Hope Wilkerson
Dagsboro,Delaware
Summary
Executive HR and operations leader with 15+ years of experience advising boards and senior leadership on people strategy, organizational risk, and enterprise growth across healthcare, architecture/engineering, aerospace, and government environments. Recognized for guiding organizations through transformation, scaling workforces, integrating acquisitions, and aligning people strategy with business objectives. Lead enterprise people strategy encompassing workforce planning, organizational design, talent acquisition, compensation and benefits, employee relations, compliance, HRIS, labor relations, leadership development, succession planning, and change management. Partner closely with executive leadership and boards on human capital decisions, M&A activity, and building scalable, multi-state operations.
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
18
18
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Director, Human Resources
Sun Behavioral Health
06.2025 - 01.2026
- Brought in during a period of organizational transition to strengthen HR foundations, address compliance risk, and align people strategy with leadership priorities. Partnered closely with executive leadership to ensure stability, clarity, and forward momentum.
- Core Responsibilities & Leadership Areas:
- Executive advisor on workforce planning, employee relations, compliance strategy, and organizational alignment during a period of transition.
- Led revision and standardization of HR and operation SOPs to improve consistency, accountability and regulatory compliance.
- Owned benefits strategy and compliance oversight, ensuring alignment with healthcare regulations and organizational goals.
- Oversaw multi-department operations including Human Resources, Dietary Services, and Education, providing leadership support and operational continuity.
- Guided leadership on risk management.
- Provided hands-on HR generalist support while maintaining enterprise-level strategic oversight.
Corporate Director of HR & Operations
Becker Morgan Group, Inc.
02.2020 - 06.2025
- Served as the senior people and operations executive for a multi-office AE&C firm, reporting directly to the Board and advising leadership as a de facto Chief Operating Officer. Owned enterprise-wide HR, payroll, compliance, and operational strategy while overseeing office administration, marketing, finance, graphics, and business development functions to ensure alignment across people, operations, and firm-wide growth initiatives.
- Core Responsibilities & Leadership Areas:
- Executive advisor to Board and Principals on human capital strategy, organizational risk, and enterprise planning.
- Full ownership of payroll operations, HRIS, and benefits administration across a multi-state workforce.
- Led all compliance audits and regulatory oversight, including federal, state, insurance, and Section 125 cafeteria plan requirements.
- Directed corporate HR strategy while executing full-cycle HR generalist functions.
- Led workforce planning, succession planning, and compensation strategy.
- Oversaw M&A due diligence, integration planning, and cultural alignment.
- Designed and led firm-wide initiatives impacting engagement, communication, and operational consistency.
- Led enterprise benefits strategy end-to-end, including broker evaluation and selection, carrier negotiations, and plan redesign—reducing annual benefit costs by 24% while enhancing employee coverage and experience.
Director of HR & Interim Chief of Staff
Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority
11.2020 - 02.2024
- Served as Director of Human Resources with direct reporting to the CEO and Board, providing enterprise HR leadership in a highly regulated, multi-state aerospace and government environment. Led the development of foundational HR infrastructure, advised executive leadership on workforce strategy and organizational risk, and served as Interim Chief of Staff to support executive operations, succession planning, and cross-functional coordination.
- Core Responsibilities & Leadership Areas:
- Direct advisor to the CEO and Board on human capital strategy, workforce planning, compliance risk, and organizational effectiveness
- Built HR infrastructure from the ground up, including development of policies, procedures, and governance frameworks
- Developed and led the Education function, creating and launching a successful intern program supporting workforce development and talent pipelines
- Oversaw multi-state payroll operations and HR compliance across federal and state jurisdictions
- Led HRIS implementation, driving process standardization, data integrity, and operational efficiency
- Owned full benefits lifecycle, including plan design, carrier negotiations, and ongoing administration
- Oversaw employee relations, investigations, labor compliance, and audit readiness
- Provided leadership oversight for Marketing, Business Development, and the Human Resources team
- Served as Interim Chief of Staff, supporting executive operations, succession planning, and cross-department coordination
Regional HR Director
Peachtree Health Group / Delaware Valley Residential Care
08.2011 - 11.2020
- Progressively promoted into senior HR leadership roles, culminating in Regional Director of Human Resources overseeing multi-state operations for Peachtree Health Group and Delaware Valley Residential Care. Served as both hands-on HR leader and strategic advisor to the CEO and Regional HR leadership, owning enterprise workforce strategy, labor relations, compliance, and talent operations across highly regulated healthcare environments. Led transformation initiatives focused on standardization, cost control, retention, and workforce stability.
- Core Responsibilities & Leadership Areas:
- Led multi-state HR operations at the regional level, overseeing HR generalists at each site and corporate recruiting teams
- Served as strategic advisor to the CEO and Regional Director of HR on workforce planning, labor strategy, compliance risk, and organizational effectiveness
- Negotiated collective bargaining agreements, delivering $200K in annual savings (29%) while maintaining workforce stability
- Developed and implemented company-wide HR policies and standardized SOPs to drive consistency across locations
- Created standardized talent acquisition processes, metrics, and governance, improving hiring outcomes for hard-to-fill roles
- Reduced employee turnover by 12% through the creation of an employee engagement committee and targeted retention strategies
- Oversaw and managed an HR operating budget of approximately $600K
- At the local level, served as HR Manager and Director, performing full-cycle HR generalist functions while building scalable programs
- Wrote SOPs, developed orientation and training programs, and led staff training initiatives
- Ensured local, state, and federal HR and healthcare compliance across facilities
HR Manager & Training Coordinator
Somerset Community Services
06.2008 - 08.2011
- Led the Human Resources function within a non-profit healthcare organization, reporting directly to the CEO and serving as a strategic advisor to senior leadership and the Board. Owned payroll, HR operations, training, and compliance within a highly regulated care environment, building internal HR infrastructure and workforce development programs to strengthen compliance, reduce risk, and improve organizational readiness.
- Core Responsibilities & Leadership Areas:
- Served as primary HR leader and strategic advisor to the CEO and Board on workforce initiatives, compliance, and organizational development
- Owned end-to-end payroll operations and HR administration for the organization
- Developed and implemented SOPs to standardize HR and training processes across programs and locations
- Designed and launched internal training and orientation programs aligned with healthcare, nursing, and regulatory requirements
- Delivered new-hire orientation and annual mandatory training for all staff
- Increased training compliance from below 50% to over 90% within one year through structured program design and accountability
- Ensured OSHA compliance and supported enterprise risk management initiatives
- Ensured HR processes aligned with nursing regulations and healthcare oversight standards
- Supported multi-state compliance readiness, audits, and regulatory reviews
Education
Master of Business Administration (MBA) - Management & Human Resources
Capella University
06-2024
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) - Finance & Risk Management
Kaplan University
01.2016
Dual Associate’s degree - Psychology & English Literature
Wor-Wic Community College
01.2011
Skills
- Benefits program oversight
- Regulatory compliance oversight
- Human resources analytics
- Human resources management
- Salary structure analysis
- Budget forecasting expertise
- Strategic succession planning
- Team leadership
- Payroll management
- Compensation strategy design
- Process optimization
- Skilled in labor negotiations
- Talent acquisition strategy
Accomplishments
- Enterprise M&A Leadership: Advised executive leadership through full-cycle acquisition activity, leading due diligence, workforce risk analysis, and post-integration strategy.
- Operational Scaling: Directed workforce expansion of 500+ employees across five sites, achieving 45% growth in under a year
- Cost Optimization: Negotiated union contracts delivering $200K in annual savings; deployed HRIS and payroll platforms that cut costs 20% while boosting productivity by 15%.
- Crisis & Change Leadership: Served as Interim Chief of Staff supporting executive leadership during aerospace operational transitions.
- Board & Executive Partnership: Regularly briefed boards and principals on workforce planning, compliance risk, and enterprise strategy.
Affiliations
- Treasurer, Eastern Shore Leadership Institute (2024–Present): Financial oversight, IRS 990 compliance, donor/grant fund allocation.
- Guest Trainer, Eastern Shore Leadership Institute: Leadership + compliance training.
- Advisor, Shenandoah University: Mentorship and curriculum development.
- Advisor, Wicomico County Board of Compensation & Allowance: reviews and recommends salary and allowance adjustments for elected officials.
Certification
- SPHR & SHRM-SCP
- Six Sigma Black Belt
- Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification
- Transformative Leadership Professional
Timeline
Director, Human Resources
Sun Behavioral Health
06.2025 - 01.2026
Director of HR & Interim Chief of Staff
Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority
11.2020 - 02.2024
Corporate Director of HR & Operations
Becker Morgan Group, Inc.
02.2020 - 06.2025
Regional HR Director
Peachtree Health Group / Delaware Valley Residential Care
08.2011 - 11.2020
HR Manager & Training Coordinator
Somerset Community Services
06.2008 - 08.2011
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) - Finance & Risk Management
Kaplan University
Dual Associate’s degree - Psychology & English Literature
Wor-Wic Community College
Master of Business Administration (MBA) - Management & Human Resources
Capella University