Tatiana Teppoeva, PhD
MEDIA
AI Hiring Risk. Human Signal Intelligence. Independent Expert.
Dr. Tatiana Teppoeva is a U.S. AI patent holder, former Microsoft AI scientist, Harvard MS Data Science graduate, and founder of Human Signal Advisory™ — an AI hiring risk consulting practice helping HR teams understand what their AI screening tools cannot see about the candidates they evaluate.
After 17 years building predictive AI systems at Microsoft and Boeing, she now audits how those same systems are being deployed in hiring — identifying the signal gaps, legal exposure, and human judgment failures that AI screening vendors have no incentive to disclose.
She sits at the intersection of AI systems design, behavioral intelligence, and employment risk — having built these systems from the inside and now evaluating how they perform in practice.
Available for expert commentary, speaking engagements, podcast interviews, and executive workshops.
Featured in TIME, Business Insider, AP Newswire, Epoch Times, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and AI Journal.
“In high-stakes environments, perception is not feedback, it’s a decision.”
- Tatiana Teppoeva, PhD
What I’m known for
The Human Signal Gap
The gap between what AI screening tools measure and what actually predicts job performance
AI hiring legal exposure
How emerging regulations including Colorado's AI Act, NYC Local Law 144, and Illinois AI interview law create risk for organizations using automated screening
Vendor claim evaluation
Why "bias-free" and "validated" AI hiring tools often cover only one of five things a court or regulator will want to see
Human oversight in AI hiring
What genuine human review looks like versus performative compliance
AI-coached candidates
How to distinguish performed competence from genuine capability in AI-screened interviews
Suggested speaking topics
The Human Signal Gap
What AI screening tools measure versus what actually predicts performance in high-stakes roles
The $20,000 Question
What emerging AI hiring regulations mean for HR teams and how to build defensible processes
Building Human Oversight That Actually Works
Why most AI hiring "human review" is performative and what genuine oversight requires
AI Hiring Arms Race
Candidates using AI to pass screening, companies using AI to detect cheating, and why the only exit is human judgment
What Your AI Hiring Vendor Isn't Telling You
The five questions every HR team should ask before trusting AI with hiring decisions
Articles and Features
Selected editorial features and expert commentary on
AI hiring risk, human signal intelligence, and the future of human judgment in AI-mediated hiring.
In this feature, I examine how “smile more” remarks function as subtle power interruptions in professional environments and how nonverbal expectations shape authority, gender perception, and emotional control.
TIME
February, 2026
In this feature, I examine how leaving Microsoft after 14 years reshaped my understanding of leadership visibility, evaluation, and reinvention in AI-driven organizations.
Business Insider
November, 2025
In this article, I examine how AI-driven evaluation is reshaping job security, hiring, and career risk, and why professionals are often misread not because of skill gaps but because of how their signals are interpreted.
The Epoch Times
June, 2025
In this article, I break down practical generative AI tools for small businesses and explain how to use them responsibly without losing clarity, trust, or human judgment in customer-facing work.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
July, 2025
In this article, I examine how stress alters perception in workplace interactions and why leaders often misread intent, resistance, or disengagement when pressure is high.
Communication Intelligence
July, 2025
In this article, I analyze how conversational AI can create a false sense of personalization and why misaligned language, timing, and behavioral signals can quietly erode trust before users are consciously aware of it.
AI Journal
June, 2025
In this feature, my transition from Microsoft to founding One Nonverbal Ecosystem™ is examined through the lens of leadership visibility, reinvention, and building credibility beyond traditional corporate structures.
Medium
November, 2025
n this article, I analyze how tension, confidence, and alignment surface through posture, facial signals, and timing in highly visible public moments.
Hola! US
June, 2025
In this article, I examine how interview presence is assessed before a person speaks, focusing on clothing as a nonverbal signal of judgment, readiness, and situational awareness in high-stakes evaluations.
She Rises
June, 2025
Global Reach
Press Releases & Announcements
AP Newswire
U.S. AI Patent Holder Introduces New Practice to Help HR Teams Reduce Legal and Talent Risk Amid Surge in AI Hiring Lawsuits
I launched Human Signal Advisory™ to serve HR leaders who need to understand what their AI video screening tools actually measure and what they may systematically miss about the candidates they evaluate. The announcement addressed the growing gap between algorithmic screening confidence and genuine hiring accuracy, and the accelerating legal exposure for organizations deploying AI hiring tools without documented human oversight.
May 2026
Speaking
DECA Washington State Conference — Invited Industry Speaker
In-person state conference presentation | 300+ students & educators | CE credit eligible
Delivered a large-scale conference presentation on professional presence, nonverbal communication, and first impressions for emerging leaders preparing for interviews, competitions, and leadership roles. The presentation focused on how body language, vocal delivery, and situational awareness shape credibility long before experience or titles are considered.
In addition to presenting, I have served as a DECA judge and mentor at area and state levels, supporting leadership evaluation and development for future professionals.
November 2025
Microsoft Cloud & Enterprise Women’s Leadership Community. Master of Ceremony
In-person leadership community event | 300+ attendees | Program leadership & facilitation
Served as Master of Ceremony for a large-scale Microsoft leadership community event, guiding program flow, speaker transitions, and audience engagement across the full agenda. In addition to stage leadership, I organized the event logistics and managed a $20K budget, coordinating speakers, timing, and experience design for a senior professional audience.
This role required real-time facilitation, executive presence, and the ability to maintain authority and clarity across a high-visibility, multi-speaker program.
Microsoft Women Real Talk. TED-Style Speaker
In-person keynote presentation | 100+ Microsoft employees | Thought leadership & storytelling
Delivered a TED-style presentation at a Microsoft Women Real Talk event focused on growth mindset, leadership resilience, and professional reinagination. The talk drew on personal experience and organizational context to illustrate how mindset shapes decision-making, adaptability, and long-term leadership presence under pressure.
The session emphasized reflection and signal alignment rather than tactics, demonstrating how credibility and confidence emerge from consistency between inner state and outward behavior.
Microsoft Internal Leadership & Performance Programs
Internal training programs | 40–50 participants per cohort | Learning & development facilitation
Designed and delivered structured leadership development programs including Growth Mindset and Drive for Results for participants preparing for contract and full-time roles within Microsoft ecosystems. Sessions focused on performance psychology, behavioral accountability, feedback integration, and decision-making under evaluation in high-expectation environments.
Programs emphasized applied scenarios, self-awareness, and translating mindset into measurable professional execution.
Boeing — Global Customer Satisfaction Initiative
Enterprise presentation | 100+ stakeholders | Data-driven insight & executive communication
Presented customer satisfaction work that was later implemented internationally, translating complex data and behavioral insights into actionable recommendations for cross-functional Boeing leadership teams. The presentation focused on how customer perception, feedback signals, and decision frameworks influence long-term trust and operational outcomes.
This work required clarity under scrutiny, credibility with senior stakeholders, and the ability to communicate complex findings in a way that supported executive decision-making at scale.
Toastmasters International — Distinguished Toastmaster
Advanced professional speaking & leadership | Evaluated presentations & leadership roles
Earned the Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) designation through years of evaluated speaking, advanced communication projects, and leadership roles across multiple Toastmasters clubs. This work required consistent performance under formal evaluation, audience adaptation, and continuous refinement of presence, clarity, and delivery.
Toastmasters provided a disciplined foundation in stage presence, feedback integration, and leadership communication that continues to inform my professional speaking and facilitation work.
Podcasts
Shedding the Corporate Bitch Podcast
Nonverbal Mistakes That Undermine Leadership Credibility
In this conversation on Shedding the Corporate Bitch Podcast, I examine how subtle nonverbal mistakes quietly undermine leadership credibility, authority, and trust. I discuss why misaligned signals often outweigh words, how stress leaks through behavior, and why presence is perceived through consistency rather than performance.
December 2025
Destined For Success Podcast
The Human Signal Layer
In this conversation on the Destined for Success Podcast, I discuss how trust, resistance, and disengagement surface through nonverbal signals long before they are spoken. I explain why professionals often miss early discomfort cues, how those misreads quietly break relationships, and what the Human Signal Layer reveals about decision-making in sales, leadership, and client work.
December 2025
Amplify Your Legacy Podcast
How to Communicate With Confidence
In this conversation on the Amplify Your Legacy Podcast, I speak about how confidence is built through self-awareness, nonverbal intelligence, and intentional impression management. Drawing on practical observation and feedback techniques, I explain why confidence is less about performance and more about understanding how we show up and are perceived.
November 2025
Resumes and Interviews Podcast
Nonverbal Intelligence: How Signals Shape Presence and Trust
In this conversation on the Resumes and Interviews Podcast, I speak about how nonverbal intelligence shapes first impressions, trust, and hiring outcomes, especially in AI-influenced interviews. Drawing on work in nonverbal analysis and personality profiling, I explain why posture, eye contact, dress, and delivery are evaluated before words, and why these signals increasingly act as career protection.
November 2025
Keeping it Real on Purpose Podcast
The Unspoken Signal: Leading with Presence in the AI Era
In this conversation on the Keeping It Real Podcast, I speak about why presence, not performance, has become the decisive signal of trust and authority in the AI era. Drawing on my work in nonverbal intelligence and human signals, I explain why people sense authenticity, regulation, and misalignment before they can articulate it, and why this matters more as technology scales communication.
October 2025
The King Dems Podcast | Diary of a CFO Podcast
Stop Making These Nonverbal Mistakes in High-Stakes Sales
In this conversation on The King Dems and Diary of a CFO Podcast, I speak about how nonverbal breakdowns quietly derail high-stakes sales conversations. Drawing on work with executives and revenue-facing teams, I explain why mismatched signals, forced confidence, and overlooked presence erode trust and deal momentum long before a buyer says no.
September 2025
Behavioral Profit Podcast
The Hidden Cost of Ignoring Nonverbal Signals in Leadership and Sales
In this conversation on the Behavioral Profit Podcast, I speak about how nonverbal signals shape credibility, trust, and influence in leadership and sales. Drawing on real-world examples from executive coaching and sales environments, I explain why mismatched signals, scripted communication, and overlooked presence quietly undermine authority and performance long before results decline.
July 2025
The Digital Impact Podcast
Nonverbal Intelligence, AI, and Trust
In this conversation on The Digital Impact Podcast, I speak about how nonverbal intelligence and human signal awareness shape trust, credibility, and decision-making in AI-mediated environments. Drawing on my background in data science and nonverbal analysis, I explain why people often sense hesitation or alignment before they can articulate it, and why those early signals still matter in sales, leadership, and high-stakes conversations.
June 2025
Testimonials
“You are very structured in your thinking and highly effective in communication. You keep projects organized, action-oriented, and moving forward, even under tight deadlines.”
- Project Lead, Microsoft
“This is incredibly helpful. I would love to include these insights in the piece.”
- Editor, TIME
"Her work was extraordinary and I would strongly recommend Tatiana continue pursuing the psychometric field as a professional career."
- Valerie Sheridan, Senior Director, Senior Psychometrician, CFA Institute
“You voice your opinion in meetings in a respectful way when others are afraid to speak out. You bring clarity and direction when it matters.”
- Applied Scientist, Microsoft
“Your leadership created clarity and focus even in a difficult project with multiple challenges. You brought structure, resilience, and positive energy.”
- AI Program Lead, Microsoft
“The students were genuinely engaged and learned so much from your insights. Your ability to connect with students and make complex concepts accessible is exactly what makes our conferences successful.”
- Marian Morris, Advisor & Chapter Support, WA DECA
Contacts
For interviews, commentary, podcasts, and speaking engagements:
Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tatianateppoeva
