Joanne Peterson – Chief People Officer

Hi, I'm Jo.

I’m also a Chief People Officer who can help your company achieve goals with people, culture, and workplace strategies.

LET ME INTRODUCE MYSELF

Actually, I’m Joanne Peterson

An experienced Human Resources Executive with a proven history of building world-class leadership development programs and leading extensive change management efforts that create exceptional workplace cultures. My work is hallmarked by using extensive data analysis to frame strategic workforce planning. In addition, I am a certified Executive Coach. As I enter the next chapter of my career, I am committed to use my demonstrated experience to support individuals and to assist organizations as they invest in their greatest assets, the workforce.

Education and Certifications

Throughout my career I've felt education was the best way to keep sharp and up-to-date in my field.

The List

Publications

Sharing expeiences and knowledge not only help others but keep businesses current as well.

The List

Speaking Engagements

Get people thinking about what they’re doing in their businesses and what they could/should be doing.

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Professional Affiliations

Peer to peer - great places to connect with great talent within our industry.

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As a Leadership & Transitional Coach, I specialized in coaching, consulting, and strategic planning with a focus on developing people and creating meaningful and sustainable change.

As a coach I provide individuals with tools and processes to make change, rediscover purpose and passion, and plan for future success. As a business consultant, I work in partnership with organizations to implement change through the engagement of all stakeholders.

My practice is designed to work with individuals, teams and organizations of all sizes. I am readily prepared to partner with other consultants to develop a holistic scope of services that meets the unique needs of business.

What my colleagues say

“Joanne is one the most strategic leaders that I have witnessed. She can readily turn vision into action and results.”

“Joanne has the unique ability to operate simultaneously with analytics and empathy.”.

Joanne is a true leader; she builds understanding through active listening. While using her strong sense of empathy she is able to support and challenge leadership skills within others. I have witnessed that Joanne’s leadership skills are fundamental to creating high-performing teams.

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Joanne Peterson 2023

Speaking engagements

Accelerator for America & Irvine Foundation 2020 – Attendee CA Infrastructure Workforce Development Taskforce

APTA Webinar 2020, “Workforce Challenges During and Post-COVID-19” – Panel Member APTA Webinar 2020, “APTA Workforce Development Committee Virtual Town Hall Series: Workforce Reduction/Reallocation in a Meaningful Way” – Moderator

APTA Webinar 2020, “APTA Workforce Development COVID-19 Virtual Town Hall” – Moderator

APTA Webinar 2017, “Advanced Technologies and the Impact on Transportation Industries: A Workforce Conversation” – Panelist/Speaker

APTA Conference 2017 – Presented Labor Relations Strategy

APTA Conference 2016 – Workforce Development, Panel Member

Metro Today Forum 2016 – Applying Innovation in the Workplace

Emerging Workforce Association 2016 – A Guide to Seeking Mentors

HR West Conference 2015 – HR and the Bottom Line, Panel Member

“Coaching for Performance in a Multigenerational Workplace” a workshop conducted for Marin County Workforce Investment Board Training Series – 2014

“Preparing for High Tides – Aligning Your People with the Planets and Your Strategic Plan” Concurrent session at the California Public Employers Labor Relations Association (CALPELRA) – 2014

“Strategic Workforce Planning” Marin Human Resources Forum Speaker Series – July 2014

“Strategic Planning in the Public Sector” guest lecturer for the South Marin Leadership Academy 2012-2014

“Creating a Business Case for Employee Development”, County Personnel Administrator’s Association of California 2012

“Engaging Labor in Strategic Workforce Planning”, California Public Employees Labor Relations Association 2011

“Building an Effective Wellness Program”, California Public Employers Labor Relations Association (CALPELRA) – 2012

“Strategic Succession Planning”, HR West Conference, April 2011

“Mentoring for Young Professionals”, Pacific Northwest Section of the American Water Works Association Conference, 2009

“Strategic Workforce Planning”, Workforce Development Workshop for West Coast Utilities, 2008

“Mentoring to Build our Future Workforce”, Water Environmental Federation – Joint Management Conference, 2008

“Succession Planning in the Water Industry”, Pacific Northwest Section of the American Water Works Association Conference, 2008

“Onboarding to Retain Talent”, American Water Works Association – Annual Conference and Exhibition, 2008

“Race and Social Justice Initiatives within a Customer Service Strategy”, Water Services Association of Australia, Annual Benchmarking Conference, 2007

“Succession Planning for Public Sector Managers”, Seattle Management Association, 2007

Leadership Development and Knowledge Transfer”, Water Environmental Federation – Joint Management Conference, 2007

“Mentoring as a Knowledge Retention Tool”, American Water Works Association – Annual Conference and Exhibition, 2007

“Creating High Performance Teams”, American Water Works Association – Annual Conference and Exhibition, 2006

“Succession Planning through Portfolio Development”, Water Environmental Federation – Joint Management Conference, 2006

“Investing in Our Workforce; Building Talent within our Organizations”, Keynote Speaker, Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies, 2005

“Developing Effective Leaders in the Public Sector”, Seattle Management Association, 2005

“Unleashing Your Creative Thinking”, City of Seattle Administrative Professionals Conference, 2005

“Supervisor Training”, American Water Works Association – Annual Conference and Exhibition, 2005

Building a Strategic Human Resources Plan”, Water Environmental Federation – Joint Management Conference, 2005

“Leadership Development”, American Water Works Association – Annual Conference and Exhibition, 2004

Strategic Business Planning”, Water Environmental Federation – Joint Management Conference, 2003

Our Industries’ Aging Infrastructure and Aging Workforce: Sustaining a Workforce with the Skills, Knowledge and Talent You Will Need to Succeed, Journal of the American Water Works Association, 2009

The Evolving Water Utility: Pathways to Higher Performance: By Gary P. Westerhoff, Diana Gale, Jerome B. Gilbert, Scott A. Haskins, Paul D. Reiter – contributed case study

PROVEN LEADER OF ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT

Strong Workforce Development Expertise | High Performance and Customer Satisfaction Focus

▪ Strategic, visionary leader and supportive staff mentor who will gain respect and buy-in from all levels while providing solid people-oriented services that sustain healthy workplace cultures

▪ Reliable team builder who drives productivity while maintaining a calming presence in stressful situations through active listening and empathy

▪ Sought-after public speaker has presented topics such as “Strategic Workforce Planning” and “Legacy and Succession Planning: Workforce Planning in Turbulent Times”, “Career Pathways”

▪ Exceptional interpersonal abilities and inclusive management style that establishes and maintains relationships and credibility quickly

▪ Passionate about creating workforce development programs to enhance performance while recognizing staff contributions, including Succession Planning, Employee Recognition and Leadership Development

▪ Strong interest and experience in Social Impact Initiatives, building cultures focused on Equity and Inclusion and Advancing Women in the business environment.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Chief Human Capital & Development Officer 2015 – March 2021

Serves as department chief leading a staff of HR professionals that is comprised of 8 operating units, including Talent Acquisition (recruitment, selection hiring, compensation & classification and employee on-boarding), Strategic Workforce Planning (short/long term workforce projects, succession planning, and veteran outreach), Employee Relations and Talent Development (employee readiness and employee advancement), Labor Relations, Pension and Benefits and General Services.

▪ Serve as the Chief Labor Negotiator with 5 Unions representing 86% of the workforce.

▪ Directs the development and implementation of organization-wide Human Resources policies, plans, programs, projects and services

▪ Directs the interpretation, application, and adherence to establish Human Resources policies and procedures as well as applicable governmental laws and regulations

▪ Serve as an advisor/subject-matter expert to Metro management staff and other agency stakeholders on a broad range of Human Resources topics

▪ Represent Human Resources Department before the Board of Directors, public agencies, community groups, committees, and other professional groups

▪ Developing competency-based employee development programs that create Career Pathways

▪ Led a major revision of the Classification/Compensation Program to focus on external market, internal alignment and performance.

COUNTY OF MARIN, CALIFORNIA 2010 – 2015

Director of Human Resources

Served as department head leading a staff of 38 in providing centralized HR Services to 23 operating departments with 2800 employees. Services included talent acquisition, internship programs, volunteer services, classification/compensation, labor relations, and employee relations, benefits administration, records administration, EEO, organization development, training and employee development as well as the Human Capital Management (HCM) systems. My contributions included:

▪ Project Director for 5-Year Countywide Strategic Plan

▪ Development of Workforce Strategic Plan with robust stakeholder engagement and baseline surveying

▪ Implementation of long-term restructuring plan that reduced the workforce by 12% and addressed pension reform, leading the organization through the economic downturn to a structurally balanced budget

▪ Designed Leadership Development Program in partnership with Dominican University of California

▪ Designed and implemented the organization’s first Wellness Program resulting in national recognition from Kaiser Permanente

▪ Served on the steering committee to replace the Enterprise Resource Program including financial, HCM, procurement and self-service tools; engaging end-users in process improvements to maximize investment

CITY OF SEATTLE, SEATTLE PUBLIC UTILITIES, Seattle, Washington 1997 – 2010

Director of Utility Operations Center (2009 – 2010)

Oversaw all first response operations including security, emergency management and operations response center. Developed utility-wide strategies and execute emergency and security threat response plans as the security lead within utility’s asset management model. Ensure that employees are trained and ready to respond in accordance to federal National Incident Management System (NIMS) guidelines. Assure that technology systems and equipment ready at all times, oversee readiness of emergency management and security partners and brief senior leaders/elected officials of threats as they occur. Manage Capital Improvement Plan budgets.

▪ Led multi-skilling initiative to cross lines of business

▪ Implemented GPS technology to connect work orders with crews

▪ Designed citywide incident response and incident management model; coordinated utility-wide emergency response training program

▪ Developed skill blocks for newly created systems operator position

Director of Management Services (2005 – 2009)

Designed shared services model for field operations and maintenance division. Created integrated service model comprised of budget, performance management, strategic planning, procurement, fleet management, employee development, and safety and communications services. Developed programmatic approach to equip workforce with business tools and skills to deliver customer satisfaction and performance outcomes. Created branch-wide budgeting standards and improved financial analyses practices.

▪ Led Green Fleets Initiative, improving policies, practices and investments to decrease carbon emissions

▪ Established strategic training plan and expanded apprenticeship programs in partnership with Labor

▪ Developed coordinated safety service model, increasing on-site audits and decreasing time loss claims

▪ Organized city-wide Customer Care Program for all emergency response activities

Director of Human Resources (1997 – 2005)

Served as primary HR consultant to executive team and appointed officials; developed strategic HR business plans. Managed personnel services, compensation, training, safety, payroll, EEO, ADA and labor relations for diverse workforce of nearly 1,450 employees; led team of 30 staff members and managers. Recruited staff, negotiated and interpreted labor contracts and coordinated new-hire orientation program.

▪ Designed leadership-training program featuring 360 assessments, executive coaching and mentoring

▪ Built Leadership Succession Planning Program, creating growth opportunities for emerging leaders; Executed Employee Recognition Program acknowledging performance around organization’s vision

▪ Constructed employee performance expectations and evaluation system; devised pay-for-performance program that was adopted for 120 senior management positions

▪ Developed career enhancement program in conjunction with organized labor; program included training scholarships and career coaching

▪ Reduced time-to-hire by 40% through process reengineering and customer partnerships

▪ Collaborated with labor-management to resolve issues with 13 unions and 76% represented workforce

UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, Seattle, Washington 2005 – 2012

Workshop Lecturer and Instructor | Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs

Speak on topics including Strategic Workforce Planning, Succession Planning and Workforce Diversity for students enrolled in the Executive MPA Program. Provide instruction for Cascade Center’s Leadership Legacy and Strategic Workforce Development courses including Human Resources in the Public Sector.

COUNTY OF KITSAP, Port Orchard, Washington 1989 – 1997

▪ Drove employee communication and inter-departmental initiatives as key member of countywide Strategic Planning Committee

▪ Served as President of the Kitsap County Management Association

▪ Developed training and staff training policies as Countywide Training Committee charter member; built ADA policies and transition plan as member of ADA Committee

▪ Facilitated development of safety procedures to comply with blood-borne pathogen standards as member of Countywide Safety Committee

Director of Block Grant Program (1995 – 1997)

Implemented Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Home Investment Partnership (HOME) Programs in collaboration with US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Kitsap County Urban County Consortium. Developed standard operating procedures, and policy and program structure; coordinated activities with regulatory agencies to ensure compliance.

▪ Recruited and developed technical services and customer support staff

▪ Led collaborative initiative for the development of common application process between local jurisdictions and private, community funding organizations

▪ Chaired countywide Continuum of Care Program, bringing 20 human service agencies together to develop needs assessment and planning processes

Director of Kitsap Recovery Center (1990 – 1995)

Developed and administered 45-bed inpatient and outpatient program serving individuals with drug and alcohol addictions. Managed team of 55 professions in providing detoxification, assessment, outpatient and community education services. Developed policies and procedures for start-up agency.

▪ Combined county and vendor services into publicly-owned community service center with positive cash flow, turning around previously unprofitable operations

Developmental Disabilities Program Director (1989 – 1990)

Administered employment services grants and contracts for individuals with developmental disabilities, providing planning and resources management.

▪ Drafted and developed diverse community advisory board, fostering consumer participation

▪ Built employment plan addressing the needs of young adults graduating from special education services