Katie arrived as an HR Consultant at A Slice of HR (ASOHR) last spring, right around the start of the pandemic to help with some urgent HR needs that then became not urgent... and then urgent again.
ASOHR had been struggling to support clients during these unprecedented times. It was rocky.
I asked her to hold tight while we figured it all out. She said:
I absolutely get it. I feel as though everyone is extra or overly cautious. Some of these things are beyond your control. My interest level is substantially high, and it is making any other opportunity appear far less than. I'm taking that gut feeling and holding to it for now. I feel like working with you and Meagan in this dynamic environment is where I should be.
And we agreed.
Luckily, the HR side of the business really started ramping up during the pandemic as the HR landscape changed dramatically. I matched Katie with one of our most dynamic yet mission-based clients. She helps them with everything from HRIS implementation to Employee Relations issues to Executive Coaching to distributing T-shirts (AKA anything and everything that falls into the HR bucket).
Working with this client and its people has been the highlight of my year and continually renews my faith in humanity. Switching gears in the HR world from the corporate side to non-profit, faith-based/Christ-centered, and community-driven culture has been a rich blessing in my life.
But she isn't JUST really good with words...
The Cincinnati-born mother of six (yes, you read that right) kids was ready to make a change after 10+ years of being a stay-at-home mom.
At the beginning of 2020, I decided it was going to be an even bigger and more positive year for my family than the past few years had been, which also had been incredible!
So, I started perusing LinkedIn and social media and randomly applied for a part-time gig with ASOHR.
Colleen and I met and we hit it off instantly and I felt like I was going to be part of a beautiful partnership, so I jumped in!
A Focus on the Human Side of HR
Katie has an M.Ed. in HR Development from Xavier University. She says it’s helped her step out of the “generalist” HR role and more into an area she is passionate about training and development.
Katie's past includes 3+ years as an HR Strategist at LPK and an HR Generalist at Peoples Community Bank. Her list of skills and specialties is vast both in and outside of HR, ranging from executive management to graphic design. She's even a public notary.
She has earned her Professional Human Resources Certification (PHR), which requires taking a rigorous exam on employment law, compensation and benefits, and foundational knowledge.
She is super smart, loves to learn new things, and is passionate about people.
Downtime? What’s that?
We asked Katie what she likes to do in her downtime. Understandably, she doesn't have a ton of actual downtime. But when she does find a few minutes, she loves to try new things, especially food.
I love to spend time with my kids and family. We are all very different and love different things so we get to explore each others’ passions, together.
Her busyness never distracts her from wanting to build relationships on the team. She is always the first to suggest a team happy hour or get-together. She even planned a little Christmas party for our growing team, complete with a private room and party favors! She's the life of the party, bringing fun and engaging conversation wherever she goes.
Katie is full of energy, always smiling and on the ball when it comes to moving forward and getting things done.
When we asked her what her strongest attribute is, she told us this:
Flexibility - I am a jack of all trades. I still consider myself a stay at home mom (since I work remotely) while managing the day-to-day of 6 little ones, but I am engaged in my HR world as well and work hard to maintain the best possible connections with my clients.
Moving Forward...
Sometimes I have to pinch myself that someone as impressive as Katie would want to work with us at ASOHR. She could be successful as an HR Director for any organization.
I think it's a testament to our mission and the type of clients that we attract: Those who really care about the employee/employer relationship.
Katie has jumped in with both feet, delighted her client, and has impressed the heck out of all of us on the team. I can't wait to see what's next for her.
~ Colleen