Executive Human Resources Professional

KATE PLUSH, MSHR

********@*****.*** / 312-***-**** / LinkedIn / Remote

Fractional Senior HR Executive / Department of One Expert / Multi-State & Remote Workforce

WHAT I OFFER

Fractional CHRO

Executive-level HR leadership on a part-time or project basis ideal for growing companies that need a seasoned people strategist without the cost of a full-time hire. Available to serve as your first and only HR leader or to fill a gap in HR leadership during transitions.

Part-Time HR Lead

Hands-on HR operations ownership for organizations ready to invest in consistent, professional HR support covering compliance, employee relations, benefits, performance, and culture delivered with the judgment and experience of a 25-year HR executive.

Availability

Open to ongoing fractional engagements, part-time permanent roles, and project-based HR consulting. Remote-first. Available immediately.

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Experienced HR executive with 25+ years building and leading HR functions across complex, distributed, and multi-state organizations including 10+ years as a department of one. Brings CHRO-level strategic capability with deep operational fluency: executive partnership, org design, employee relations, compliance, benefits administration, performance management, and talent acquisition. A trusted advisor to CEOs, Presidents, and Boards who knows how to build the HR infrastructure a growing business needs and how to be both strategic and hands-on when it matters. Particularly well-suited to companies that need senior HR leadership without the overhead of a full-time executive hire.

CORE COMPETENCIES

Fractional CHRO & HR Leadership

Executive & C-Suite Partnership

HR Infrastructure Build-Out

Multi-State Compliance (26 States)

Employee Relations & ER Risk Management

Benefits Administration & Vendor Management

Performance Management & Calibration

Talent Acquisition & Full-Cycle Recruiting

Onboarding & Offboarding Design

Contractor & Contingent Workforce Management

HRIS Implementation & Optimization

Engagement, Culture & Change Management

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Skip The Drama HR / Senior HR Consultant 2026 - Present

•Deliver proactive HR consulting to business owners and leadership teams nationwide, identifying compliance exposure before it becomes litigation, regulatory action, or reputational risk

•Conduct comprehensive HR audits covering policy infrastructure, documentation practices, hiring processes, and compliance exposure under Title VII, ADA, FMLA, ADEA, FLSA, OSHA, PDA, and state-specific statutes (e.g., VESSA)

•Audit I-9 documentation and state-level hiring/offboarding compliance to identify and remediate multi-year gaps in employment eligibility records

•Manage compliance across federal and state leave requirements, ensuring policies and practices remain current as regulations change

•Draft and modernize employee handbooks, translating complex legal requirements into clear, plain-English policy language

•Build and maintain compliance calendars to ensure regulatory deadlines, filings, and required notices are met on schedule

•Design end-to-end hiring processes, including job descriptions, job postings, background check protocols, offer letters, and onboarding programs

•Advise leadership on legally sound termination practices, reducing wrongful termination and retaliation exposure

•Provide on-call HR support to retainer clients for day-to-day employee relations and compliance questions

•Coach managers on HR fundamentals to improve consistency and reduce risk in day-to-day people decisions

•Serve small to mid-size businesses (5–150 employees) across professional services, healthcare, retail, hospitality, technology, nonprofit, and construction sectors

•Bring 30 years of HR experience and an MS in Human Resources from Loyola University Chicago to clients navigating growth, leadership transitions, or post-incident compliance recovery

Synergetics/ Head of Talent (Sole HR Leader) 2022 – 2026

Boutique management consulting firm /50+ distributed professionals /18 states /Remote-first workforce

•Function as CHRO sole HR leader for a fully distributed, remote workforce spanning eighteen states, owning the complete HR function end-to-end while partnering directly with CEO, President, and executive team on people strategy

•Built entire HR infrastructure from the ground up: implemented Paychex (Flex, Time & Attendance, ExpenseWire, Performance, Benefits Admin), developed employee handbook, onboarding program, ADA accommodation process, PIP framework, and multi-state policy library

•Administer full benefits program Anthem medical/vision, Unum dental/disability/life, Fidelity 401(k) managing carrier relationships, open enrollment, and employee communications

•Serve as primary point of contact for all employee relations matters, ADA interactive process, corrective action, sensitive separations, and outside counsel coordination for a workforce across eighteen states

•Designed and executed performance management and calibration process; facilitated executive talent reviews and produced analytical performance summaries for senior leadership

•Managed complex contractor compliance across eighteen states: analyzed misclassification risk, designed FEIN transition roadmap, and built contractor policy framework in coordination with legal counsel

•Deployed employee engagement survey (Qualtrics); analyzed results and translated findings into executive recommendations and action plans

•Ensured multi-state regulatory compliance: FMLA/ADA, recording consent, pay transparency, FLSA exempt classification, H1B immigration coordination, and leave thresholds

•Led full-cycle talent acquisition for specialized consulting roles; built structured interview guides and candidate evaluation scorecards

National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) / Vice President of Human Resources 2007 – 2022

World's largest recreational boating trade association /600+ employees /10+ U.S. and Canada offices /Union and non-union

•Served as CHRO-equivalent and trusted advisor to CEO, President, and Board of Directors shaping people strategy, org design, succession planning, compensation philosophy, and change management for a 600-person, multi-jurisdiction organization

•Owned all HR operations end-to-end: employee relations, benefits, onboarding, performance management, compensation, payroll coordination, compliance, and policy across U.S. and Canadian offices

•Administered 401(k), pension, workers' comp, and full insurance portfolio managing vendor relationships, compliance, and open enrollment for 600+ employees

•Negotiated and implemented enterprise HRIS platforms (Paychex, ADP, Paycom) with zero disruption to employee services

•Led change management through acquisition and integration of five new offices; ensured HR continuity and cultural alignment throughout

•Presented compensation benchmarking analysis and strategic recommendations to Board Compensation Committee; condensed grading scales and established compensation philosophy

•Served as final authority on all employee relations, employment law compliance, and regulatory risk across a multi-state, multi-office, union, and non-union workforce

Marshall Associates / Director of Human Resources 2003 – 2007

Merchandising, sales & marketing firm /500 employees /10 offices /6 states

•Owned HR function as sole HR leader for a 500-person, multi-state organization primary point of contact for all employees, managers, and leadership

•Hired and onboarded 250 employees across six states in under 90 days demonstrating the operational execution required in fast-scaling environments

•Conducted proactive HR audit identifying misclassification exposure; transitioned 50% of exempt employees to non-exempt, saving $200K annually and ensuring full compliance

•Implemented digital benefits enrollment and onboarding systems, significantly improving HR efficiency and the new hire experience

EDUCATION & CREDENTIALS

M.S., Human Resources Management

Loyola University Quinlan School of Business

Certification: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Northwestern College

B.A., English

Rutgers University Douglass College

Member & Legislative Committee, Chicago SHRM

2005 – Present

COMMUNITY & VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP

Mentor & Coach / The Women's Resource Center Volunteer Coach / Career Transition Center

2024 – Present 2020 – 2023

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