Mara Kamat

About Mara Kamat

Mara Kamat is a seasoned HR leader, People Strategist, and Executive Coach known for her ability to empower leaders and professionals on transformative career and leadership journeys. With a distinguished background in Human Resources, Mara\'s expertise has been honed in fast-paced, high-growth environments both domestically and internationally. As the founder of On the MRK Consulting, she leverages her entrepreneurial spirit and strategic acumen to guide organizations in creating contemporary HR Strategies. Mara\'s approach integrates deep insights from her leadership roles at Great Lakes Cheese, Philips Healthcare, and General Electric, where she collaborated closely with CEOs and executive teams to drive organizational success. Passionate about fostering leadership excellence, Mara constantly enhances her skills through programs like Harvard Business School’s Authentic Leadership Development Program. Her commitment to empowering others extends beyond consulting and coaching, as she actively contributes to research collaborations on workplace well-being and supports philanthropic initiatives in her community and around the world. Areas of Expertise: HR Leadership | HR Strategy Development | Executive Coach | C-Level Engagement | Organizational Culture | Organizational Design | Employee Engagement || Change Management | Compensation & Benefits | Succession Planning | HR Metrics & Analytics | Learning & Development | Talent Management | Workforce Planning | HR Compliance | HR Technology Integration | Leadership Advisor | Global HR Management | Start-up and Hyper Growth Experience

Experience

1. Fractional Chief People Officer

   Aurora Payments

   Oct 2025 — Present

   As Chief People Officer at Aurora Payments, I lead the design and execution of a modern, scalable people strategy aligned to a fast-growing, PE-backed fintech organization evolving toward a SaaS operating model.My role centers on building the HR function for growth — establishing the infrastructure, systems, and leadership practices required to scale effectively while maintaining a strong, values-driven culture. This includes organizational design, performance management, compensation and incentives, talent development, leadership effectiveness, and workforce planning — all tightly connected to business outcomes.I partner closely with the executive team to translate strategy into action, ensuring our people practices support speed, accountability, and sustainable performance. A core focus of my work is helping leaders navigate change: integrating new talent, modernizing legacy practices, and creating clarity during periods of transformation.At Aurora, we believe that strong results come from empowered teams, honest dialogue, and shared ownership. My approach blends a people-first mindset with a business lens — building environments where individuals can do their best work and the company can scale with confidence.

Education

• Harvard Business School Executive Education

  Authentic Leadership Development, Organizational Leadership

• The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business

  Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Human Resources and International Studies

• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

  Master of Human Resources and Industrial Relations, MHRIR, Human Resources

Skills

• Employee Engagement
• Recruiting
• Deferred Compensation
• Organizational Design
• Human Resources
• Change Management
• Talent Acquisition
• Talent Management
• Succession Planning
• Workforce Planning
• College Recruiting
• Employee Relations
• Team Management
• Phr
• Onboarding
• Interviews
• Leadership Development
• Hris
• HR Policies
• Talent Development
• Global Management
• Labor Relations
• Performance Management