---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0000950170-24-105519"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "FA"
cik: "0001210677"
company_name: "FIRST ADVANTAGE CORP"
filed_at: "2024-09-11T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-05-31T05:23:15.396424+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.5
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.5
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# First Advantage promotes Joelle Smith to President, expanding her role to include go-to-market teams

## Summary
- Effective Sept 16, 2024; Smith previously President, Data, Technology, and Experience since 2022.
- Base salary raised to $600,000; eligible for discretionary annual cash bonus up to $450,000.
- Equity grant of $2,500,000 (50% stock options, 50% RSUs) vesting annually over 4 years.
- Smith now leads product, data, technology, sales, customer success, and marketing organizations.
- CEO Scott Staples cites alignment to accelerate AI and digital product innovation.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0000950170-24-105519
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: FA
- cik: 0001210677
- company_name: FIRST ADVANTAGE CORP
- filed_at: 2024-09-11T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.5
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.5
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02, 7.01, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1210677/000095017024105519/0000950170-24-105519-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1210677/000095017024105519/fa-20240910.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000950170-24-105519
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000950170-24-105519.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000950170-24-105519.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  Joelle M. Smith changed role as President at FIRST ADVANTAGE CORP.
  - Action: promoted
  - Role: President
  source text: On September 10, 2024, the Board of Directors of First Advantage Corporation (the “Company”), promoted Ms. Joelle M. Smith, the Company’s current President, Data, Technology, and Experience, to the role of the Company’s President, effective as of September 16, 2024 (the “Effective Date”).
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1210677/000095017024105519/0000950170-24-105519-index.htm

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.