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Chief People Officer


Career Synopsis

Growth-driven and visionary leader offering 20+ years’ experience in driving organizational transformation through strategic workforce management, cultivating positive employee relations, and fostering enriched work cultures. Proven track record of executing best practices and process improvements to streamline operations, improve financial health, and elevate overall operational effectiveness. Highly skilled in devising tailored strategies to promote employee wellness, engagement, performance, and retention, while cultivating synergistic partnerships across diverse organizational hierarchies.

Areas of Expertise

Executive & Operational Leadership & Advisory | Organizational Transformation | Team Management and Retention | Performance Improvement | Training & Development | Talent Acquisition | Process Optimization | Strategic Planning | Emotional Intelligence | Problem-Solving | Culture Influencer | Comfort in Ambiguity | Authenticity | Generational Savvy

Michele Vespi

Remote Access, Global Reach

Executive Consultant

2022.11 - Present

Job overview

Consulting firm focusing on providing expertise and advisory services in people and operational strategy for global, private and public companies, and non profit organizations; employing innovative approaches and creative solutions across a diverse set of industries and sectors.

Menlo Park, CA

Chief People Officer

2022.11 - Present

Job overview

  • Driving transformative people strategies and initiatives to optimize talent management, and foster organizational growth.

  • Oversee all People functions; HR compliance, employee relations, talent acquisition, performance management, training and development, compensation, benefits and compliance, succession planning and talent assessment to ensure optimal team performance.

  • Streamline people solutions, effectively attracting, managing, and retaining top talent during a hyper-growth stage and beyond, resulting in sustained success and accelerated organizational expansion.

Location: NYC

Global Chief People Officer / Chief Operating Officer

2019.09 - 2022.11

Job overview

Multi-award-winning full service creative agency. The online travel community boasts one of the largest and most influential followings worldwide, with 50+ million social media followers.

  • Led operations across all divisions of Beautiful Destinations, Beautiful Hotels, Beautiful Cuisines, and Beautiful Matters, encompassing People, Operations, Creative, Pre and Post Production, Client Services, Social, Strategy, and Finance.

  • Led organization-wide changes, including modernizing procedures, implementing cost-reduction initiatives, and driving substantial business growth, while maintaining a high level of operational performance and efficiency.

  • Improved executive decision-making by serving as an advisor to the CEO, C-suite, and leadership team and final decision maker across day-to-today responsibilities across all disciplines.

  • Executed comprehensive policies, procedures, and employee handbook for a diverse workforce of 50+ global full-time employees and 250+ freelancers and consultants.

  • Implemented a fully distributed global workforce model, establishing a presence in the UAE, which led to a nearly 30% increase in revenues.

  • Improved financial standing by establishing BD’s compensation philosophy and model, and by co-creating and approving individual division budgets, fiscal reports, and proposed efforts, ensuring effective deployment of quarterly strategic business plans.

  • Cultivated and nourished long-term client relationships, leading to a remarkable 60% increase in retention year over year.

  • Diversified the organization and bolstered company culture across EMEA and North American regions.

Location: NYC

Head of People & Operations / Sr. Director - WeGrow

04/2018 - 08/2019

Job overview

Global provider of co-working spaces that previously had launched several ventures across technology, health, wellness, and education, inclusive of WeGrow; a private school established within WeWork's HQ in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood.

  • Spearheaded day-to-day operations for WeGrow as Head of People and Operations, managing all employees across headquarters, school-based staff, and supporting key people initiatives within new business ventures as part of WeWork's expansion efforts.

  • Pioneered the launch of WeWork's first-ever education venture, WeGrow, by designing and constructing a cutting-edge 10,000 sq. ft interactive learning landscape.

  • Orchestrated a comprehensive talent management and performance program for 40+ staff members at WeGrow, enhancing employee development and productivity.

  • Developed a progressive curriculum infused with Montessori and Reggio Amelia pedagogies for children aged 3-9, ensuring an innovative and engaging educational experience.

Location: NYC

Chief People Officer 

04/2012 - 04/2018

Job overview

Renowned charter school non-profit organization with 47 schools that serve the New York area and 17,000+ students.

  • Led a team of 50+ as Chief People Officer, overseeing performance management, compensation, training, and employee relations for 2,400+ employees across 47 high-performing K-12 public charter schools and a central network.

  • Achieved 100% of hiring goals consistently, averaging 1500+ hires annually for instructional and non-instructional staff.

  • Implemented innovative programs to enhance recruitment and training effectiveness, including the organization's first internship (Fellows) program, resulting in improved quality, retention, and scalability of instructional hires.

  • Created a robust financial planning process to effectively manage the $300M annual operating budget of the rapidly growing 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

  • Developed and expanded the Military Veteran (MilVet) recruitment initiative, increasing the organization's Veteran staff count from 4 to 46 in less than 10 months by hiring three dedicated Veterans to administer the program efforts.

  • Introduced performance management tools, online training and collaboration forums, and competency-based mid-management and supervisory leadership development programs.

Location: NYC

Vice President, HR / US Head, Campus Recruitment

05/2000 - 04/2012

Job overview

Full-service investment bank providing M&A, Equity Capital Markets, Debt Capital Markets, Restructuring Advisory, and Trading, globally, across all industry sectors.

  • Achieved remarkable success in recruiting top talent globally by outperforming renowned investment banking firms in highly competitive markets.

  • Founded and scaled campus recruitment and training programs across Investment Banking, Fixed Income, and Sales and Trading.

  • Successfully led talent acquisition, development, and management initiatives at Jefferies, resulting in the recruitment and retention of high-caliber professionals.

  • Elevated Jefferies' brand and reputation by implementing strategies that effectively scaled the organization with top-tier Analysts and Associates.

  • Developed and implemented world-class training programs, equipping employees with the skills necessary for success.