Monthly Members Meeting - Human Resources Panel

Guest Speakers will contribute to a panel discussion about Hiring and Retention. Speakers will range from small to large businesses, to share insight from multiple perspectives relating to different settings and business challenges.

Guest speakers include:
Bonnie Stanfill, AVP Human Resources, Columbia Credit Union
Lee Knottnerus, Deputy City Manager, City of Ridgefield
Kalin Heath, Human Resources & Benefits Specialist, Ridgefield School District
Rachel Burns, HR Representative, PepsiCo

About our Guests:
Kalin Heath is currently a Human Resources & Benefits Specialist with Ridgefield School District.  She began in Ridgefield in June 2017.  In her current position, she is mainly  responsible for benefit and leave administration for the District. In addition, she is also part of the employee celebrations committee, and assists in salary placement for certificated staff, creating the HR budget, and a variety of other tasks to assist the HR Coordinator.  
 
Prior to coming to Ridgefield, Kalin was with Vancouver Public Schools as an Human Resources Specialist (Certificated Team).  In total, Kalin has worked in the school district and Human Resources setting for 13 years.  She holds a Bachelors of Arts in Social Science w/ a focus in Personnel Psychology / Human Resources Management from Washington State University.  She also holds a Graduate Certificate in Human Resources through City University of Seattle, and is currently working on a Masters of Science in Human Resource Management. Her anticipated graduation is December 2023.  

Bonnie Stanfill is an accomplished Human Resources leader with a decade of experience, currently serving as AVP of Human Resources at Columbia Credit Union for the past six years. Graduating from PSU in 2017, her career journey has honed her unique blend of customer service expertise, leadership skills, and passion for HR. Dedicated to fostering a supportive and engaging work environment, she is committed to making a positive impact by leveraging her background in customer service and leadership to optimize processes, champion diversity, and empower teams. Her unwavering dedication to enhancing the interplay between humanity and analytics in HR continues to drive her forward in shaping a dynamic and thriving workplace.

Lee Knottnerus worked as an attorney in private practice representing employers in employment law litigation and providing advice in the Human Resources area. She worked part time as the Human Resources Manager for the Vancouver Police Department while her kids were young an in school in the Ridgefield School Districts. Lee accepted a position as Deputy City Manager with the City of Ridgefield in 2012, which includes acting as the Human Resources Manager for the City.

Rachel Burns is an HR Representative for PepsiCo, based out of Auburn, WA. Her work includes employee relations, labor relations, leadership development, and frontline staffing. Rachel earned her master's in Human Resources & Labor Relations from Michigan State University in May of 2022 and joined the PepsiCo HR team full-time in August of 2022 after completing an internship with them in Nashville, TN. Rachel currently resides in Seattle, WA and loves to explore the PNW in her free time.