Michele Mcdonald, Phr, Shrm-Cp Email and Phone Number

SEPA SHRM serves the needs of human resources professionals who live or work in the Greater Delaware Valley, including Northeast Philadelphia, Bucks and Montgomery. PA counties. SEPA SHRM has 500+ members, representing more than 200 organizations. • Monitor and evaluate on a continuing basis local and national activities concerning diversity/inclusion initiatives.• Spearhead the effort to diversify the chapter’s membership/leadership and to publicize successful diversity programs in the local communities.• Designed and implemented a program called Community Connect which leverages workforce opportunities for diverse communities by connecting nonprofit organizations to the HR profession.• President Elect for 2021 and President 2022.

Management Consulting Firm, founded in 1996, 50-200 employees, 2 locations Pennsylvania and Delaware.Provide strategic guidance and support for HR functions and culture change for Higher Education Institutions. Hired to strategically examine the HR department and make recommendations for change, improvement and workforce reductions. Performed strategic planning sessions with the CFO and President regarding the University’s culture, business operations and recruitment strategies. Led the efforts for staff and administration on contact tracing due to COVID-19 Pandemic. Collaborated with management to ensure a safe and secure on site work environment for the remaining campus staff. Member of subcommittee for on campus testing with external vendors for staff and administration while working closely with Public Health and Public Safety departments to ensure smooth Spring semester return. Point person for all conversations regarding health, daycare and immunocompromised concerns for the University to ensure consistency and equity across the community.Key Accomplishments and Achievements• Provided interpretation of state and federal employment laws to local organizations.• Analyzed benefits (Healthcare, LTD, Disability, Retirement) open enrollment functions in preparation for renewals. • Performed in-depth analysis of payroll systems in preparation for HRIS implementation.• Developed complex frameworks for the management of Talent Recruitment and Development, Rewards Programs Compliance and Employee Relations.• Created corporate policies and procedures as well as employee communication strategies.• Designed and implemented a Reduction in Force (RIF) toolkit for the University, which was used as the standard for the organization’s future clients.

Manufactures, packages, and distributes vitamins and nutritional supplements, selling its products through drug stores, supermarkets, and mass merchandising chains with 1000 employees and $500M in revenue. Led a team of 6 direct and 6 indirect reports with budget responsibility of $20-$30M. Directed all human resources operations, including staffing, benefits administration, human resources policy/procedure development, and employee training and development. Served as strategic partner to the Executive team aligning Human Resources strategies with the organization’s vision and mission.Executed in-depth due diligence for the merger and acquisition of Philadelphia facility, comprised of Union Labor, negotiating the facility's premier collective bargaining agreement. Brought consistency to organization-wide policies with updates, changes, and / or development of new policies and procedures, critical to the corporate HR infrastructure. Key Accomplishments and Achievements • Became a trusted Partner to the C-Suite particularly the CMO, CSO, VP Research and Development and VP Operations on all human resources related matters. • Launched portfolio of training curriculum and aligned workshops for employee population. Directed implementation of online, collaborative services via web conferencing applications (webinars, WebEx), introducing on-demand collaboration, online meeting, web conferencing and video conferencing programs (Zoom and Skype).• Designed and created a Corporate Safety Task Force and safety manuals, accelerating organizations safe work practices and slashing risk potential.• Coached and mentored team members in achieving their PHR and SHRM-CP certifications.

CMC offers home energy efficiency services to clients, provides energy auditing and energy auditing training, assisting homeowners and buyers in investing in energy efficiency, and extends services to utilities and government agencies.Reported to the President while creating, designing, and directing all Human Resources functions supporting a $36M organization from the ground up. Responsible for a $1.0M Human Resources budget overseeing Human Resources operations for locations in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Massachusetts. Devised and implemented a Human Resources infrastructure for a growing private organization that grew from 42 to 250 employees in five years.Developed and implemented organization-wide compensation studies and policies along with serving as driving force behind the successful recruitment and retention of C-Suite Leadership Team. Championed implementation of employee empowerment and participative management programs that optimized employee engagement. Established employee performance benchmarks, instituted training and development programs, as well as employee incentive programs. Key Accomplishments and Achievements• Created Human Resources function from inception - implementing policies and procedures while collaborating with operations to ensure efficiencies in the organization. • Designed and implemented a new performance management system which resulted in $90K cost reduction in merit, due to timeliness of performance reviews and elimination of retroactive pay.• Played a key leadership role in the acquisition of New England-based organization providing full-cycle due diligence support on all human capital.• Worked with outside consultant to benchmark and implement a new compensation philosophy for organization.

Adjunct faculty member with full management responsibility for the development and implementation of Human Resources training programs to local employers. Designed and implemented training programs for clients comprised of private, public, and non-profit organizations.

Leading multi-brand specialty apparel retailer primarily focused on women's plus-size apparel. Directed and spearheaded Human Resources function for one third of the organization, totaling up to 11,000 employees, with management responsibility for revenues of $2.95B. Identified and seized opportunities that ignited corporate productivity, managed cost containment and minimized risk exposure. Decreased organization-wide hiring time and drove employee retention, integrating newly developed behavioral interview/talent acquisition tools. Slashed recruitment and retention costs with introduction of teleconference training and marketing programs. Improved business productivity and reduced risk exposure by keenly assessing entire operation, identifying cost containment, and creating new strategic programs.Designed and implemented training programs, training videos, while working with behavioral psychologist to implement structured interview process in all divisions for store locations. Significantly minimized training expenditures while driving business growth by creating new programming and designing efficiency systems. Key Accomplishments and Achievements• Instrumental in the hiring and training initiatives of the organization’s new distribution center in White Marsh, MD, representing the Lane Bryant and Catherine’s brands.• Brought substantial cost reduction contributions to the organization by more than $50K; and saving $130K annually through creation of marketing-related recruitment/retention programs. • Significantly minimized training expenditures and drove business growth by introducing, HR improvement programs, including recruitment, new hire procedures, wage and compensation development, new reporting protocol, interview partnership protocol, as well as the Associate of the Month Program.• Selected & rolled-out a behavioral interview & management selection tool for 2,500 locations across all 4 brands.