The Aura Difference

Tailored Healthcare Staffing Solution

Backed By Expertise & Commitment

Our Values

Empowering Excellence

Connecting Top Healthcare Talent to Elevate Patient Care.

People-First Approach

We prioritize meaningful relationships, fostering growth and success for both businesses and professionals.

Commitment to Quality

We prioritize exceptional quality in everything we do, ensuring that patient care and client satisfaction remain our top priority.

Inclusive Care

We embrace individual differences and ensure that they never stand in the way of delivering exceptional service.

Our Mission

We pair the best companies with the brightest talent through reliable connections and innovative support.

Meet Our Team

BECKY WHAMOND

COO

Becky believes in being an advocate for quality staffing to better patient care and the healthcare industry as a whole.

BECKY WHAMOND

COO

Becky believes in being an advocate for quality staffing to better patient care and the healthcare industry as a whole. After graduating with honors from University of Kansas with a Bachelor’s degree in pre-med psychology, Becky started her career selling oxygen at Pacific Pulmonary Services. She spent a great deal of time caring for the elderly population with respiratory disease where she thrived on increasing their quality of life. With her dedication and compassion towards patients on in-home oxygen, she built trusting relationships with physicians and their staff. After a stint at Sanofi-Aventis as a pharmaceutical sales representative, Becky jumped at an opportunity to move to Hong Kong where she taught English to children for a year. Once back home in Chicago, she moved into a customer success role at Trading Technologies helping traders customize trading strategies for the futures market. As a busy working mom, Becky found her passion for helping fellow new moms choose the right “must have” baby products leading her to open her own online baby store in 2015 which successfully sells on Amazon. Becky loves to challenge herself, and working in multiple parts of the business at Aura fulfills that for her. She believes everyone deserves to be happy and productive in their place of work, which ultimately leads to a happy, healthy home life. In her free time, she loves reading, binge watching TV series’, traveling, house hunting, and most of all hanging out with her husband Alex and two kids.

Gretchen Rakowicz

Co-Founder

Gretchen, co-founder of Aura Staffing Partners, is self-motivated and entrepreneurial by nature...

Gretchen Rakowicz

Co-Founder

Gretchen, co-founder of Aura Staffing Partners, is self-motivated and entrepreneurial by nature, which lead her to her first start up, a medical services and equipment company named Sleep RX in 2005. She carries herself with a strong sense of urgency, enthusiasm, and integrity and cannot rest until she delivers excellent service and care. Gretchen graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Western Michigan University. Upon graduation, Gretchen started as a Sales Representative and quickly moved to manage the sales team at Americair for Chicago, Atlanta, and San Diego where she hired, trained, and managed representatives as well as developed the sales training program. Gretchen’s next move was to SDI Future Health, a national independent diagnostic testing facility, as their Director of Business Development where she was responsible for the startup of all operations in the Chicagoland area. Concurrently, Gretchen was VP of Sales and a partner at SpectraMed, a Home Medical Equipment Company specializing in Respiratory and Sleep Disordered Breathing equipment, where she was again responsible for starting up operation in Chicago. She then began a career at Pacific Pulmonary Services, a medical equipment company specializing in respiratory equipment and medications. Gretchen opened four centers in Illinois and Indiana as the area manager with full responsibility of all employees and the P&L. Her entrepreneurial spirit took over, and in an effort to improve the quality of care for patients, Gretchen started Sleep RX in 2005, a national home medical equipment company specializing in sleep, respiratory, and wound care products. She takes tremendous pride in her team who work in line with the vision she has established for her company. Gretchen leads an amazing team at Aura, and the talented, genuine, down to earth people she works with are her favorite part! She’s proud to tell others Aura’s team truly works to understand the real needs of our clients and the aspirations of our candidates. In her spare time, Gretchen enjoys travel, yoga, cooking and spending time with her son. A true “king pin”, she was once a Michigan state bowling champion.

Julia Santarcangelo

Director of Business Development

Julia Santarcangelo is a strategic business development leader with a proven track record in sales, client relationship management, and operational strategy.

Julia Santarcangelo

Director of Business Development

Julia Santarcangelo is a strategic business development leader with a proven track record in sales, client relationship management, and operational strategy. As the Director of Business Development at Aura Staffing Partners, she drives company growth by identifying new market opportunities, responding to RFPs, and fostering long-term partnerships with school districts, healthcare institutions, and corporate clients. With over 20 years of experience in hospitality leadership, Julia has successfully managed multimillion-dollar operations, developed high-performing sales teams, and secured major contracts with industry leaders. She has received multiple accolades for her ability to drive revenue and build strong client relationships, including the Marriott Sales Leader of the Year award. Julia also has experience in the film industry, working as a Location Manager and Clearance Specialist for major productions, including projects with A&E and Lifetime. She has successfully managed film crews and production logistics, strengthening her expertise in contract negotiations and problem-solving. Julia holds a degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Hospitality from Salem State University and studied internationally at the Florence University of the Arts. Passionate about continuous improvement and innovative problem-solving, she leverages her diverse experience to drive impactful staffing solutions at Aura Staffing Partners. In her spare time, Julia loves traveling, pilates, cooking, and spending time with her family.

Julia Santarcangelo

Director of Business Development

Julia Santarcangelo is a strategic business development leader with a proven track record in sales, client relationship management, and operational strategy.

Julia Santarcangelo

Director of Business Development

Becky Thacker

Director of Recruitment

Becky Thacker is a seasoned recruitment professional with a comprehensive background in human resources, staffing, and team leadership.

Becky Thacker

Director of Recruitment

Becky Thacker is a seasoned recruitment professional with a comprehensive background in human resources, staffing, and team leadership. With extensive experience in managing complex recruitment processes, she ensures that her team identifies top talent for a diverse range of industries including healthcare, education, and more. Becky’s career began in corporate recruitment, where she honed her skills at Nortel Networks and Aerotek. Over the years, she has developed a keen ability to partner with executive teams, HR leaders, and hiring managers to meet organizational goals and improve the overall recruitment strategy. In addition to her recruitment expertise, Becky has a strong foundation in human resources, including payroll, hiring, conflict resolution, and employee coaching. Her leadership in staffing, particularly for healthcare and allied professionals, has helped bridge the gap between staffing agencies and institutions like hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and schools. Becky’s diverse career also includes time as a Kindergarten and Special Education teacher, where she developed skills in team management and communication. Outside of work, she is passionate about her family. She has been married for 26 years and has 2 children. Becky loves to travel and spending time with friends. With a unique blend of operational leadership, recruitment expertise, and a passion for improving processes, Becky Thacker is a driving force in the recruitment and staffing industry.