Meet

Valerie Lara, SHRM-CP

Valerie Lara, SHRM-CP, provides strategic human resources and operational support as a Consultant within the firm’s Outsourcing practice. She has a wealth of experience providing people operations support for nonprofits and high-growth tech start-ups across various industries. Valerie prides herself on cultivating healthy company cultures by being an empathetic and meticulous leader with a clear focus on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. Valerie is well-versed in building HR programs, policies and processes from the ground up and brings with her a genuine passion for innovation and technology.

Formerly, she served as the Senior Manager of Total Rewards for Goodwill Central Texas. Prior to that, she was the Director of HR for Smarter Sorting, a green-tech start-up in Austin, TX.

Valerie has a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Liberal Arts from St. Edward’s University and is a Society for Human Resource Management Certified Professional (SHRM-CP). She considers herself a lifelong learner, recently completing an HR Management Certificate Program at University of Texas at Austin’s Center for Professional Education and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace Certificate with USF Corporate Training and Professional Education. 

When she’s not at a conference, Valerie enjoys traveling, candle-making, watching the latest TV shows and films and going to support local drag shows. She also loves taking advantage of all that Austin, TX, has to offer with her partner, James, friends, family and loved ones.

Pronouns: She, her, hers

Get to know more about Valerie in her staff story!