Jess Lewis

About Jess Lewis

I sit at the intersection of culture, strategy, and execution — helping organizations…

Experience

1. Sr Manager, People (Functionally Organizational Effectiveness Lead)

   Rise Brands

   Apr 2021 — Present · Columbus, OH, US

   At Rise Brands (Pins Mechanical, 16-Bit, and more), I’ve had the chance to shape the people side of a growing hospitality and entertainment brand now spanning 14 locations and ~900 employees. My role has been equal parts strategist, program builder, and culture champion — working closely with executives and operators to solve problems, design solutions, and make change stick in the real world.Impact includes- Leading an enterprise transformation by implementing Paylocity and integrating benefits, scheduling, payroll, and operations systems — building the foundation for how our people and processes scale across states- Designing and rolling out the People/HR framework for New Store Openings, defining every workforce and compliance step with timelines and contingencies, and tying it into the larger project plan- Driving culture resets and leadership development after key leadership transitions — embedding accountability, trust, and psychological safety into daily operations- Building policies and compliance infrastructure from scratch (from AI policy to state-by-state employment requirements) while ensuring adoption across the organization- Creating training and resources managers can actually use — from system how-to guides to Building and Maintaining a Kick-Ass Work Environment, a leadership essentials course now required for all managers- Strengthening engagement and culture by creating tools (Feedback Playbook, Culture Conversations), hosting experiences (Annual Gathering competitions, leadership trainings), and building support systems like the Rise Relief Fund, an employee grant program for team members in need- Recognized as the “heartbeat of the organization” by executives, frequently trusted to emcee company-wide events and represent Rise externally.This role has confirmed what I love most: bringing people together around a vision, building programs that work in practice, and creating a culture that’s designed — not left to chance.

Education

• University of Florida

  Certificate, Tactical Human Resource Management

  2014 — 2014

• University of Central Florida

  Bachelor of Arts (BA), Interpersonal and Organizational Communications

  2009 — 2013