SANDRA GYENES
Chicago,IL
Summary
Dynamic Human Resources professional with a proven track record of driving organizational effectiveness and strategic planning. Realized a 300% increase in employee population and reduced health benefits costs by 23%. Talent acquisition and executive coaching represent core strengths, complemented by fostering a culture aligned with business core values.
Overview
29
29
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Senior Vice President, Human Resources
Ontrak, Inc. dba Ontrak Health
Miami, Florida
08.2019 - 08.2025
- Company Overview: A healthcare technology company supporting health plan members in engaging with programs designed to treat unaddressed behavioral health conditions, which cause or exacerbate chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and coronary heart disease.
- Member of the Senior Leadership team, focused on HR strategies in support of enterprise-wide initiatives.
- The senior HR executive, responsible for the organization's entire talent ecosystem, including the development, implementation, communication, and application of companywide policies and programs for a remote workforce of 750 employees in 45 states.
- Reporting to the CFO, primary responsibilities include ensuring that HR practices and objectives are aligned with strategic company goals, and quarterly reporting to the Board of Directors.
- With an annual budget of $8.1 million, functional responsibilities include executive consultation, talent acquisition, administration, compensation and incentive programs, payroll, HRIS, health and welfare plan design and delivery, benefits administration, employee relations, legal compliance, immigration, succession planning, recognition programs, and worker compensation.
- Healthcare Technology company supporting health plan members engage programs designed to treat unaddressed behavioral health conditions which cause or exacerbate chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension & coronary heart disease.
- Payroll and HRIS conversion from Paycom to UKG Pro.
- Reduced group health benefits costs by 23% while improving high-value benefits coverage following the pandemic.
- Achieved 300% employee population growth targets, focusing on clinical and call center teams, in addition to engineering and data services personnel, all within 18 months.
Senior Human Resources Business Partner (Division Director)
LA Care Health Plan
Los Angeles, CA
02.2016 - 08.2019
- Company Overview: Public Health Plan organization serving the low-income community of Los Angeles County.
- Direct HR support for 1,100 employees in 9 southern California locations, including corporate offices and Family Resource Centers, working in the Executive Services; Financial Services; Information Technology; Managed Care Services; Legal Services; Strategy & Regulatory; and External Affairs Divisions.
- As the Senior HR Leader dedicated to these assigned business units, primary responsibilities include, strategic business support; management consultation; executive coaching; employee communications and development; and the application of corporate policies and programs, while ensuring that HR practices are aligned with strategic business unit goals and objectives.
- Functional responsibilities include deployment of central recruiting resources, compensation and incentive programs, policy administration and application; employee relations, immigration, performance management and succession planning.
- Public Health Plan organization serving the low-income community of Los Angeles County.
- Selected as the SME for Human Resources on the Steering Committee for the CY2018 Payroll and HRIS Transformation project
- Intake of an average of 30-35 employee relations matters per month including investigations; corrective action; performance management; position reclassifications; job repurposing; and other HR transactional matters
- Led the human resources strategy for the CY2017 reorganization of six (6) business units including Enterprise Operations; Finance; and IT
- Led the human resources strategy for the CY2016 reorganization of the Health Services Division employing 550 clinical and non-clinical personnel
- Led the roll out of the LA Care CY2016 Cultural Transformation Strategic Vision for the Health Services Division, including 17 business units and 85 management personnel
Regional Director of Human Resources
The GEO Group Inc.
Los Angeles, CA
04.2015 - 02.2016
- Company Overview: World's leading provider of correctional and detention management and reentry services to federal, state and local gov.
- Senior Human Resources Business Partner for the Western Division, including CA, AZ, NV, NM, WA, and CO.
- Supporting 17 union and non-union facilities and 3500 employees, primary responsibilities include strategic business support, labor relations, division and field management consulting.
- Functional responsibilities include management recruiting, benefits administration, wage & hour management, compensation and incentive programs, and employee relations.
- World's leading provider of correctional and detention management and reentry services to federal, state and local gov.
- Successfully transitioned a detention facility employing 500 staff security, IT, and administrative personnel within a record 30 days due to acquisition
- Successfully defeated (2) union organizing attempts by the SEIU
VP, Human Resources and Global Facilities Management
Guidance Software, Inc.
Pasadena, CA
04.2002 - 02.2015
- Company Overview: Global provider of software solutions used to conduct digital investigations.
- Senior HR executive responsible for the development, implementation, communication, and consistent legal application of companywide policies and programs for a workforce of 500 employees in 10 countries, including US, UK, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, France, Germany, UAE, Japan, and Singapore.
- Primary responsibilities include, ensuring that HR practices and objectives are aligned with strategic company goals and quarterly reporting to the Board of Directors.
- With an annual budget of $12ML, functional responsibilities include recruiting, compensation and incentive programs, payroll, HRIS, organizational development; benefits, employee relations, immigration, succession planning, recognition programs, safety, worker compensation, office services, real estate, construction and facilities management.
- Global provider of software solutions used to conduct digital investigations.
- Led the successful HRIS conversion from PeopleTrak to Oracle HCM
- Reduced group health benefits costs by 10% without impact on plan benefits or increased employee premiums for last 5 years of employment during a period of legislative change and healthcare reform
- Reduced worker compensation premium costs by 31% over past 5 years through effective management of safety programs and claims management
- Expanded leased office space by 56% from 71,020 sf to 161,347 sf and completed build-outs on time and within budget
- Reduced office lease expenses by $2.1ML year over year by leveraging early termination options and renegotiating leases and national contracts
Managing Director of Human Resources and Recruiting Services
Catalyst Business Systems, Inc.
Century City, CA
07.2000 - 04.2002
- Company Overview: Provider of startup management consulting and business process outsourcing.
- Responsible for development and implementation of the Human Resources business unit for this management consulting and business process outsourcing firm that successfully turned a profit within three months of operation.
- Areas of responsibility include business development, marketing, sales, and management of the total Human Resources operation nationwide.
- The retained services provided to my portfolio of 69 client companies included organizational analysis and human resources strategic planning, job design and competency modeling, recruitment, human resources and benefits administration, compensation management, and employee relations which also includes immigration assistance, and training.
- Provider of startup management consulting and business process outsourcing.
- Development of the Human Resources business model
- Successfully marketed and implemented the services provided under the HR business unit
- Built an impressive list of clients totaling 69 accounts
- Developed the Human Resources and Benefits infrastructure for more than 15 client companies
- Completed HR M&A due diligence for 3 client companies resulting in successful acquisitions
- Completed organizational effectiveness studies on more than 10 client companies resulting in the reduction of overhead cost and improved efficiency
Executive Director, Human Resources
American Golf Corporation
Santa Monica, CA
03.1996 - 07.2000
- Company Overview: During my tenure, the largest golf property management company in the United States.
- Responsible for 350 company owned and leased golf resort properties covering 34 States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
- Areas of responsibility include strategic planning, organizational development, management development, employee relations, risk management, corporate communications, policy development, salary administration, labor relations, legal compliance, benefits, and employee recognition for a seasonal and non-seasonal workforce of 27,000.
- During my tenure, the largest golf property management company in the United States.
- Developed the structure and systems necessary to support the company's 150% 3-year growth initiative
- Organized (4) successful union avoidance campaigns
- Reduced state and federal agency charges/employee lawsuits 44% while experiencing 18% growth in employee population
- Successfully transitioned a 22 property acquisition employing 3500 employees in 45 days
Education
BA - Behavioral Science/Sociology
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, CA05-1981
Skills
- Organizational effectiveness
- Team leadership
- Change management
- Executive coaching
- Succession planning
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
- Restructuring
- Operational human resources
- Policy development
- Legal compliance
- Strategic planning
- Budget preparation
- Compliance
- Talent acquisition
- HRIS management
- Compensation strategies
- Employee relations
- Employee development
- Payroll
- Total rewards
- UKG Pro HCM
- Paycom
- Lattice
- SuccessFactors HCM
- Oracle HCM
- ADP
- Optavise
- SharePoint
- MS Visio
- MS Office Suite
Certification
- Certified Compensation Professional (CCP), Society for Human Resources Management
- Senior Employee Relations Specialist (SERS), Institute for Applied Management and Law Inc.
- Senior Professional of Human Resources Mgmt. (SPHR), Society for Human Resources Management
Affiliations
- Society for Human Resources Management
- American Society for Training and Development
Notable Awards
27th Annual Communicator Award, Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts, Honoring creative excellence in corporate communications.
Passions
- Equality Now, Works to end violence and discrimination against women and girls around the world through the mobilization of public pressure, particularly on issues of domestic violence, and trafficking.
- First Star, Works to change the U.S. child welfare system, including child protective services; family courts; and foster care, from one of abuse and neglect to one of protection and support.
Timeline
Senior Vice President, Human Resources
Ontrak, Inc. dba Ontrak Health
08.2019 - 08.2025
Senior Human Resources Business Partner (Division Director)
LA Care Health Plan
02.2016 - 08.2019
Regional Director of Human Resources
The GEO Group Inc.
04.2015 - 02.2016
VP, Human Resources and Global Facilities Management
Guidance Software, Inc.
04.2002 - 02.2015
Managing Director of Human Resources and Recruiting Services
Catalyst Business Systems, Inc.
07.2000 - 04.2002
Executive Director, Human Resources
American Golf Corporation
03.1996 - 07.2000
BA - Behavioral Science/Sociology
Loyola Marymount University
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