Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Affiliations
Certification
Timeline
Generic
Kim Gallagher

Kim Gallagher

Traverse City,MI

Summary

Experienced senior leader who gets energy from watching things flow. With an emphasis on employee relations, recruitment, and satisfaction, I thrive on placing people where they want to be. Seeing things through, whether it be travel, events or operations, means my day has been a success. I lead with empathy and believe we all have the same goal in mind...joy!

Overview

18
18
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Director of Operations and Human Resources

Montessori Children's House- Grand Traverse
08.2019 - 08.2025
  • Led our private, independent school as part of a 4 person senior administrative team, I directly oversaw between 44 and 50 employees depending on the moment.
  • Oversaw daily operations across multiple areas of the school including staffing, health and safety, and facilities.
  • Created and monitored several budget categories
  • Scheduled and oversaw all facility additions, improvements and maintenance.
  • Defined, implemented, and revised operational policies and guidelines.
  • Scheduled and performed annual drills required by the State of Michigan.
  • Developed and executed strategic plans to achieve organizational goals and drive sustainable growth.
  • Identified opportunities for cost reduction and process improvement, implementing changes that resulted in significant savings, both time and money.
  • Negotiated with vendors, suppliers and other contractors to acquire mutually beneficial contracts and agreements.
  • Mitigated risks by developing comprehensive contingency plans that ensured business continuity during unforeseen events or challenges.
  • Maintained all HR paperwork including state requirements, FMLA, and employee contracts.
  • Planned travel for our administration, and for the elementary and junior high programs.
  • Mentored and coached team members to foster productive and engaging work environment.
  • Enhanced employee engagement by fostering a collaborative culture, and promoting professional development opportunities.
  • Advertised for and hired talent and facilitating smooth onboarding processes.
  • Interviewed hundreds of people over the years. I was also responsible for terminations.
  • Led the school through COVID-19 by implementing necessary additional health and safety requirements as well as adhering to Michigan requirements.
  • Supported and helped lead several of our DEI initiatives.
  • Planned team building activities and professional development days to add to and build on our already strong community culture.
  • Did bi-weekly payroll. Managed PTO requests. Initiated and led yearly benefit enrollment.


Summer Program Director

Montessori Children's House, Grand Traverse
06.2018 - 12.2024
  • Enhanced program participants'' experiences by designing and implementing diverse and engaging activities.
  • Collaborated with other levels within the school to maximize resources available for programming needs.
  • Recruited high-quality staff members who shared a commitment to providing an exceptional experience for all summer program participants.
  • Conducted thorough evaluations of program success at the end of each season, identifying areas for improvement or necessary adjustments moving forward.
  • Created a positive atmosphere by fostering open communication among staff, parents, and participants alike.
  • Coordinated transportation logistics for program participants, ensuring safe and timely arrival at various events and activities.
  • Supervised daily operations, ensuring smooth functioning of the entire summer program from start to finish.

Financial Manager

Schrader & Associates, LLC
01.2008 - Current
  • Maintained and processed invoices, deposits, and money logs.
  • Managed accounts payable and receivable activities, maintaining vendor relationships and positive cash flow.
  • Handled payroll processing for employees, ensuring timely payment and adherence to tax regulations.
  • Balanced all books associated with the business.
  • Ensured compliance with local, state, federal tax regulations; timely filing of all required documents, mitigating potential penalties or fines.
  • Planned all travel for staff.

Education

Master of Science - Pharmacy

University of Florida
Gainesville, FL

Bachelor of Arts - Disciplinary Studies

Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL

Skills

  • Senior Leadership
  • Slack
  • Google Workspace
  • Employee Navigator
  • Gusto
  • Deputy
  • Creative Culture Implementation
  • Excel
  • Travel Planning
  • Quickbooks Online
  • Employee Support and Mentoring
  • Exceptional organization
  • Superior attention to detail

Affiliations

Traverse Connect 2025 Women's Leadership Cohort

Traverse Area Human Resource Association


Certification

AMI Montessori Administrators from Association Montessori Internationale

Timeline

Director of Operations and Human Resources

Montessori Children's House- Grand Traverse
08.2019 - 08.2025

Summer Program Director

Montessori Children's House, Grand Traverse
06.2018 - 12.2024

Financial Manager

Schrader & Associates, LLC
01.2008 - Current

Master of Science - Pharmacy

University of Florida

Bachelor of Arts - Disciplinary Studies

Florida Atlantic University

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