Mariama Whalen
Mariama Whalen is a seasoned employment law and workforce strategy professional, with over a decade of experience guiding organizations and employees through complex labor relations, compliance, and conflict resolution. As the founder of PCE WINS, LLC, she provides fractional HR leadership, grievance and arbitration advocacy, and workforce strategy solutions, helping businesses, nonprofits, and public agencies run smoother and more equitably. Her work emphasizes translating legal complexities into actionable guidance while fostering fair and compassionate workplace practices.
Throughout her career, Mariama has held leadership roles in labor relations and human resources, including Chief Labor Negotiator at AFSCME Council 67, Labor/Employee Relations Officer at New Mexico Highlands University, and Employee Relations Manager at Boulder County. She has extensive experience in collective bargaining, policy compliance, employee coaching, and performance management, consistently balancing organizational needs with fairness for employees. In her current role as Human Resources Director at UWC-USA, she oversees HR operations while ensuring employees’ working conditions and organizational policies align with best practices and ethical standards.
Mariama combines her professional expertise with creative initiatives, such as her podcast, Working with Demons and Witches, which explores workplace dynamics through storytelling and humor. Academically, she holds a Juris Master in U.S. Law from Liberty University and a Master’s in Organizational Leadership from Claremont Lincoln University. Passionate about building sustainable, compliant, and engaging workplaces, Mariama advocates for strategies that strengthen trust, reduce risk, and help both employees and organizations thrive.
If you want, I can also condense this into a punchy 2-paragraph LinkedIn-style bio that highlights her achievements and personality.
• Certified Arbitrator
• Liberty University- Bachelor's
• Liberty University- J.M.
• Claremont Lincoln University- M.A.
• Society of Human Resources
• NPELRA (National Public Employee Relations Association)
• Skills for a Cause
• Peace Wins Consulting
• Skills for a Cause
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my long-standing engagement in workforce issues, my commitment to continued learning, and a service-oriented mindset that allows me to address the needs of organizations and employees with compassion and consistency.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this field is to network intentionally, stay connected with other women leaders, practice empathy, share experiences, collaborate, and give themselves permission to say no when necessary.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenges in HR and employment law today include navigating limited visibility for certain career paths, managing intergenerational differences, and addressing the intersectional impacts of race and gender on workplace experiences. Opportunities lie in amplifying these issues through storytelling, building stronger professional networks, and advocating for equitable workplace rights.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I value compassion, compliance, and consistency in my work as an HR director. All of my education and degrees fit into that puzzle. I see a need and fill a need, and I can add value to one's life whether there's a dollar sign attached to it or not, mainly because I'm okay. I've gone through my own trials and tribulations, especially in the workforce, where I wish I had someone who I could talk to about what was going on. I truly find joy in just talking to people about their working terms and conditions, helping them understand why an organization may have the rules they have, and also helping them understand their rights. That's the harmony part. I find value in networking with women, hearing their stories, exercising my empathy and understanding, and gaining knowledge to say, oh, this is what you're going through, well, let me share what I'm going through, and let's see how we can build together.