Talent Acquisition Human Resources

Executive Human Capital Leader Workforce Transformation

Change Management & Workforce Optimization Talent Acquisition & Development

Visionary HR Executive with 15+ years of progressive leadership driving enterprise-level human capital strategy, workforce planning, and organizational transformation. Proven track record leading complex HR operations, growing workforce capabilities, and aligning talent to mission objectives. Recognized for cultivating high-performing teams, accelerating hiring, and leading award-winning initiatives that drive measurable impact, employee engagement, and strategic alignment. Adept at leveraging data, systems, and partnerships to optimize performance across large, matrixed organizations.

Executive Experience

National Institute on Aging (NIA) – Bethesda, MD 1/2022 – Present

Senior Director for Workforce Strategy and HR Operations (Deputy Branch Director)

Executive leader directing human resources strategy, talent development, and administrative operations for the National Institute on Aging (NIA), supporting over 650 employees and a $4.5B research enterprise. Manage a high-performing team of 55 staff, including supervisors, HR professionals, management analysts, and administrative officers, while serving as a strategic advisor to the Director, Deputy Director, and executive leadership. Drive people-centered initiatives, optimize organizational performance, and lead cross-functional programs to ensure workforce alignment with agency mission and goals.

Human Capital Strategy & Organizational Leadership: Spearheaded a 19% workforce expansion aligned with institutional priorities, optimizing staffing models, improving succession planning, and enhancing organizational design to support long-term growth and stability.

Talent Acquisition & Employer Branding: Reengineered enterprise recruitment by launching an employer-branded NIA Careers site and integrating LinkedIn Talent Source, increasing visibility to over 335K job seekers, achieving a 12% application rate, and securing 60 hires in 2024—well above industry benchmarks.

Workforce Development & Training: Designed and led three mission-critical occupational training programs, including the Grants Management Specialist Cohort, delivering competency-based curriculum and talent pipelines for hard-to-fill roles; increased workforce readiness and institutional retention.

Employee Engagement & Retention: Conducted 50+ stay interviews and analyzed Employee Viewpoint Survey results to launch targeted retention initiatives, resulting in a 15% increase in employee satisfaction and a 20% improvement in leadership trust.

Organizational Redesign & Operational Efficiency: Spearheaded a 19% workforce expansion and led the strategic redesign of the Workforce & Administrative Management Branch into six specialized functional units—optimizing staffing models, succession planning, and organizational design to enhance agility, eliminate operational bottlenecks, and improve delivery of HR, travel, finance, and records services in alignment with mission priorities.

People Analytics & Decision-Making: Led workforce analytics initiatives, including the creation of the NIA Dashboard, reducing data retrieval times by 70% and improving real-time visibility into HR operations, FTE utilization, and workforce trends.

Flexible Work & Culture Transformation: Co-led the Expanded Workplace Flexibilities Pilot, increasing telework by 50% and reducing turnover by 18%. Developed the first Employee Handbook and HR policies to promote clarity and compliance. Leveraged HRIS to automate workflows and enhance data integrity.

Recognition & Excellence in Innovation: Received four NIA Director’s Awards for strategic contributions to workforce modernization—including for the Recruitment & Onboarding System (ROSS), HR Consultation Services model, and standing up the Office of Clinical Research.

Zenny Cammas, Page 2

National Institutes of Health, Office of Human Resources – Bethesda, MD 1/2018 – 1/2022

Senior Manager HR Strategy & Operations (Human Resources Branch Chief)

Led and directed a multidisciplinary HR team of 13, including Team Leads, HR Specialists, and Assistants, delivering comprehensive personnel management services across five NIH Institutes. Provided strategic leadership in staffing, recruitment, classification, position management, compensation, and organizational design. Advised senior leadership on complex HR issues and workforce strategies to support mission-critical operations. Spearheaded initiatives to streamline HR processes, strengthen workforce development, and drive policy enhancements that improved operational efficiency and elevated service delivery.

Strategic Workforce Planning & Advisory Leadership: Counseled senior NIH executives on workforce strategy, optimizing recruitment, classification, compensation, and resource planning to align HR operations with institutional priorities and emerging needs.

HR Training & Capability Building: Designed and launched the NIH HR Specialist Training Program, training 100+ employees across six cohorts. Recognized with the 2019 Human Resources Director’s Award and HR Mentorship Award, the program saved over $600K in training costs and built internal talent pipelines to reduce skill gaps.

Operational Management & Performance Optimization: Directed branch operations, aligning resources to mission needs, managing workloads, and implementing performance and development plans. Fostered continuous improvement and accountability across HR teams.

Policy Development & Process Improvement: Spearheaded enhancements in HR policy and procedural guidance, streamlining classification workflows, improving consistency, and reducing turnaround times for HR actions.

Conflict Resolution & Workplace Culture: Led the resolution of high-stakes personnel issues and workplace conflicts, promoting fair outcomes, improving morale, and reinforcing a culture of respect, engagement, and high performance.

National Institutes of Health, Office of Human Resources – Bethesda, MD 10/2012 – 1/2018

Talent Acquisitions & HR Program Manager (Human Resources Team Lead)

Directed a team of six HR Specialists and Assistants in delivering full-scope human capital services—including staffing, recruitment, classification, compensation, and organizational design—across multiple NIH divisions. Served as a key partner to senior leadership, translating mission goals into workforce solutions and advising on personnel strategies to support organizational growth and operational excellence.

Recruitment Strategy & Staffing Operations: Oversaw recruitment and staffing initiatives across NIH divisions, improving cycle times, ensuring regulatory compliance, and aligning hiring outcomes with strategic workforce needs.

Compensation & Pay Programs: Provided subject matter expertise on federal compensation and incentive structures, promoting internal equity and consistency while supporting employee satisfaction and retention.

Organizational Design & Strategic Advising: Partnered with senior leaders to realign organizational structures, recommend role assignments, and implement strategic design changes that enhanced operational effectiveness.

Workforce Planning & Resource Optimization: Led initiatives to forecast staffing needs, improve position management, and allocate resources efficiently resulting in improved productivity, workforce alignment, and engagement across supported units.

Personnel Management & HR Policy Implementation: Delivered expert guidance on complex HR issues, navigating policy, classification, and performance management challenges to ensure effective resolutions and compliance.

Zenny Cammas, Page 3

Education

Master of Science – Human Resource Development Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN

Bachelor of Arts – Psychology Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

Professional in Human Resources (PHR) HR Certification Institute

SHRM-Certified Professional (SMRM-CP) Society of Human Resource Management

AI-Driven Leadership: Strategies for the Future Certificate Stanford Online

References

Amy Kelley, M.D., M.S.H.S.

Deputy Director (C-Suite Executive)

National Institute on Aging (NIA)

Phone: 917-***-****

Email: ***************@*****.***

Patrick Shirdon

Director for Management (C-Suite Executive)

National Institute on Aging (NIA)

Current Second-Line Supervisor

Phone: 240-***-****

Email: ***********@***.***

Jessica Moreno

Deputy Director for Management

National Institute on Aging (NIA)

Current First-Line Supervisor

Phone: 304-***-****

Email: ********@*******.***

Lauren Tedesco

Human Resources Director of Compensation and Policy Division

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Former First-Line Supervisor in NIH HR Roles

Current Business Partner

Phone: 410-***-****

Email: ******.*******@***.***

Hayley Lafferty

Workforce and Administrative Management Specialist

National Institute on Aging (NIA)

Previous Employee of 5 years at NIH and NIA

Phone: 240-***-****

Email: ********.******@*****.***

Zenny Cammas, PHR, SHRM-CP

Frederick, Maryland 21704 301-***-**** *********@*****.*** https://www.linkedin.com/in/zennycammas/

Contact this candidate