Meet LWHRA 2014 Volunteer President -
Nancy Kasmar
Nancy's journey into the world of Human Resources was an unconventional one. She decided to give up a 22 year nursing career and spent 8 years trying different jobs, including running her own web design company.
On the advice of a good friend Nancy accepted a temporary position as a receptionist with a small private company. After a year she became the Office/HR Manager and the company grew from 25 to 50 employees. This new position turned things around for Nancy. She knew the HR work she was doing was her 'calling' to the profession. Her background in nursing made for a great transition into Benefits Administration.
Being a people person, she discovered that helping the employees had become her passion. Now that Nancy knew what she wanted to do with the rest of her life, she had to get training. She attended classes at Bellevue College and soon received her SPHR certification. At this point Nancy became a member of LWHRA and started volunteering with the annual Auction Committee.
Nancy grew out of her Office/HR Manager position and made the leap to full time compensation consulting at Payscale. With the help of a mentor, Nancy learned the ins and outs of comp consulting and received her CCP in the process.
Nancy is currently Manager of HR, Compensation & Benefits Consulting at Washington Employers. This role allows her to assist many small to medium companies with their comp and benefits needs. She also teaches classes on compensation planning, and is finally doing what she loves.
In 2008, Nancy was a mentee when Warren Cohen redesigned the LWHRA Mentorship Program. When Warren left his role, Nancy replaced him as chair for the next two years. This year she's served as Volunteer President-elect and in 2014 she's transitioning to Volunteer President.
Somewhere between work and volunteering Nancy made time to marry the love of her life and raise a daughter. She's been married 16 years and her daughter is now 22 years old.
Nancy is one of our many LWHRA volunteer professionals who believe in giving time to help others succeed. The Mentorship Program at LWHRA is a great opportunity for senior HR professionals to share knowledge and guidance to those less experienced in the HR profession.
Thanks to the dedication and commitment of Nancy and the volunteers, the Mentorship Program will offer more measurable value for its participants (both mentors and mentees) next year.
