Lauren Valencia

About Lauren Valencia

My career as a senior HR leader has been driven by a passion for turning business vision into reality. As a strategic partner and executive advisor, I\'ve had the opportunity to successfully navigate the complexities of diverse industries and company growth stages. I have a core focus on growing and developing talent while creating a clear connection between individual contributions and organizational success. My expertise lies in architecting and executing impactful People Strategy and organizational change initiatives, where I excel at both leading HR projects and managing the people-side of the transformation. I take great pride in my ability to build and scale HR functions using data to make informed decisions, all while ensuring operational excellence, mitigating risk, and staying grounded in federal & multi-state compliance and proactive employee relations.

Experience

1. Head of People Operations

   Challenged Athletes Foundation

   May 2023 — Present · San Diego, CA, US

   As the first HR hire, I established and scaled the HR function from the ground up, creating a strategic framework that aligned talent, culture, and compliance with the organization\'s growth objectives.I serve as a key strategic partner to senior leadership, providing data-driven counsel on talent management, compensation, and policy. My work includes conducting comprehensive audits of HR policies, launching new learning and development programs, and redesigning performance management processes to enhance organizational goal alignment. I also spearhead talent acquisition strategies, leading to a stronger talent pipeline and reduced time-to-hire, and direct compensation initiatives that measurably improve employee satisfaction and retention.

Education

• DePaul University

  Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)