Zakia Ford

I am an accomplished human resources executive and business consultant with over eight years of experience providing strategic insights, resources, and strategies to mission-driven organizations nationwide. Since September 2017, I have worked as a freelance Human Resources and Business Consultant, partnering with clients across sectors to align HR, operations, and business functions with organizational goals and drive sustainable growth and impact.

Most recently, I served as Executive Head of Human Resources and Consultant (Interim) at DevNW in Corvallis, Oregon, for over a year and a half, where I established and scaled the HR function to support long-term organizational growth, ensured one hundred percent compliance with labor laws across multi-state operations, built and implemented HR infrastructure that standardized policies and practices, led the full employee life cycle from recruitment to separation, directed HR administration and operations including policy management and HRIS processes, cultivated strong partnerships with the executive management team, partnered with the Equity Approach Workgroup to update the company handbook, designed and implemented a performance management system, facilitated the Peer Cohort for Managers, and developed the organizational approach for succession planning.

Prior to that, I served as Human Resources Executive at Brink Communications for nine months, where I directed and scaled all HR functions, led organization-wide initiatives including culture assessments and leadership development programs, managed complex personnel matters, ensured compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, analyzed salary and benchmarking data to design a competitive compensation structure, led HR auditing processes, directed administration of employee benefits and payroll, provided strategic HR guidance to attract and retain a diverse workforce, supervised and coached a team of HR professionals, and served as a key member of the executive leadership team.

I also served as Senior Director of Human Resources at Citizens' Climate Lobby for nearly two years, where I directed and scaled HR operations across thirty-two U.S. states and three continents, served as a strategic advisor to the Executive Management team and Board of Directors, developed and implemented HR policies and the Employee Handbook, led full employee lifecycle management, provided HR consultations to executives and sister organizations on global HR strategy, designed compensation and benefits programs, oversaw HR auditing processes, directed administration of benefits and payroll, led training and professional development initiatives, managed a team of HR professionals, and managed the HR budget in partnership with the CFO.

Earlier in my career, I served as Human Resources Manager at The Home Depot on a contract basis, providing guidance on COVID-related leave and exposure protocols and supporting leadership with HR policy application.

Across my career in human resources and business consulting, my work has been driven by a commitment to building organizations that are compliant, equitable, and aligned with their missions. Whether I am scaling an HR function for a growing nonprofit, coaching managers through complex personnel matters, or designing compensation structures that promote pay equity, I bring strategic vision, operational expertise, and a deep dedication to helping organizations and the people within them thrive.