Susan Kennedy brings over two decades of HR leadership experience to her role as Chief Human Resources Officer at Collaborative for Children, where she champions people-first strategies that align employee experience with the organization’s mission. As a culture strategist and seasoned practitioner, she is recognized for striking a balance between the needs of employees and employers while developing HR systems that are modern, compliant, and deeply human-centered.
Since joining Collaborative for Children in 2019, Susan has transformed the HR function into a fully digital, strategic driver of performance and innovation. She led the agency’s transition to a hybrid work environment, implemented COVID-era safety protocols with zero recorded OSHA incidents, and overhauled recruiting and onboarding systems to reflect a flexible, values-driven workplace culture.
In 2025, she spearheaded an agency-wide initiative to integrate generative AI tools responsibly and equitably across all departments. The program included custom training curricula, pre- and post-assessments, and resulted in widespread adoption and time savings of 4–6 hours per employee per week. From leadership development to compliance architecture, Susan ensures HR supports the agency’s vision to close the early learning gap in underserved communities.
Prior to Collaborative for Children, she held senior HR leadership roles in nonprofit and industrial sectors, including Big Brothers Big Sisters, Taylor & Hill, and Neway Valve. Across these roles, she consistently built high-performance workplaces while driving measurable improvements in retention, benefits optimization, and cross-functional collaboration.
A lifelong learner and mentor, Susan holds a BA from the University of Alabama and is certified as both a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). Her leadership philosophy centers on intentional care, strategic partnership, and the belief that culture is the engine of sustainable success.
Outside of work, she applies her skills to youth development, having led multi-year growth strategies for Scouts BSA Troops 848 and 849, which resulted in record recruitment and retention, including numerous Eagle Scout achievements.
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