Lara Foronda Tai

About Lara Foronda Tai

HR & Compensation Leader in State GovernmentHR and compensation professional with 25 years of experience supporting workforce initiatives in state government. I specialize in job classification, compensation planning, and compliance, and I regularly partner with executives and HR leaders to translate workforce data into sound, practical decisions.I contribute to statewide legislative reports on topics like employee turnover and executive and law enforcement compensation, helping translate trends into recommendations with long-term impact. I’m especially interested in building systems that are consistent, data-driven, and flexible enough to adapt to changing talent needs.Certified in CCP, SHRM-CP, and PHR, with an ongoing focus on compensation and the responsible use of AI in HR, I bring a collaborative approach and a strong commitment to public service.

Experience

1. Managing Classification Analyst, State Classification Team

   Texas State Auditor's Office

   Sep 2022 — Present · Austin, TX, US

   Responsible for maintaining the State of Texas compensation and classification system, overseeing job classification audits at state agencies, analyzing state workforce issues, overseeing the publishing of human resources related reports, and providing information and guidance on employee compensation and workforce issues to the Legislature and state entities- Provides support to the Classification Manager in overseeing work within the Classification Team through mentoring staff, overseeing and assigning project responsibilities and other work, and in reviewing work for accuracy and completeness- Performs professional human resources work advising and assisting Legislative members and staff, management at state agencies and higher education institutions, and SAO auditors regarding human resources related matters such as employee classification, compensation, leave statutes, salary administration, and general workforce issues- Maintains and ensures that the State‘s compensation plan is current and competitive- Makes recommendations to the Legislature, as necessary and appropriate, regarding the operation, improvement, and modification of the State’s Classification Plan- Oversees salary studies and compensation analysis of salary rates (all positions including executive and law enforcement positions) in both the public and private sector for similar work performed in Texas state government- Oversees position classification compliance audits at state agencies to ensure conformity with the State’s Classification Plan- Publishes report findings and recommendations to the Legislature, and publishes several reports and guides on various compensation, classification, turnover, leave, and workforce issues- Testifies before legislative committees and provides assistance in reviewing legislative bills and developing fiscal notes- Standing member of the agency\'s Compensation Committee- Develops annual project workplans for the Classification Team.

Education

• The University of Texas at Austin

  BBA, Management Information Systems

  1993 — 1997

Skills

• Human Resources
• Deferred Compensation
• Performance Management
• Customer Retention
• Personnel Management
• Workers Compensation
• Program Management
• Public Policy
• Talent Management
• Employee Benefits
• HR Policies
• Government
• Policy
• Recruiting
• Fmla
• New Hire Orientations
• Employee Relations
• Leadership
• Risk Management
• Temporary Placement
• Technical Recruiting
• Management
• Records Management