N. Fela Powell
Apex,North Carolina
Summary
Accomplished People Leader with over 15 years of experience in driving culture, enhancing engagement, and promoting workplace well-being across diverse industries including technology, healthcare, and finance. Expertise in HR Consulting, Executive Coaching, Global Talent Acquisition, and People Operations, with a proven ability to build and lead national and international teams. Track record of improving productivity and retention for global brands such as Google, Microsoft, and Meta.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICE | STRATEGIC ADVISOR
Topia
01.2021 - Current
- Achieved 200% revenue growth through innovative marketing strategies and outreach.
- Launched Topia Institute, providing leadership development for C-Suite and associates.
- Enhanced workplace culture by improving employee health, boosting retention and productivity.
- Established partnerships with UnitedHealthcare, accessing over 15 million plan members.
- Led global talent acquisition and onboarding programs across eight countries.
- Orchestrated digital marketing campaigns, ensuring cohesive brand messaging across platforms.
SENIOR CONSULTANT | LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT | EXECUTIVE COACH
Korn Ferry
03.2020 - 06.2022
- Achieved 5-star ratings for Microsoft Executive Coaching through exceptional program leadership.
- Elevated 85% of coached executives to promotion status under targeted coaching initiatives.
- Facilitated seamless change initiatives, aligning with organizational leadership development goals.
- Drove impactful leadership programs by aligning objectives with stakeholders and project managers.
- Designed customized workshops, enhancing business operations through strategic leadership development.
SENIOR TALENT STRATEGIST
Korn Ferry
12.2019 - 03.2020
- Enhanced business operations through tailored workshops and executive coaching.
- Directed global talent acquisition training for leading generic pharma company.
- Drove diversity recruiting initiatives by establishing partnerships with academic institutions.
- Collaborated on special projects with Global Executive Team to enhance branding efforts.
SENIOR GLOBAL TALENT ACQUISITION/ CULTURE & ENGAGEMENT VICE-CHAIR
Red Hat
01.2016 - 01.2019
- Filled 225+ roles across North America, Europe, and Latin America through talent acquisition.
- Collaborated with C-Suite executives to meet hiring needs across multiple business units.
- Established global internship programs with Duke University and other prestigious institutions.
- Fostered partnerships with non-profits to promote STEAM education and community engagement.
- Directed strategic planning and execution for recruitment initiatives and partnerships.
GLOBAL TALENT ACQUISITION CONSULTANT
IBM | IntraHealth International | Intuit
01.2011 - 01.2015
- Determined staffing needs and optimal recruitment plans by forecasting business levels.
- Managed the full-life cycle hiring process for all US corporate positions and global recruitment - Africa, Asia, Americas, consistently exceeded recruitment goals.
Education
B.A. Degree - Business Administration, Marketing
CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY
Atlanta, GAACC Certified - ICF ACCREDITED - (INTERNATIONAL COACHING FEDERATION)
COLLEGE OF EXECUTIVE COACHING
Boca Raton, FLSkills
- HR Consulting - People Ops
- Leadership Development
- Workplace Culture, Well-being, Inclusion & Belonging
- Global Talent Acquisition
- Program Development and Management
- Startup Consulting Founder Wellness & Coaching
- Curriculum Development
- Executive Coaching (C-Suite, 1:1 & Groups)
- Assessments: Strength Finders Myers Briggs
- Virtual & Hybrid Teams: Facilitator (In-person and Virtual - Zoom and MS Teams)
- Digital Health & Wellness
- Startup Advisor & Coach
- Culture transformation
- Strategic leadership
- Employee wellness
- HR analytics
- Diversity and inclusion
- Organizational development
- Benefits administration
- Compensation strategy
- HR technology
- Talent management
- Onboarding programs
- Internal communications
- Workforce planning
- Career pathing
- Succession planning
- Retention strategies
- Employment law
- Flexible work arrangements
- Mentorship programs
- Executive coaching
- Employee engagement
- Recognition programs
- Learning and development
- Human resources operations
- Training and mentoring
- Team building
- Microsoft office proficiency
- Leadership development
- Employee onboarding
- Employee relations
- Recruitment and hiring
- Staff management
- Benefits and compensation management
- Microsoft office and docusign
- Exit interviews
- Training development
- Recruitment and selection
- Policy enforcement
- New employee orientation
- Recruitment strategies
- Employee handbook development
- Talent acquisition
- Employee retention
- Onboarding and orientation
- Recruitment
- Training programs
- Performance assessment
- Compensation and benefits
- Employee morale management
- HRIS management
- Problem-solving
- Time management
- Attention to detail
Accomplishments
- Supervised team of 15 staff members.
- Collaborated with team of 12in the development of Digital HEalth Corporate Wellness program
- Collaborated with team of [Number] in the development of [Project name].
- Achieved hiring goals by introducing AI tools for recruitment tasks.
- Used Microsoft Excel to develop inventory tracking spreadsheets.
Affiliations
- International Coaching Federation
- Society of Human Resource Management
- Toastmasters
Certification
- ICF (International Coaching Federation) - ACC
- Korn Ferry: 360 | Leadership Potential | Conscious Inclusion (CI) | Power of Choice (PoC)
- Yale: The Science of Well-being
- SHRM: Skills for Inclusive Conversations | Confronting Bias | Option B - Building Resilience
- Assessments: MBTI | FIRO-B | DISC | Strength Finders
- Appreciative Inquiry | Competency & Feedback
Languages
English
Native or Bilingual
Interests
- Global Wellness Retreats
- Volunteer Travel
- I enjoy helping others and giving back to the community
- Supporting STEM education initiatives and mentorship programs
- Food Tourism
- Horseback Riding
Timeline
CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICE | STRATEGIC ADVISOR
Topia
01.2021 - Current
SENIOR CONSULTANT | LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT | EXECUTIVE COACH
Korn Ferry
03.2020 - 06.2022
SENIOR TALENT STRATEGIST
Korn Ferry
12.2019 - 03.2020
SENIOR GLOBAL TALENT ACQUISITION/ CULTURE & ENGAGEMENT VICE-CHAIR
Red Hat
01.2016 - 01.2019
GLOBAL TALENT ACQUISITION CONSULTANT
IBM | IntraHealth International | Intuit
01.2011 - 01.2015
ACC Certified - ICF ACCREDITED - (INTERNATIONAL COACHING FEDERATION)
COLLEGE OF EXECUTIVE COACHING
B.A. Degree - Business Administration, Marketing
CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY
Awards & Affiliations
Awarded Top 50 Women Leaders in North Carolina by Women We Admire - 2023, Named 1 of 33 CNBC’s Women Rising Africa, Google For Startups #1 Best-selling Author