standards, and a genuine belief that people remember how you made them feel.Currently based between Buffalo and San Francisco as I relocate west for this next chapter.