Human Resources Employee Relations

Danet M. Cartagena Felix

407-***-**** ************@*****.*** Mckinney, TX 75071 linkedin.com/in/danetcartagena

Human Resources Leadership Organizational Design & Transformation Business Performance Optimization Stakeholder Engagement

Accomplished HR leader recognized for driving organizational excellence through compensation strategy, workforce realignment, and executive collaboration. Fully bilingual in English and Spanish, with deep expertise in immigration compliance (I-9 audits, H-2A visa programs), EEOC investigations, and enterprise-wide HR audits. Known for accelerating growth by embedding performance accountability, leading succession planning, and scaling HR operations across complex, multi-site environments. Skilled in building high-performing teams and aligning benefits, employee relations, and performance review systems with evolving business priorities.

Employee Lifecycle Management

HR Automation & Process Improvement

Benefits Administration & Communication

Employer Branding & Culture Transformation

Global Labor Law Adaptation & Policy Localization

Succession Planning & Leadership Pipeline Oversight

Team Building & Launch Support

HR Policy Design & Implementation

People & Culture Strategy Development

Key Accomplishments

Strategic Workforce Planning: Launched an H-2A visa hiring program at Pro-Health, enabling recruitment of employees from Ukraine and South Africa in 60 days. Restored operational efficiency through workforce planning and immigration compliance.

Employee Engagement Oversight: Boosted engagement scores by 1.5 points at Taylor Farms by launching recognition programs and an activity committee. Promoted an open-door policy that fostered employee satisfaction and stakeholder engagement.

High-Performance Team Building: Recruited 6 general managers and 10 assistant managers at McDonald’s, directly contributing to a ~45% sales increase. Enhanced operational leadership and aligned hiring strategies with profit and loss (P&L) accountability.

Business Growth Acceleration: Deployed a 6-region HR assistant structure at McDonald’s to manage hiring, onboarding, and training across Puerto Rico. Developed a 3-month model that included weekly check-ins and performance and training support.

HRIS Implementation & Workforce Data Accuracy: Collaborate with Taylor Farms corporate HR team to successfully implement the new UKG software for timekeeping and HR seatmate processes. Led the TFFL team in completing all procedures on time, achieving 100% paychecks accuracy and fully updated employee records with wit minimal errors.

Career Summary & Successes

Director – Human Resources, Taylor Farms 07/2022 – Present

Directed HR operations for a 900+ employee manufacturing facility, overseeing employee relations, compliance, payroll, benefits, safety programs, workforce engagement, and leadership development initiatives. Aligned HR strategies with business needs by collaborating with cross-functional leaders across departments and functions. Championed cultural transformation through policy improvement, leadership training, and process standardization, resulting in improved organizational performance.

Implemented a 10-month soft skills training program for 85 leads and supervisors, strengthening frontline leadership capabilities and succession planning readiness. Drove a 15% internal promotion rate, increasing employee trust in company career pathways.

Enhanced team morale and peer advocacy by equipping managers with effective communication and leadership skills. Generated a 79% increase in employee referrals from friends and family, reinforcing a culture of engagement and belonging within the team.

Transformed safety culture by forming a safety committee and conducting compliance training. Reduced workers' compensation claims from 40 to 5 annually and improved adherence to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards.

Redefined attendance management by overhauling the attendance policy and coaching supervisors to promote Paid Time Off (PTO) flexibility. Reduced absenteeism by 75% while strengthening workforce accountability, inclusion, and responsiveness.

Revamped onboarding by leading a new hire orientation that highlighted national operations and community engagement initiatives. Improved new hire retention by 70%, strengthened employer branding, and deepened employee alignment.

Achieved successful Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA) results for 2 consecutive years with minimal to zero findings. Maintained compliance with ethical practices, safety standards, and documentation controls while supporting partnerships.

Senior Manager – Human Resources, Pro-Health LLC 09/2018 – 07/2022

Spearheaded HR operations for 250 employees across 3 states, managing staffing, compliance, audits, and employee relations. Advised ownership and the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) on workforce planning and implemented HR systems. Developed policies that improved legal compliance, reduced operational costs, and supported recruitment to ensure continuity of operations.

Accelerated recovery from a Homeland Security audit by replacing 89% of a site’s workforce in under 2 weeks. Combined visa processing and temporary local recruitment to ensure uninterrupted labor supply and business continuity across locations.

Established annual HR audit processes across the organization using a compliance checklist for Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), OSHA, and Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) regulations. Improved documentation control and legal readiness.

Reduced workers’ compensation insurance costs by $40K by developing a safety program. Introduced training sessions, developed SOPs, and introduced risk mitigation policies that improved occupational health outcomes and policyholder credibility.

Strengthened internal talent mobility, ensured fair evaluations, and created transparent processes for promotions, raises, and employee growth opportunities. Instituted a formal succession planning program with performance documentation and tracking.

Implemented BambooHR to digitize onboarding, policy distribution, and I-9 employment eligibility verification. Streamlined document management, reduced administrative time by 45%, and ensured compliance with the E-Verify authorization system.

Manager – Global Training & HR (Latin America), Brinker International 02/2016 – 09/2018

Oversaw training and HR initiatives across 12 Latin American markets, supporting Chili’s brand expansion, workforce development, and regional consistency. Developed scalable programs, localized U.S. practices to fit regional needs, and led new market launches, including Panama and Chile. Fostered cross-cultural collaboration, talent alignment, and operational cohesion while ensuring compliance with country-specific labor laws and global training standards.

Unified 12 countries under a shared training framework by forming cross-market crew trainer teams. Facilitated collaborative learning, improved onboarding standards, and accelerated restaurant openings through structured talent development.

Launched a mentoring program for facilitators and instructional designers across Latin America. Supported record-breaking regional sales in 20 out of 31 months by aligning culture integration, leadership development, and performance strategies.

Strengthened collaboration between country teams by cultivating a unified culture of teamwork and information sharing. Sustained international restaurant expansion and knowledge transfer while building long-term operational partnerships.

Supported HR and training teams by initiating cross-border collaboration among 12 countries. Fostered a global culture where representatives proactively shared solutions, supported openings, and aligned operations—resulting in sustained teamwork.

Managed 45 trainers and tailored training delivery to local labor laws across all markets. Maintained brand consistency, compliance with country-specific employment regulations, and quality assurance across all training programs.

Manager – Human Resources, McDonald’s (Chalfont & Associates) 10/2010 – 02/2016

Built the HR department from the ground up to support 10 restaurants in Central Florida, establishing foundational practices for long-term scalability. Developed core policies, recruitment strategies, training programs, and performance frameworks tailored to operational needs. Partnered with executive leadership on workforce planning, compliance, and benefits administration while streamlining hiring and reducing legal risks through documentation, consistent procedures, and structured HR process improvements.

Centralized onboarding and hiring across 10 locations and established school partnerships to build an early talent pipeline. Reduced turnover and created a consistent employee experience through streamlined orientation and pre-employment outreach.

Minimized unemployment claims by 55% by training managers to document performance and attendance infractions. Improved case documentation quality, legal response accuracy, and defense success rates in unemployment compensation claims.

Overhauled the company’s benefit offerings to align with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Introduced compliant healthcare, 401(k), and disability insurance options that enhanced candidate appeal and improved employee retention in a competitive environment.

Expanded workforce development pipelines by partnering with colleges and community programs. Designed early-career employment paths that introduced structured work experience for youth while creating a talent pool for frontline operations.

Senior Consultant – Human Resources (Puerto Rico), McDonald’s 02/1996 – 10/2010

Directed HR operations for 124 restaurants across Puerto Rico, Florida, and the Caribbean, overseeing staffing, training, employee relations, benefits, payroll, open enrollment, and investigations. Championed the creation of the HR Assistant Program, strengthening employee support systems and earning company-wide recognition and nomination for the President’s Award.

Led a $2.5M regional revitalization initiative to address understaffing issues, with some locations operating at only 50% capacity. Built a full-scale hiring, onboarding, and training program that achieved 100% staffing across all restaurants within 90 days.

Built a cross-location communication network by designating hourly manager contacts at each restaurant. Launched recognition and retention programs, including employee of the month celebrations, and increased employee satisfaction scores by 20%.

Optimized performance systems and digital training compliance, ensuring 100% completion of required modules for new hires. Reduced turnover by 45% and improved training completion by 75%, while sustaining 99% staffing levels across all restaurants.

Oversaw hiring and training for McDonald’s first location in the San Juan Airport, a union-sensitive site. Partnered with corporate and regional leadership to implement a staffing strategy that avoided unionization, earning recognition for team-building.

Professional Development

Bachelor of Business Administration, University of Puerto Rico

Human Resources Training, Hamburger University

Business Consulting Training, Hamburger University

Human Resources Certification, Escuela Superior de Recursos Humanos de Puerto Rico

Technical Skills

BambooHR, ADP, Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, E-Verify, LawLogix, UKG, Kronos, ChatGPT

Danet M. Cartagena Felix Resume Page 03 407-***-**** ************@*****.*** linkedin.com/in/danetcartagena

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