Erik Smetana
Dad, husband, occasional wordsmith, inadequate golfer, serial creator & curator of niche community-focused side projects, and people experience (PX) architect & strategist.
- Role
- Managing Director & National Practice Leader at Gallagher
- Location
- Nashville, TN, US
- LinkedIn followers
- 500 followers
About Erik Smetana
People experience (PX) architect and strategist focused on helping workplaces become spaces where all employees can be their best selves…Leader and advisor with extensive background working in, developing, serving clients (internal and external), and managing teams across a wide array of functional areas centered around people operations and strategy, and business operations and strategy with an eclectic mix of dynamic organizations including Fortune 500 companies across multiple industries (telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, hospitality), international not-for-profit organizations, major market media outlets (e.g. NPR and NBC affiliates), city/county/state government, institutions of higher education and research, incubated/start-up organizations, special districts, governmental agencies and authorities, and K-12 school districts among others; specialties include- Organizational and Functional Strategy Development and Implementation- Employee/Labor Relations & Engagement- Project/Program Management- People Data, Human Capital Informatics, & HR Analytics- Recruitment, Talent Fulfillment, Temp Staffing, and Executive Search- Executive Compensation in Higher Education (private and public orgs)- Total Rewards (including compensation/classification, incentive plans, wellness, and employee benefits)- Training/Employee Learning (including instructional design)- Policy Development, Compliance, and Programs Management- HR Service Delivery Implementation and Operations- Engagement, Diversity Programs & Workplace Culture (including recognition)- HR/Internal Communications (including social media messaging and HR brand identity)- Organizational Development & Effectiveness (including succession planning)- Compensation, Classification, & Career Frameworks- Leadership Advisory Services and Coaching
Experience
Managing Director & National Practice Leader
Jan 2026 — Present · Nashville, TN, US
Promoted from Managing Director & Practice Leader for Gallagher\'s legacy Public Sector & Higher Education (PSHE) practice, to Managing Director & National Practice Leader for Gallagher\'s newly formed Public Sector, Community & Education practice - combining the talent and expertise of our legacy PSHE and legacy Koff & Associates teams to serve clients on a truly national scale (all 50 states and territories).Led the Public Sector, Community & Education Practice leadership team, partnering with clients to provide strategic and advisory services focused on people strategy and management consulting services; HR transformation; organizational design and assessment, leadership search for public organizaitons, employee experience; compensation (including executive compensation), classification, and career frameworks; and more with municipal, county, and state governments; colleges and universities (two and four-year institutions and university systems; public and private); elementary, secondary, and school districts (public, private, and charter); public health care organizations; tribal organizations and related businesses; authorities and special districts (housing, transit & transportation, water & watershed, etc.); public utilities and services; non-profits and community organizations, and more.
Education
University of South Florida Muma College of Business
Certificate, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace
Lindenwood University
Master of Fine Arts (MFA), Writing
University of Missouri-Saint Louis
Bachelor of Arts - BA, Industrial/Organizational Psychology (M), Management & Org Behavior (m)
MIT Sloan Executive Education
Certificate, Artificial Intelligence (AI): Implications for Business Strategy
Lindenwood University
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
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