Patrice Hickson, director of talent acquisition for Permobil, focuses on expanding the global brand, improving hiring efficiencies, and sourcing top talent. Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, now residing in Nashville TN, Patrice earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration with a focus on human resources from Tennessee State University. She is passionate about helping individuals achieve their personal and professional goals while creating impactful, sustainable programs that add value.
Becoming Patrice
I grew up in St. Louis and went to Lindbergh High School, the home of the Flyers. When I was little, I remember attending my father’s work picnic at UPS and having the best time. I have fond memories of a big slide and water park.
When I was a child, I would borrow my mother’s clothing and have “fashion shows.” I would carry a briefcase and pretend to have meetings. I believe I was always meant to be a businesswoman, and I’m proud to be living out that dream today.
It was no surprise that I majored in business and human relations strategy at Tennessee State University. One of my fondest memories was joining my sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha. I continued my education after Tennessee State, receiving certificates in diversity, equity and inclusion and disruptive strategy at Cornell and Harvard.
I love understanding how to help people meet their full potential and challenge them to be great. I also love numbers and always thought I should have studied industrial engineering to combine my business smarts and people practices.
Fighting through a complex health history
After college, I started off as a recruiter in the hospitality industry. Then I worked my way up in a supply chain company, becoming director of talent acquisition there. I discovered Permobil through Nicki Mathews, who I currently work with in recruiting. She connected me with Jessica Largen, VP of people and culture in the Americas. I immediately fell in love with the culture and mission of the company after visiting our Nashville facility.
Permobil fit naturally into my goal of helping people elevate their careers. In my role, I lead the talent acquisition efforts in the Americas, which involves a lot of meetings and networking opportunities. I’ve also put more effort into how we brand our company, because I believe it’s a key to finding the best talent. I’ve been here since January, and working with amazing people and meeting people in the market has been extremely rewarding. I thoroughly enjoy coaching and mentoring employees to help them meet their full potential.
One of the most rewarding programs I’ve helped build is increasing end user hiring. Beyond that, I’ve enjoyed learning about the people of Permobil and our company culture. I’m happy to say that we’ve improved end user hiring by 50%, and I’ve also created training programs to foster a culture of end users.
Life outside work
I participate in a couple of other organizations outside of Permobil, including being a board member at the Mary Parrish Center, a women’s shelter, and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha.
Outside of my professional life, I enjoy traveling to places like Jamaica, Bali, and Mexico. I also love watching sports. I am a dedicated fan of the Georgia Bulldogs, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Los Angeles Lakers. I enjoy outdoor activities in the summer and game nights during the winter with family and friends. Cooking with my family is a highlight for me as well.
When I’m not traveling or cheering on my teams, I love spending time with my 14-year-old daughter, Layla. I am a proud “basketball mom” and puppy mom of Sir. Champion Bentley.
Rapid fire questions:
Favorite restaurant or place to order takeout food from?
M Street
What is your favorite season and why?
Fall because of my birthday and its beautiful
If you could have dinner with one person, dead or alive, who would it be?
Jesus, I’d like to understand the human will and why he gave it.
What is your favorite movie of all time?
Little Shop of Horror
Content Marketing Specialist - Permobil Americas
Before joining Permobil as content marketing specialist, Hawken was a content strategist for the nonprofit CureDuchenne, creating blogs, emails, and social media content for the Duchenne muscular dystrophy community. For most of his life before that, he worked as a journalist, writing feature stories for BioNews, and reporting on the video game beat for The Washington Post. Following his passion for writing, Hawken graduated from journalism school at the University of Southern California.