Her Story
About Tia
Tia Barthwell is a Human Resource Compliance Specialist with RL Enterprise & Associates: Recruiting & Staffing and brings more than 20 years of experience across the staffing and human resources industry. She began her career in staffing in 2002 and progressed through roles including staffing, recruiting, account management, human resources generalist responsibilities, and HR compliance. Her current work focuses on employment law compliance, employee training, regulatory requirements, workers’ compensation, employee relations, onboarding compliance, audits, and workforce management. She partners with leadership and clients to strengthen HR processes, reduce organizational risk, and support compliant and people-focused workplaces. Barthwell has developed expertise in employment law and compliance, risk management, workers’ compensation, staffing and recruiting, employee relations, and workforce development. She holds a Human Resource Management Essential Certificate from the University of South Carolina, along with an Ethical HR Leadership certificate from LinkedIn. Her career reflects a strong emphasis on continuous professional development, practical HR experience, and staying informed about evolving employment regulations. She is also developing a staffing and compliance law manual intended to provide practical guidance to small businesses navigating employment and regulatory requirements. Throughout her career, Barthwell has emphasized the importance of experience, education, integrity, fairness, and using one's voice. She credits her professional growth to continuous learning, determination, problem-solving, and the mentors who supported her along the way, including Brenda Przybyla. She encourages women entering human resources to pursue growth confidently, learn from real-world experience, and remain persistent when their career paths change. Outside of her professional work, family and community are central to her values, and she particularly enjoys spending time with her nine grandchildren.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Tia
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to nearly two decades of experience in the human resources and staffing industry, continuous learning, determination, and being willing to use my voice. I began my career in staffing as a receptionist and progressively expanded my experience through recruiting, account management, and human resources roles. Each position gave me a broader understanding of employment law, compliance, workforce management, and employee relations. Because HR and employment law are constantly evolving, I believe continued education, practical experience, and a strong problem-solving approach have been essential to my growth.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
An important source of career guidance for me has been Brenda Przybyla, who provided mentorship, guidance, and support throughout my career, particularly while I was working on-site at Colgate-Palmolive as an HR representative supporting temporary staff.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would encourage women entering human resources not to underestimate the value of experience. Continue learning, develop your expertise, and use your voice confidently. Do not give up when your career path changes or becomes challenging. Some of the most valuable HR knowledge comes from real-world experience, so be willing to learn from every role, situation, and challenge rather than relying solely on textbooks or certifications.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in human resources is keeping pace with constantly changing employment laws and regulations. This can be particularly difficult for small businesses that may not have dedicated HR professionals or attorneys available to guide them. I also see this challenge as an opportunity to create practical resources that help organizations understand and meet their compliance responsibilities. One example is the staffing and compliance law manual I am currently developing to help small businesses navigate regulatory requirements while protecting both employees and employers.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that are most important to me are family, integrity, education, fairness, community, growth, and helping others succeed. In my professional life, I believe HR should protect both employees and employers by ensuring that organizations operate in compliance with the law. In my personal life, family is especially important to me, and I value the time I spend with my nine grandchildren.
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