Hi, I’m
Pamela Richardson
Chief People Officer
Summerville,SC
Summary
Mission-driven Chief People Officer with 15+ years of progressive HR and Inclusive Excellence leadership across Fortune 500, healthcare, and non-profit sectors. Recognized for building inclusive, high-performing cultures through transformational talent strategies, equity-centered leadership development, and data-driven Inclusive Excellence programs. Proven ability to align people strategy with organizational mission - driving measurable workforce diversity gains, compliance excellence, and award-winning workplace cultures.
Overview
12
years of professional experience
1
Certification
Work History
Palmetto GoodwillNorth Charleston, SC
Chief People Officer
09.2023 - Current
Job overview
- Oversee all people functions - human resources, training & development, safety, and Inclusive Excellence.
- Provide executive leadership for the full people function, aligning HR strategy with Palmetto Goodwill's mission of helping people achieve their full potential through the dignity and power of work.
- Lead enterprise-wide Inclusive Excellence efforts across all markets, embedding equity into hiring, promotion, and employee experience practices.
- Direct training and development programs to upskill frontline and leadership teams across 33+ retail locations and government contracts.
- Oversee safety programs and compliance, ensuring a safe working environment for a diverse, mission-driven workforce.
- Serve as an executive partner to the President/CEO and Board on all people matters including workforce planning, organizational design, and culture.
- Provide legal and compliance oversight across all HR practices, ensuring adherence to federal, state, and local employment law, mitigating organizational risk.
- Champion ethics compliance and reporting frameworks, fostering a culture of accountability, transparency, and integrity organization-wide.
- Serve as subject matter expert and executive sponsor for HR systems implementation and oversight, evaluating, deploying, and optimizing technology to streamline people operations.
- Designed and executed enterprise succession planning strategy, identifying and developing mission-critical talent pipelines across all leadership tiers.
- Developed and implemented a revolutionary manager performance system that aligns leadership roles directly to mission impact, redefining how managerial success is measured and rewarded.
- Leverage deep people analytics to drive evidence-based decision-making across talent acquisition, retention, workforce planning, and organizational effectiveness.
- Lead org-wide change management initiatives, guiding the organization through structural transitions with clear communication strategies, stakeholder alignment, and measurable adoption outcomes.
- Developed and implemented an AI Policy and Governance Framework, establishing responsible use guidelines, ethical guardrails, and oversight protocols for AI-powered people tools and workflows.
- Developed and implemented an org-wide compensation philosophy and policy, ensuring market-competitive, equitable pay structures across all levels of the organization.
- Designed and presented CEO compensation package to the Board of Directors, aligning executive pay with organizational performance, mission impact, and long-term sustainability.
- A mission-driven non-profit social enterprise operating 33 thrift stores, 9 Career Opportunity Centers, and 15 commercial/government contracts across an 18-county territory.
HCA Healthcare - South Atlantic & North Florida DivisionsCharleston, SC
Division Director, Inclusive Excellence
05.2022 - 08.2023
Job overview
- Translated company vision and mission for Inclusive Excellence strategy across two highly matrixed divisions and 26 facilities, briefing division presidents and the executive suite on priorities and progress.
- Aligned Inclusive Excellence goals with business priorities spanning workforce, patients, community, and supplier diversity to ensure consistency across markets.
- Launched Colleague Networks (affinity groups) in both divisions to directly support retention, engagement, and recruitment goals.
- Leveraged diverse population data to create an interactive dashboard, enabling higher quality services and faster enterprise-wide Health Equity implementation.
- Introduced the first Supplier Diversity Open House, expanding market awareness among diverse vendors and suppliers.
- Brought in new affiliation agreements that created additional diversity and growth within the clinical talent pipeline.
The Boeing CompanyNorth Charleston, SC
Senior Global Equity, Inclusive Excellence Leader
03.2021 - 05.2022
Job overview
- Drove site execution of Inclusive Excellence and equal opportunity/affirmative action strategies for the 787 Dreamliner Commercial Aircraft program.
- Built a diverse STEM talent pipeline in aeronautics and defense by expanding visibility of internal opportunities and creating referral processes for diverse talent programs.
- Developed and monitored outcome-based diversity action plans across business units, HR, and centers of excellence with quarterly executive reporting.
- Partnered with the Ethics team to provide guidance on the intersection of workplace issues and Inclusive Excellence, ensuring consistent and principled resolution.
- Led efforts to reduce bias and increase objectivity in the selection process; ensured EEOC/affirmative action compliance and addressed underrepresentation within skill codes.
Dot Foods, Inc.St. Louis, MO
Director, Talent & Inclusion
10.2014 - 03.2021
Job overview
- Provided visionary leadership for this $7.5 billion supply chain and logistics company, creating corporate-wide strategies for talent acquisition, management, and workplace culture. Earned multiple corporate diversity awards.
- Developed and executed diversity strategies resulting in a 40% increase in diverse application flow, selection, and hires.
- Led the Diversity Leadership Group, launched Employee Resource Groups, and built Diversity Champion networks company-wide.
- Created the foundation for and secured the Great Place to Work certification.
- Served as the lead subject matter expert to company officers and the Board on diversity, inclusion, vision, mission, and culture.
- Directed diversity assessments, analyzed trends, and developed an evidence-based measuring system for Inclusive Excellence initiatives.
- A $7.5 billion supply chain and logistics company.
Education
Beazley Institute, Loyola Chicago School of Law
MJ from Health Law
William Woods University
MBA from Business & Finance
Columbia College
BS
Skills
- Chief People Strategy
- Inclusive Excellence
- Design
- Talent Acquisition & Retention
- HR Compliance
- EEOC/OFCCP
- Organizational Development
- Employee Engagement
- ERGs
- Supplier Diversity
- Executive Coaching
- Training
- Non-Profit
- Mission-Driven Orgs
- HR Systems Implementation
- Legal & Employment Compliance
- Benefits Administration
- Change Management
- Succession Planning
- People Analytics
- AI Integration
- Governance
Certification
SPHR Certification, 2026-07-01
Professional Affiliations And Awards
Urban League, Board Member, 2018-2021, St. Louis Zoo, Executive Board Member & Vice-Chair of Volunteers, 2019-2021, Williams & Associates, Board Member, 2019-Present, Palmetto SHRM Board, Inclusive Excellence Chair, 2022, St. Louis American Corporate Diversity Award, 2016, Quincy Chamber of Commerce Corporate Diversity Award, 2019, Springfield Business Journal (SBJ) Corporate Diversity Champion Award, 2019, St. Louis American Salute to Excellence in Business Award, 2018, Springfield Business Journal Diverse Business Leaders Award, 2017, Who's Who Most Intriguing Person Award, 2017, Charleston Chamber of Commerce Leadership Discovery Participant, 2022
Timeline
Chief People Officer
Palmetto Goodwill
09.2023 - Current
Division Director, Inclusive Excellence
HCA Healthcare - South Atlantic & North Florida Divisions
05.2022 - 08.2023
Senior Global Equity, Inclusive Excellence Leader
The Boeing Company
03.2021 - 05.2022
Director, Talent & Inclusion
Dot Foods, Inc.
10.2014 - 03.2021
Beazley Institute, Loyola Chicago School of Law
MJ from Health Law
William Woods University
MBA from Business & Finance
Columbia College
BS