Calista Tucker, founder of Calista Phair, is a dynamic leader in Talent Consulting, DEI Strategy, Recruitment, and Workforce Development. With nearly 20 years of experience, she known as the “Talent Fairy Godmother”, known for her ability to connect and retain top talent while implementing comprehensive HR and People Operations solutions. 

Her expertise spans human capital strategy, talent acquisition, recruitment branding, and employee retention, with a track record of increasing diverse candidates by over 600% and achieving a 99% job placement rate for leading companies such as Amazon, Coca-Cola, Wells Fargo, the Department of Defense, Microsoft, UBS Bank, and the City of Miami. She specializes in creating change management strategies within talent acquisition and retention, particularly for underrepresented talent. 

As the co-creator of Goals to Greatness, a professional development initiative, Calista is dedicated to curating inspiring events for Charlotte’s corporate professionals and entrepreneurs. The mission is to foster a thriving community focused on empowerment, inclusivity, and professional growth. The initiative launched on February 1 at TTX Headquarters, its official location sponsor. 

Beyond consulting, Calista is an accomplished International speaker and trainer, having conducted sessions with Power to Fly, is a global platform connecting underrepresented talent with companies. 

Internationally, Calista has served as an instructor for WeThrive and the Council for International Education Exchange (CIEE) in St. Petersburg, Russia, developing social impact programming. Calista recently lead training sessions for an organization in Singapore. She has also been a dedicated volunteer with The Education Partnership (TEP) since 2019, serving on its HR Committee to advance best practices in human resources, policies, people operations etc. TEP support over 66,000 students and 9,300 teachers from 171 under-resourced schools in Pennsylvania. 

She is a Seattle native, a proud HBCU graduate of Bennett College, holding a BA in Political Science & Global Studies, and has earned certificates in Women’s Entrepreneurship from Cornell University and DEI in the Workplace from the University of South Florida. She is also a member of Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity and was recognized as a 2022 Fab 40 honoree by the Pittsburgh Courier. 

When she’s not making magic happen for businesses, Calista enjoys traveling, networking, and exploring new culinary experiences. However, her greatest achievements are in the roles of wife and mother, balancing her passion for talent transformation with family and community impact.