Stacie Edwards, SHRM-CP
Stacie Edwards, SHRM-CP, serves as the Chief Administrative Officer at THS National, where she has played a pivotal role in shaping the organization’s culture and administrative operations over the past eight and a half years. Beginning her journey as Director of People and Culture in a department of one, she has since expanded her leadership to oversee HR, training and development, safety, marketing, and facilities. Under her guidance, the company has grown from a team of 40 employees to nearly 150, reflecting both her strategic vision and commitment to building a people-first organization.
In 2024, Stacie achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first female partner at THS National and the first leader from a non-client-facing role to join the ownership team. Her success is rooted in a philosophy that prioritizes people, integrity, and advocacy, combined with a strong understanding of business strategy. She credits much of her growth to the mentorship of past leaders who recognized her potential, as well as the support of her family, particularly her husband, which enabled her to balance career and family responsibilities.
Stacie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Southern Maine and is currently pursuing her MBA at North Carolina State University. She is a SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) and a certified practitioner in the Predictive Index. Beyond her professional responsibilities, she is an active volunteer, supporting animal shelters, the Boys & Girls Club, and community renovation projects. Stacie is passionate about fostering inclusive workplaces, empowering employees, and inspiring the next generation of women in leadership.
• Certified Practitioner in Predictive Index
• SHRM Certified Professional
• North Carolina State University – Master of Business Administration (MBA), in progress
• University of Southern Maine – Bachelor of Arts (BA), Communications
• Became Partner at THS National (2024)
• Influential Women 2026
• SHRM (Society of Human Resource Management)
• CSEAN (Chief and Senior Executive Network)
• Animal shelter volunteer
• Girls home/orphanage renovation projects
• Boys and Girls Club
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success at this company because of the old CEO of the company that I worked for prior to THS. He was kind of hired to come in on a contract basis and came in and recognized the value that I could offer. He kind of picked me out of the group, I guess, and he's the one that really elevated me and promoted me and believed in me, and gave me the confidence and taught me the business side of things to really come to this company, where I've been here for a while and continue on that path. Luckily, the CEO here also recognized that in me and brought me alongside him, and now we run the company together, essentially. My husband has also been instrumental in my success. When I took some time off to stay home with the children, his career continued on, so drawing on his expertise over the years has been great too. I also had a mentor early on who was great and poured into me from a business perspective and showed me things that I otherwise, maybe in this field or in the field of HR solely at the time, I would not have thought about.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Stick to your instincts. If you have the desire to go into HR or anything that really is involved in people management and working with the people, you really need to stick to your gut feelings. If you have a gut feeling that you feel strongly about for your organization, stick to that and fight for what's right and for the people. At the end of the day, you do have to do what's right by the company. However, you are in this profession, you get to be the voice for the masses. If it's something that you have enough business acumen and you feel strongly about a certain process or procedure for your organization, or a benefit that you know about that the people want, then just try, you know, stick to your instincts and your guns on pushing that through. This can be a thankless job from the aspect of your boss or senior leadership. The reason being they don't really know what you do and how much, how often you perform a role of counselor or a sounding board or something like that. But don't give up on that, because at the end of the day, when you get to go out and see those people that you've helped out in the field, and you've helped them grow in their careers, and you've been able to help them with a benefit or something that they may have an issue with, it's those accolades and those thanks that you get from those people, or at least for me, that have kept me going and kept me running. So, although you may not have an executive team or a senior leadership team that is going to be overly appreciative of what you do, stick to it, because when you get out there and you get a chance to see the people and you get a chance to help the people and help them grow at the company in their career, it's going to be so rewarding in the end. Really, it's a very rewarding career if you can stick with it.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
A challenge in HR is that the role can be underappreciated by senior leadership and occasionally feel thankless. The opportunity lies in the ability to meaningfully shape company culture, support organizational growth, and serve as a strong voice for employees.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I prioritize putting people first, maintaining integrity by doing what is right, and advocating for employees while balancing the business needs of the organization.