Her Story
About Al (Allison)
Allison Neptune, M.A., is a human resources professional specializing in People & Culture operations, organizational effectiveness, and business process improvement at BARR Advisory, P.A., a cybersecurity and compliance advisory firm. She currently serves as a Senior HR Services Consultant, supporting a remote, multi-state workforce through employee lifecycle management, recruiting, onboarding, performance management, policy development, and People & Culture operations.
Allison began her career in recruiting before transitioning into internal human resources, where she expanded her responsibilities to include daily operations, strategic initiatives, and collaboration with leadership on organizational matters. Since joining BARR Advisory as employee number 37, she has helped grow the company to a workforce of about 75 team members, including contractors, by establishing foundational People & Culture processes, procedures, and employee experiences.
Drawing on her background in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Allison approaches People & Culture through the intersection of human behavior, organizational systems, and business effectiveness. She is particularly interested in how the structures and processes behind the employee experience influence how individuals work, collaborate, and grow. Her approach emphasizes creating practical, scalable solutions that support employees while helping organizations operate more intentionally and effectively.
Her experience includes optimizing HR information systems, strengthening recruiting and onboarding workflows, analyzing employee engagement, supporting performance management programs, and creating standardized resources that promote clarity, accountability, and operational consistency. Allison credits much of her professional growth to the support of her dedicated four-person team, which encourages innovation, collaboration, and continuous skill development.
Allison holds a Master of Arts in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Adler University and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from North Carolina Central University. Her professional interests and areas of experience include strategic human resource planning, organizational development, performance management, change management, talent acquisition, and business process improvement.
She values transparency, effective communication tailored to diverse audiences, and simplicity in both professional and personal settings. Through her work and LinkedIn newsletter, Friday Thoughts with AL, Allison shares perspectives on workplace behavior, collaboration, and organizational effectiveness. Her writing encourages professionals to look beyond the surface of workplace challenges and consider how the systems, structures, and processes behind the work influence both individual and organizational success.
At the heart of her work is a commitment to building clear, supportive, and effective work environments where employees and businesses can thrive.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Al (Allison)
01What do you attribute your success to?
First and foremost, I attribute my success to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. My faith has been the foundation of my journey, and I recognize that every opportunity, lesson, and season of growth has been possible because of His grace and guidance. I am incredibly grateful for the doors He has opened and the people He has placed along my path.
Professionally, I also attribute much of my growth to the support and encouragement of my company and the incredible team I work alongside. We are a small but mighty team of four, and their willingness to support my ideas and create opportunities for me to explore new things has been instrumental in my development. They've given me the freedom to gain hands-on experience, make mistakes, learn from those experiences, and discover both my strengths and areas for improvement.
That support has helped me better understand what I enjoy and where I want to go professionally. It's also reinforced something I strongly believe in as a People & Culture professional: the importance of creating environments where individuals feel supported and empowered to learn, explore their interests, and grow, whether that's within their current roles or along entirely new career paths.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My biggest advice is to network and never be afraid to reach out to people, particularly on LinkedIn. Some of the most valuable professional relationships I have built started with a simple message introducing myself, sharing my career goals, and asking someone whose work I admire to connect over a virtual coffee or an in-person meeting. One of the things I appreciate most about the HR industry is how willing people are to support others and share their knowledge and experiences. At its core, HR is about pouring into people and helping them grow, and I have found that many professionals are genuinely happy to do that. I encourage young women to put themselves out there, build meaningful relationships, and take the initiative to connect with people who are doing what they aspire to do. You never know where one conversation or connection might lead.
I would also encourage young women to remain curious and open to opportunities that may not have been part of their original career plans. Some of my most meaningful professional experiences have come from being willing to learn something new, ask questions, and step outside of what was familiar. You don't have to have your entire career figured out from the beginning. Sometimes the experiences you least expect are the ones that help you discover what you're truly passionate about.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in my field is keeping pace with the rapidly evolving workplace, particularly as artificial intelligence continues to reshape how organizations operate. Working in the cybersecurity industry makes this especially relevant, as technological advancements constantly shape our workforce's skills, capabilities, and expectations.
However, I believe the challenge extends beyond simply adopting new technology. It's also about ensuring our people, processes, and organizational structures evolve alongside it. How do we equip employees with the skills they need to remain competitive while also creating environments where they can adapt, contribute meaningfully, and continue growing?
On the opportunity side, I'm encouraged to see organizations placing greater emphasis on the employee experience, learning and development, and overall organizational effectiveness. I believe some of the most meaningful improvements happen when we look beyond individual initiatives and examine how the work itself is structured. When organizations intentionally align their people, processes, and business objectives, they create opportunities for both employees and the organization to thrive.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The three values that are most important to me in both my professional and personal life are transparency, communication, and simplicity.
I believe effective communication starts with understanding your audience and recognizing that people communicate and receive information differently. Transparency is equally important to me because I value honesty and being direct while remaining kind and considerate. I want people to understand where I stand and feel confident that they are receiving honest, straightforward information.
Finally, I value simplicity, especially in a world that moves so quickly and constantly encourages us to focus on what comes next. I believe it's important to slow down, appreciate the present, and avoid becoming so focused on the future that we lose sight of what's happening right now.
These are values I strive to practice intentionally, both in how I show up for others and how I navigate my own personal and professional growth.
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