Learning and Organizational Development Specialist
Energetic, service-focused HR leader with 20+ years experience creating dynamic work environments through collaborative, results=oriented efforts in talent acquisition, professional development, benefits administration, and HRIS in higher education, manufacturing and non-profits. Words used to describe my work approach include:
Inclusive project manager - Conflict resolution
Coaching/Mentoring - Strategic Planner
Certified Strengths Coach - Policy development
EDUCATION
CLEVELAND STATE UNIVERSITY 2009
Master of Education, Adult Learning and Development
OHIO UNIVERSITY
Bachelor of Science, Organizational Communication
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Cleveland, OH7/2023 – present
Human Resources Assistant, Recruiting and Placement
Cultivates a welcoming environment for 100+ new hires, fostering engagement and satisfaction in patient services
Successfully guides 100+ new hires through onboarding, ensuring timely completion of evaluations and background checks
Mentor HR staff on VA duties and work-life balance, enhancing team integration and productivity.
Spearheaded quarterly virtual networking sessions that boosted employee engagement and job satisfaction
Streamlines resolution of payroll issues, achieving 100% accuracy for 50+ new hire records, enhancing processing efficiency
Facilitates bi-weekly orientations for up to 50 new employees, fostering an engaging onboarding experience
Successfully coordinated and led over 6 off-cycle orientations for new medical residents.
Managed and resolved 10+ weekly applicant inquiries on application processes and job requirements
Kent State UniversitYKent, OH 2008 – 2023
Sr. Training and Development Specialist 7/2021 – 6/2023
Training and Development Specialist 2/2016 – 7/2021
Provide professional development opportunities for 6,000 faculty and staff at a large public research university. Consult with teams to identify learning opportunities that align department goals with university strategic themes. Design and deliver blended training, including facilitated and virtual workshops, webinars, eLearning, and coaching.
Coached 5-10 employees annually through individual development programs, enhancing performance by 20% through strengths-based and emotional intelligence strategies
Created career development programs for training and development interns, enhancing professional skills for 5 students
Led a 3-month job enrichment training program designed to upskill employees in dining services
Collaborated with cross-functional teams to identify and build 10+ learning initiatives, enhancing alignment with university-wide strategic goals
Enhanced blended training programs, successfully engaging over 9000 participants annually through workshops, webinars, and eLearning coaching
Facilitated 16 leadership workshops enhancing skills in emotional intelligence, customer service, technical training, and conflict management, achieving a 90% satisfaction rate from over 300 participants
Created and led an eight-course 'Peer to Leader' series, enhancing team performance by 30% through strengths-based leadership and coaching strategies
Spearheaded collaboration with experts to design and produce 30+ webinars annually, engaging over 3,000 faculty and staff in professional development and compliance
Coordinated bi-weekly New Employee Orientations for 500+ employees, engaging 6 departments and enhancing onboarding processes
Developed a post-workshop evaluation system (2+2+2=YOU) that boosted team performance through targeted analysis of Kirkpatrick levels 3 and 4 data
Facilitated training for 40 administrators, enhancing proficiency in learning management system and customer management system, improving proficiency and consolidating training records to streamline access
Training and Development Associate 10/2012 – 2/2016
Crafted engaging promotional materials and social media strategies, boosting webinar attendance by 40% for university workshops
Designed engaging learning materials for over 100 participants using MS Word, Publisher, and PowerPoint to enhance knowledge retention
Designed and delivered 10 instructor-led courses on coaching, interviewing, communication, and time management, enhancing skills for over 200 participants
Assessed instructional effectiveness, leading to improvement in employee performance through targeted evaluations and organizational impact measurements
Developed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for consistent efficiency, quality, and performance
HR Administrative Assistant 1/2008 – 10/2012
Facilitated HR Knowledge Sharing sessions, boosting staff engagement by 50% on university events and initiatives
Launched a monthly newsletter increasing internal engagement by 25% through timely announcements and process updates
Developed the Employee Resource Manual, enhancing access for over 6000 employees and streamlining essential employment processes
WTT SYSTEMS, LLCChagrin Falls, OH 12/2006 – 2/2007
Human Resources Generalist
Spearheaded the development of the HR function, enhancing employee engagement at a 40-employee manufacturer
Conducted employee interviews and anonymous surveys, identifying key issues, and proposed actionable changes to management to enhance workplace satisfaction
Analyzed employee relations trends, resolving issues by coaching 8 managers on compliance and best practices
Played a key role in developing a $2 million annual budget, enhancing strategic planning efficiency by 20%
Optimized medical, dental, and vision plans, lowering employee costs by 15% through strategic collaboration with benefits broker
Rose-mary centerEuclid, OH 6/2001 – 12/2006
Human Resources Generalist
Streamlined full-cycle recruitment for over 250 employees annually, reducing hiring time by 20% while enhancing new hire onboarding and compliance reporting
Managed an outreach program with local colleges and organizations including career fairs, open houses, and targeted college events, increasing applicant pool by 25% annually
Designed a blended learning orientation program that included job shadowing, on-the-job training, instructor-led classroom, and role play exercises resulting in a 15% retention increase from 0-6 months
Developed an employee referral program boosting hires by 30% through rewards after 90 and 180 days
Led American Red Cross CPR/First Aid classes, training over 100 participants annually to enhance community safety
Managed benefits enrollment for 250+ new hires annually, improving processing efficiency by 30%
Successfully managed workers' compensation program, reducing claims by 15% over three years
CERTIFICATIONS
Society for Human Resource Management – Certified Practitioner (SHRM-CP)
Everything DiSC Workplace
34 Strong Gallup Certified CliftonStrengths Coach
Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Theory (MSCEIT)
Institute for Excellence (2012) – Kent State University leadership development program
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
VA Voices Faculty and Learning Circle Leader (2023 – present)
HR Mentoring Program – Mentor (2024 – present)
HR Employee Engagement Committee (2024 - present)
Association for Talent Development (National and Cuyahoga Valley)
Cuyahoga Valley ATD – Accelerative Learning SIG
Cleveland Society for Human Resource Management (CSHRM)
Vice President, Strategic Events (2018 – 2023)
Mentoring Program – Mentor (2020 – present)
Learning and Development SIG (member 2015 – present) (Chair 2018 – 2019)
Northern Ohio Human Resources Conference (various committees-,-)
Programs Committee (2013 - 2017)
TECHICAL EXPERTISE
Microsoft (Teams, Word, Access, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Vizio, Publisher, Forms)
Adobe (Acrobat Pro, PhotoShop)
Google Classroom
Virtual platform facilitation and production (Teams, Zoom, GoToWebinar, Skype, Camtasia, Kaltura, Blackboard, Canvas, Powtoon)
Analytics/surveys (ChatGPT, HireVue, MS Copilot, Surveymonkey, Qualtrics, Cognos, Banner, Salesforce)
