Executive Team
Sean co-founded the Axel Group in August of 2017 with his childhood friend turned business partner, Len Forsyth. Six years prior, Sean was a rising star at one of the top global recruiting and staffing agencies. During his tenure there, he was promoted from recruiting trainee to recruiter, then ultimately to account manager. His ascent was not surprising. Sean won multiple sales contests, promoted multiple direct reports, and facilitated recruitment and sales training for the local, regional and corporate offices. Though Sean has won multiple individual achievement awards -- including being named to NJBIZ's acclaimed 40 under 40 list -- the accomplishment he’s most proud of was when The Axel Group was named to NJBIZ Best Places to work list, coming in ranked at #5 in 2020 and #3 in 2021.
But Sean has always been a team player - even as far back as college where he was a member of the Rutgers wrestling team. Humble brag alert: not only did the team finish Number 22 and Number 9 in the USA Today Coaches poll, Sean was the wrestling representative on the SAAC and was the athletic representative on the university-wide student government. Simply put, Sean has been leading since before he stepped foot into the working world.
When Sean isn't working or spending time with his family, he spends his free time volunteering and giving back to the community. Sean now coaches wrestling at Shore Regional High School and mentors kids to prepare them for college athletics and life-beyond. He also volunteers his time coaching the local youth program, and for 10 years from 2009-2019, was the voice of Rutgers Wrestling serving as a color commentator through Rutgers Athletics’ internet television network having called matches that have been aired on the Big Ten Network, BTN2GO, FLOwrestling, and Fox College Sports.
Sean has been married to his high-school sweetheart Molly since 2014. They live in Tinton Falls, NJ where they are raising two children, Axel and Lola — who despite their tender ages, are excelling at their daily mat drills.
Sean DeDeyn
Managing Partner
Len Forsyth, along with his partner Sean DeDeyn, founded The Axel Group in 2017. Len serves as the company’s Chief Operating Officer overseeing business support, accounting, financial planning/analysis, treasury and tax.
Len began his career in New York City in public accounting with the firm, BDO. There he worked and gained tremendous experience within their audit practice, spending the majority of his time auditing large publicly traded retail companies.
Len made his transition to the corporate side when he joined Commvault (NASDAQ: CVLT), a publicly traded software company headquartered in Tinton Falls, NJ. Over the next 7 years Len held various finance leadership roles at the company where his responsibilities ranged from SEC reporting, FP&A and the day-to-day global accounting operations.
Len graduated Cum Laude from West Virginia University with a BSBA in Accounting. He is licensed as a CPA in New York State.
Len and his wife Kristen have two children, Logan and Aria. When Len isn’t spending time at the beach with his family, he can usually be found at the gym or mountain biking at Allaire State Park and other local trails
Len Forsyth
Partner & COO
Business Development Leadership
Joe joined The Axel Group in August 2017. After establishing himself as the top producing recruiter in the office for 2018 and 2019, Joe was promoted to Business Development Manager in 2020 and is currently one of our leading Business Development Managers. Joe is responsible for developing and maintaining strong relationships with our clients as well as generating business in the Architecture, Engineering, Environmental and Construction industries throughout South Jersey and the Greater Philadelphia market. Joe has been an integral part of our growth and has established himself as a leader since our first day in business.
Joe and his wife Spencer have two beautiful children, Noah and Greyson. They currently reside in Manahawkin and love spending time in LBI. You can usually catch Joe and Spencer hanging out in Beach Haven with their kids on the weekends.
Joe Meyer
Director, Business Development
Mike joined the Axel group in October 2019 as a Business Development Manager, his responsibilities lie in identifying and managing his clientele in the AEC industries throughout Eastern Pennsylvania. Since joining the team Mike has played a pivotal role in the growth and development of The Axel Group’s rapidly growing business.
Mike graduated from Rutgers University in 2014 and began his career at a top international recruiting firm focusing on the Science and Engineering divisions where he was soon promoted into a Business Development role and successfully managed a team of recruiters of his own. Although successful he saw an opportunity with The Axel Group he could not pass up.
Mike likes spending his free time playing soccer and going to see live music at local venues with his fiancé, Cassie.
Mike Zinberg
Director, Business Development
Conner joined The Axel Group in August 2017. Though he was hired as a recruiter, he established himself as a leader early on and was soon promoted to The Axel Group’s Recruiting Manager in January 2018.
Conner graduated from Millersville University of Pennsylvania in 2013 with a degree in Business Management. Soon after, he began his career in New Jersey at a global staffing firm where he spent 18 months as a recruiter on the contract engineering services team. In just his first year, he was named the Recruiter of the Year and was subsequently promoted into an account management role where he led a team focusing on business development in and around Central NJ.
In early 2016, Conner relocated from New Jersey to Philadelphia where he continued to work in Human Resources for Comcast’s Talent Acquisition team. But his home state came calling, as did the opportunity at The Axel Group, and he soon moved back to the Garden State.
Conner currently calls West Long Branch, NJ home. When he’s not checking out the local music scene, you’ll more than likely find him surfing at one of the various breaks along the Jersey Shore.
Conner Hogrebe
Director of Recruiting
Drew joined The Axel Group in January 2019 as a Business Development Manager. Prior to joining The Axel Group, Drew began his career with a global staffing firm where he was a recruiter for three years, but when an opportunity to move over to The Axel Group presented itself, he loved the idea of working for a local, specialized firm so he jumped at it and hasn’t looked back since.
As a Business Development Manager, Drew focuses on Northern New Jersey and New York clients where he identifies and assists with any hiring needs. Drew’s addition has helped tremendously with growth and development of the team.
In 2020 Drew and his girlfriend Laura bought their first home; a fixer upper in the town where he grew up and in 2021, Laura and Drew were married. Not long after, they welcomed their first baby, Leo Alexander. Drew loves spending time with family and has found a ton of new joy being a father. He is also an avid sports fan and loves going to New York Giants and New York Yankees games. He can’t wait to introduce his son to New York professional sports, but until then you can find him spending time with his wife whether either checking out local breweries or just spending time on the couch catching up on Netflix.
Drew Friedland
BD Manager
Stephanie began her career as a Chef in 2011 and then transitioned to the staffing industry 8 years later. In 2021, she was recognized by her previous employer as the #2 Nationwide Top Growth Performer. In February 2022, she joined the Axel Group as a Business Development Manager, looking forward to the opportunity to grow with a local specialized firm. Stephanie’s role is focused within the Corporate Service Division in the Pennsylvania Territory, where she seeks new opportunities, research leads, and establishes relationships with potential clients to promote business growth and development.
Stephanie and her boyfriend reside near the beach with their 2 dogs. When not working, Stephanie can be found exploring and supporting restaurants throughout NJ on her Instagram food page - @nj_foodcravings. She loves to watch sunrises & sunsets, spending time with her family and friends and anything related to Disney.
Stephanie Pikowski
BD Manager
Tyler joined The Axel Group in September of 2022 after a successful sales career in various industries. As a Business Development Manager with The Axel Group, Tyler’s focus is developing new relationships with clients in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction industries across Florida and the Southeast. His top priority is identifying his client’s present and future hiring challenges to provide resources that both maximize performance and foster company growth.
Tyler graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish from The University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Through UNCW he was able to study abroad at The Catholic University of Valparaiso in Chile. This experience gave him a life-long interest in exploring foreign languages and cultures.
Despite his appreciation for visiting other places, Tyler found true happiness at home when he met his wife Elizabeth in Red Bank, NJ. Together with their son Tyler II and daughter Harley they enjoy visiting local parks, spending time with friends and family and going to the beach.
Tyler Vaughan
BD Manager
Alexa joined The Axel Group in 2021. After establishing herself as one of the top recruiters in the company, she has since been promoted to Business Development Manager. Alexa is responsible for identifying and maintaining client relationships throughout Texas. Alexa focusses on the Architecture, Engineering, Environmental, and Construction industries, and her previous success recruiting within these markets allows her to ensure client satisfaction and gives her the experience necessary to recognize top talent.
Alexa began her career as a Recruiter with The Axel Group. She quickly established herself as a top producer and a valuable member of the team. She was promoted numerous times within a year, established herself as a leader, and came in as the 2nd highest producer in the past year. She was awarded the Most Valuable Player award at the end of 2022. Alexa’s success can be attributed to her work ethic, but also her desire to understand all the industries we work in thoroughly. Rather than focus on any one industry, she proved her ability to diversify herself by continuously placing professionals in each of our core markets throughout the years. Alexa is also passionate about helping her teammates find their own success and can often be found meeting with other recruiters to help them develop and hone their skills.
Alexa lives in Eatontown, NJ. When she isn’t at work she enjoys going to concerts and music festivals with her best friends or taking weekend trips to explore new local towns and sights. She can also be found spending time at Barnes & Noble’s or at home reading. Her most prized possession is her personal library which now holds almost 400 books.
Alexa Gioello
BD Manager
Jason joined The Axel Group in September of 2021 as a recruiter and instantly displayed leadership attributes. He has since been promoted to a Business Development Manager with a focus on developing client relationships in the Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Corporate Service industries. His top priority is identifying his client’s present and future hiring challenges to provide resources that both maximize performance and foster company growth.
Jason graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from Rowan University and was a model collegiate athlete. He was the Captain of the men’s soccer team and lead his team to multiple championships and conference finals.
When out of the office, Jason enjoys spending his time with his wife, Lindsay, and two kids. Together, they like to go out exploring, plan adventures, visit family and friends, and create memories they will cherish for a lifetime. Jason is Anything But Typical.
Jason Choma
BD Manager
Recruiting Leadership
Nicole joined The Axel Group in late 2019 and as one of the early employees hired into the company, Nicole has had a tremendous impact on the growth of The Axel Group. In just two short years Nicole has established herself as one of the ‘go to’ recruiters in the office and a tremendous leader. Having since been promoted several times, Nicole is currently the Recruiting Manager for our AEC Division. In 2020 Nicole was awarded the “Rookie of the Year” award given to the top newcomer who is both a strong contributor and embodies The Axel Group Philosophy, ‘Anything but Typical’.
As the Recruiting Manager, Nicole is responsible for technical recruiting as well as managing the training, development, and overall success of her team. This includes directing all recruitment efforts, designing, and modifying recruiting procedures, supervising the team, and monitoring performance and the overall success of the team.
Nicole was born and raised in Belleville, NJ before her family made the transition to South Jersey when she was seven. Three years ago, Nicole purchased her first home in Barnegat, NJ, where she currently resides with her Fiancé, Dan. In Nicole’s spare time, she enjoys spending her free time with family and friends but you can be sure to also find her running or kickboxing on weekends.
Nicole Giuliano
Senior Recruiting Manager
Deanna joined The Axel Group in 2018 following graduation from The Smeal College of Business at Penn State University. As one of the very first employees hired into the company, Deanna has been instrumental to the growth of The Axel Group. Three years ago, Deanna started as a recruiter and quickly established herself as a top producer and a leader. Having since been promoted several times, Deanna is currently the Recruiting Manager for our Corporate Services Division. In 2019 Deanna received the Anything But Typical Award given to the employee that best exemplifies The Axel Group’s Core Values and in 2020 received the Top Producer Award.
As the Recruiting Manager of Corporate Services, Deanna is responsible for technical recruiting as well as managing the training, development, and overall success of the Corporate Services team. This includes directing all recruitment efforts, designing, and modifying recruiting procedures, supervising the team, and monitoring performance and the overall success of the team.
Deanna was born and raised at The Jersey Shore and currently resides in Seaside Park, New Jersey. She enjoys spending time with friends and family, being on the water, and traveling. Her favorite time of year is football season and every weekend you will find her cheering on her favorite football teams – the New York Giants and the Penn State Nittany Lions!
Deanna Sagedy
Senior Recruiting Manager
Maria joined The Axel Group in March of 2021. Maria has had a tremendous impact on the growth of The Axel Group and our Corporate Services Division. Having since been promoted several times, Maria is currently the Recruiting Manager for our Corporate Services Division. In 2021, Maria received the “Anything But Typical Award” given to the employee that best exemplifies The Axel Group’s core values and was named “Recruiter of the Month” in August 2022. As a Recruiting Manager, Maria is responsible for technical recruiting as well as managing the training, development, and overall success of her team. This includes directing all recruitment efforts, designing, and modifying recruiting procedures, supervising the team, and monitoring performance and the overall success of the team. Maria was born and raised in Freehold, NJ and moved to Red Bank, NJ in 2020. In Maria’s spare time, she enjoys spending her free time with family and friends, traveling and laying on the beach.
Maria Lubrano
Recruiting Manager
Erika joined The Axel Group in October of 2021 and has had tremendous impact on the growth of The Axel Group. Having since been promoted several times, Erika is currently a Recruiting Manager, overseeing a team of junior recruiters. Since joining the team, Erika has also taken over the role of Social Media Manager, and has substantially boosted overall engagement and publicity for our company resulting in new client relationships, and increased internal hiring.
In 2021, Erika received the “Most Improved” award given to the newcomer who has shown substantial growth, working their way up to being a strong contributor to the team. Erika also was named “Recruiter of the Month” for both September of 2022 and November of 2023, which is an award given to the top producer of each month.
As the Recruiting Manager, Erika is responsible for technical recruiting as well as managing the training, development, and overall success of her team. This includes directing all recruitment efforts, designing, and modifying recruiting procedures, supervising the team, and monitoring performance and the overall success of the team.
Erika was born and raised in Monmouth County, NJ and attended Monmouth University. Erika’s favorite things to do are try new restaurants and relax with her peeps!
Erika Ruscil
Recruiting Manager
Support (i.e., Need Something Done? Call Jess!)
Jessica joined The Axel Group Team in August 2022 after a long career in the restaurant industry. As the Office Manager and Executive Assistant Jessica helps to keep the office running smoothly day in and day out focused heavily on administrative and HR duties. She helps manage our external and internal employees while also supporting the executive team’s needs. Jess is a rockstar who has unparalleled technology, organization, flexibility, and communication skills. Jess is a get s**t done kind of person with a stellar attitude.
Jessica and her fiancé Dominick live in Shark River Hills with their dog Leia. When she is not working Jessica enjoys spending her free time on the golf course or at wineries with family and friends.