Vanessa Phung

About Vanessa Phung

As a fractional HR Leader, I help startups and high-growth companies build the right people strategies to scale—whether that means setting up foundational HR, navigating M&A, or preparing for funding rounds. I thrive in the fast-paced, high-stakes world of growing businesses, partnering with founders and execs to create leadership-driven, people-first cultures that actually work. With 15+ M&A transactions under my belt (from both the buyer and seller side), experience leading HR teams across the U.S. and India, and deep expertise in everything from benefits and PEO setup to culture transformations, I know how to align people strategy with business goals. My approach? Straightforward, strategic, and built for impact. I specialize in: Fractional HR leadership for startups and scaling companies 🤝 M&A due diligence, integration, and culture alignment People strategy to support funding rounds and rapid growth Leadership development and succession planning Building HR infrastructure that fuels scale—not bureaucracy If you’re a founder, CEO, or exec trying to figure out *how* to grow your company without breaking your culture (or your sanity), let’s talk. I open up my calendar for conversations with leaders who want to get HR right from the start. To book me to speak at your next meeting or event, please DM me or contact me at V••••••@peoplehaven.com.

Experience

1. Founder

   People Haven

   Aug 2024 — Present

   As the Founder of People Haven, I partner with startups to navigate their people strategy during critical growth phases. With a focus on values-based leadership, I help founders and C-suite executives align their people processes with organizational goals, ensuring smooth transitions through key milestones like M&A, funding rounds, and scaling. I specialize in providing hands-on, strategic HR support to companies ranging from the seed stage to 1500 employees. My mission is to empower businesses with the right people practices, infrastructure, and culture to foster sustainable growth, engagement, and profitability. Through People Haven, I offer a range of services including leadership mentorship, HR advisory, DEI initiatives, and organizational development. My approach blends a deep understanding of people dynamics with a pragmatic, results-driven mindset that drives long-term success.

Education

• University of Houston-Downtown

  Master of Business Administration - MBA, Human Resources Management

  2018 — 2020

• Texas A&M University

  BS, Human Resource Development

  2007 — 2011

Skills

• Customer Service
• Training
• Salary Surveys
• Payroll
• Interviewing
• Time Management
• Powerpoint
• Microsoft Excel
• Management
• Team Building
• Recruiting
• Teamwork
• Staff Development
• Hiring
• Compensation
• Microsoft Office
• Salary Benchmarking
• Employee Relations
• Interviews
• New Hire Orientations
• Microsoft Powerpoint
• Human Resources
• Microsoft Word