Strategic HR leadership that focuses on the human
You may be building a people function from scratch, navigating a growth moment, or developing the leaders who carry your culture. Whatever the inflection point your company is in, I bring the strategic depth and human centeredness to meet you there.
I work with organizations and leaders who have clear values, embody those values, and protect them. Organizations that believe a healthy culture is fostered and cultivated by every person within the organization — starting with the leaders. Organizations that believe in human intelligence and the innovation that is unlocked when we use it to power the future of work alongside AI.
Most HR support is reactive — policies, compliance, processes. That work matters. But the organizations that thrive are the ones whose people feel seen, developed, and aligned to something larger than their job description. I work with teams and leaders who see the value in their largest investment (humans) and develop systems to support the humanness within their organization — human centered HR partnership.
With 12+ years as an HR Business Partner and People & Culture leader, I bring strategic partnership to the infrastructure work and a coaching lens to the leadership and development work. The result is an HR partnership that builds something lasting, supportive, and impactful. I partner with organizations as a fractional HRBP or on a project basis — offering the experience of a seasoned People & Culture leader alongside formal training as a CTI coach. I blend these two skills to support organizations in their top priority people initiatives and goals.
HR That Starts with the human
● Growing startup without a dedicated HR team
● Mid-size company at a scaling inflection point
● Leadership team that needs to develop your managers
● Organization navigating culture or structural change
● Founder who needs a thought partner on people strategy
You might be a good fit if you are a…
The work I do
People Infrastructure, HR foundations, & Org Design
Building or rebuilding the systems that hold your organization together — onboarding, handbooks, job architecture, performance frameworks, comp structures, and the policies that help people with clarity in their roles. Thinking through structure, roles, reporting lines, and team design as your organization grows or shifts. Helping you build an org that reflects your values and can scale.
Leadership development & manager coaching
Developing the people who develop your people. Through 1:1 coaching, cohort programs, and facilitated workshops, I help managers lead with greater presence, clarity, and emotional intelligence.
Performance Management & feedback Systems
Designing performance processes that actually work — built around honest conversation, meaningful recognition, and development that people believe in. Less bureaucracy, more impact.
Designing and facilitating leadership offsites, team retreats, and strategic planning sessions that create genuine alignment and connection — not just a nice day out of the office. I hold intentional space so your team can pause, listen and innovate.
Team Offsite & Retreat facilitation
“Integrity is choosing courage over comfort... and it's practicing your values, not just professing them.”
Brené Brown
Testimonials
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Testimonials 〰️
“And here's what makes her different from every other coach out there: she's done the real work in the real world. At Credit Karma, she led company-wide reorgs, partnered with nearly every function in the business, drove HR through three M&A deals, and built the career frameworks and culture that helped the company scale. So when she talks about leadership, pressure, and navigating change, she's speaking from lived experience — not a certification weekend. That blend of grounded presence and actual operational chops is rare.”
-Strategic Account Manager
How we can work together
Carmen Cole
Embodied Leadership Coach and HR Strategy
Fractional HR Business Partner Work
An embedded, ongoing strategic HR partnership — available to your team on a part-time basis. Best for organizations that need consistent, senior-level HR thinking without a full-time hire. Typically structured as a monthly retainer.Project-based work
Scoped work with a defined outcome — a new performance process, a leadership offsite, an org design project. We agree on the deliverable, the timeline, and what success looks like. Best for a specific inflection point or need.Let’s start with a conversation
All engagements begin with a complimentary exploratory conversation to understand where you are, what you need, and whether we're the right fit for each other. If something here resonates — or if you're not quite sure what you need yet — I'd love to talk. Book a complimentary exploratory call below and let's figure out together where I can be most useful.