Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Key Accomplishments
Accomplishments
Certification
Languages
Timeline
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Danet M. Cartagena Felix

Danet M. Cartagena Felix

McKinney,TX

Summary

Accomplished HR leader recognized for driving organizational excellence through compensation strategy, workforce realignment, and executive collaboration. Fully bilingual in English and Spanish, with deep expertise in immigration compliance (I-9 audits, H-2A visa programs), EEOC investigations, and enterprise-wide HR audits. Known for accelerating growth by embedding performance accountability, leading succession planning, and scaling HR operations across complex, multi-site environments. Skilled in building high-performing teams and aligning benefits, employee relations, and performance review systems with evolving business priorities.

Human Resources professional prepared to drive organizational success through effective people management and strategic planning. Expertise in employee relations, talent acquisition, and compliance, with strong focus on team collaboration and achieving measurable outcomes. Adaptable and reliable, skilled in navigating dynamic environments and aligning HR strategies with business goals.

Overview

29
29
years of professional experience
10
10
Certification

Work History

Director – Human Resources

Taylor Farms
07.2022 - Current
  • Directed HR operations for a 900+ employee manufacturing facility, overseeing employee relations, compliance, payroll, benefits, safety programs, workforce engagement, and leadership development initiatives.
  • Aligned HR strategies with business needs by collaborating with cross-functional leaders across departments and functions.
  • Championed cultural transformation through policy improvement, leadership training, and process standardization, resulting in improved organizational performance.
  • Implemented a 10-month soft skills training program for 85 leads and supervisors, strengthening frontline leadership capabilities and succession planning readiness.
  • Drove a 15% internal promotion rate, increasing employee trust in company career pathways.
  • Enhanced team morale and peer advocacy by equipping managers with effective communication and leadership skills.
  • Generated a 79% increase in employee referrals from friends and family, reinforcing a culture of engagement and belonging within the team.
  • Transformed safety culture by forming a safety committee and conducting compliance training.
  • Reduced workers' compensation claims from 40 to 5 annually and improved adherence to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards.
  • Redefined attendance management by overhauling the attendance policy and coaching supervisors to promote Paid Time Off (PTO) flexibility.
  • Reduced absenteeism by 75% while strengthening workforce accountability, inclusion, and responsiveness.
  • Revamped onboarding by leading a new hire orientation that highlighted national operations and community engagement initiatives.
  • Improved new hire retention by 70%, strengthened employer branding, and deepened employee alignment.
  • Achieved successful Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA) results for 2 consecutive years with minimal to zero findings.
  • Maintained compliance with ethical practices, safety standards, and documentation controls while supporting partnerships.

Senior Manager – Human Resources

Pro-Health LLC
09.2018 - 07.2022
  • Spearheaded HR operations for 250 employees across 3 states, managing staffing, compliance, audits, and employee relations.
  • Advised ownership and the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) on workforce planning and implemented HR systems.
  • Developed policies that improved legal compliance, reduced operational costs, and supported recruitment to ensure continuity of operations.
  • Accelerated recovery from a Homeland Security audit by replacing 89% of a site’s workforce in under 2 weeks.
  • Combined visa processing and temporary local recruitment to ensure uninterrupted labor supply and business continuity across locations.
  • Established annual HR audit processes across the organization using a compliance checklist for Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), OSHA, and Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) regulations.
  • Improved documentation control and legal readiness.
  • Reduced workers’ compensation insurance costs by $40K by developing a safety program.
  • Introduced training sessions, developed SOPs, and introduced risk mitigation policies that improved occupational health outcomes and policyholder credibility.
  • Strengthened internal talent mobility, ensured fair evaluations, and created transparent processes for promotions, raises, and employee growth opportunities.
  • Instituted a formal succession planning program with performance documentation and tracking.
  • Implemented BambooHR to digitize onboarding, policy distribution, and I-9 employment eligibility verification.
  • Streamlined document management, reduced administrative time by 45%, and ensured compliance with the E-Verify authorization system.

Manager – Global Training & HR (Latin America)

Brinker International
02.2016 - 09.2018
  • Oversaw training and HR initiatives across 12 Latin American markets, supporting Chili’s brand expansion, workforce development, and regional consistency.
  • Developed scalable programs, localized U.S. practices to fit regional needs, and led new market launches, including Panama and Chile.
  • Fostered cross-cultural collaboration, talent alignment, and operational cohesion while ensuring compliance with country-specific labor laws and global training standards.
  • Unified 12 countries under a shared training framework by forming cross-market crew trainer teams.
  • Facilitated collaborative learning, improved onboarding standards, and accelerated restaurant openings through structured talent development.
  • Launched a mentoring program for facilitators and instructional designers across Latin America.
  • Supported record-breaking regional sales in 20 out of 31 months by aligning culture integration, leadership development, and performance strategies.
  • Strengthened collaboration between country teams by cultivating a unified culture of teamwork and information sharing.
  • Sustained international restaurant expansion and knowledge transfer while building long-term operational partnerships.
  • Supported HR and training teams by initiating cross-border collaboration among 12 countries.
  • Fostered a global culture where representatives proactively shared solutions, supported openings, and aligned operations—resulting in sustained teamwork.
  • Managed 45 trainers and tailored training delivery to local labor laws across all markets.
  • Maintained brand consistency, compliance with country-specific employment regulations, and quality assurance across all training programs.

Manager – Human Resources

McDonald’s (Chalfont & Associates)
10.2010 - 02.2016
  • Built the HR department from the ground up to support 10 restaurants in Central Florida, establishing foundational practices for long-term scalability.
  • Developed core policies, recruitment strategies, training programs, and performance frameworks tailored to operational needs.
  • Partnered with executive leadership on workforce planning, compliance, and benefits administration while streamlining hiring and reducing legal risks through documentation, consistent procedures, and structured HR process improvements.
  • Centralized onboarding and hiring across 10 locations and established school partnerships to build an early talent pipeline.
  • Reduced turnover and created a consistent employee experience through streamlined orientation and pre-employment outreach.
  • Minimized unemployment claims by 55% by training managers to document performance and attendance infractions.
  • Improved case documentation quality, legal response accuracy, and defense success rates in unemployment compensation claims.
  • Overhauled the company’s benefit offerings to align with the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
  • Introduced compliant healthcare, 401(k), and disability insurance options that enhanced candidate appeal and improved employee retention in a competitive environment.
  • Expanded workforce development pipelines by partnering with colleges and community programs.
  • Designed early-career employment paths that introduced structured work experience for youth while creating a talent pool for frontline operations.

Senior Consultant – Human Resources (Puerto Rico)

McDonald’s
02.1996 - 10.2010
  • Directed HR operations for 124 restaurants across Puerto Rico, Florida, and the Caribbean, overseeing staffing, training, employee relations, benefits, payroll, open enrollment, and investigations.
  • Championed the creation of the HR Assistant Program, strengthening employee support systems and earning company-wide recognition and nomination for the President’s Award.
  • Led a $2.5M regional revitalization initiative to address understaffing issues, with some locations operating at only 50% capacity.
  • Built a full-scale hiring, onboarding, and training program that achieved 100% staffing across all restaurants within 90 days.
  • Built a cross-location communication network by designating hourly manager contacts at each restaurant.
  • Launched recognition and retention programs, including employee of the month celebrations, and increased employee satisfaction scores by 20%.
  • Optimized performance systems and digital training compliance, ensuring 100% completion of required modules for new hires.
  • Reduced turnover by 45% and improved training completion by 75%, while sustaining 99% staffing levels across all restaurants.
  • Oversaw hiring and training for McDonald’s first location in the San Juan Airport, a union-sensitive site.
  • Partnered with corporate and regional leadership to implement a staffing strategy that avoided unionization, earning recognition for team-building.

Education

Bachelor of Business Administration -

University of Puerto Rico

Skills

  • Employee Lifecycle Management
  • HR Automation & Process Improvement
  • Benefits Administration & Communication
  • Employer Branding & Culture Transformation
  • Global Labor Law Adaptation & Policy Localization
  • Succession Planning & Leadership Pipeline Oversight
  • Team Building & Launch Support
  • HR Policy Design & Implementation
  • People & Culture Strategy Development

Key Accomplishments

  • Strategic Workforce Planning, Launched an H-2A visa hiring program at Pro-Health, enabling recruitment of employees from Ukraine and South Africa in 60 days. Restored operational efficiency through workforce planning and immigration compliance.
  • Employee Engagement Oversight, Boosted engagement scores by 1.5 points at Taylor Farms by launching recognition programs and an activity committee. Promoted an open-door policy that fostered employee satisfaction and stakeholder engagement.
  • High-Performance Team Building, Recruited 6 general managers and 10 assistant managers at McDonald’s, directly contributing to a ~45% sales increase. Enhanced operational leadership and aligned hiring strategies with profit and loss (P&L) accountability.
  • Business Growth Acceleration, Deployed a 6-region HR assistant structure at McDonald’s to manage hiring, onboarding, and training across Puerto Rico. Developed a 3-month model that included weekly check-ins and performance and training support.
  • HRIS Implementation & Workforce Data Accuracy, Collaborated with Taylor Farms corporate HR team to successfully implement the new UKG software for timekeeping and HR seatmate processes. Led the TFFL team in completing all procedures on time, achieving 100% paychecks accuracy and fully updated employee records with minimal errors.

Accomplishments

  • Collaborated with a team of 6 regional HR assistants to develop a structured hiring and onboarding process across Puerto Rico, enhancing scalability and operational consistency.
  • Documented and resolved attendance and absenteeism issues at Taylor Farms which led to a 75% reduction in unexcused absences and improved accountability.
  • Achieved a 15% internal promotion rate through effectively helping with the rollout of a 10-month soft skills leadership training program.
  • Used Microsoft Excel to develop audit tracking tools for workforce compliance, supporting accurate documentation for EEOC, OSHA, and FLSA reviews.
  • Achieved a 45% reduction in administrative workload by introducing BambooHR for onboarding, policy distribution, and I-9 verification tasks.
  • Resolved inefficiencies in the onboarding process through employee feedback and testing, resulting in a 70% increase in new hire retention.
  • Supervised a team of 45 regional trainers across 12 Latin American countries, ensuring consistent training delivery, labor law compliance, and brand integrity.
  • Achieved 100% paycheck accuracy by completing UKG system implementation with precision and timely execution at Taylor Farms Florida.

Certification

  • Human Resources Training, Hamburger University
  • Business Consulting Training, Hamburger University
  • Human Resources Certification, Escuela Superior de Recursos Humanos de Puerto Rico
  • ADP Payroll – Certified in payroll processing and compliance
  • E-Verify – Certified in federal employment eligibility verification processes
  • LawLogix – Certified in I-9 documentation and E-Verify system usage
  • Kronos – Certified in payroll processing and reporting functions
  • Microsoft Office Suite – Certified in Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Publisher
  • AI Tools & Applications – Certified in ChatGPT for workplace and HR solutions
  • Canva – Certified in digital design and content creation

Languages

English
Full Professional
Spanish
Native or Bilingual

Timeline

Director – Human Resources

Taylor Farms
07.2022 - Current

Senior Manager – Human Resources

Pro-Health LLC
09.2018 - 07.2022

Manager – Global Training & HR (Latin America)

Brinker International
02.2016 - 09.2018

Manager – Human Resources

McDonald’s (Chalfont & Associates)
10.2010 - 02.2016

Senior Consultant – Human Resources (Puerto Rico)

McDonald’s
02.1996 - 10.2010

Bachelor of Business Administration -

University of Puerto Rico

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