In this episode of Who Hired This Person?, host Kaitlyn Randall sits down with Makaylah Reyes, Human Resources Generalist at Manhard Consulting, an engineering and consulting firm known for its collaborative, people-first culture.

Makaylah opens up about the realities of being an HR generalist—balancing empathy with accountability, managing complex feedback loops, and creating processes that support both people and the business. She shares how her team at Manhard fosters a culture of open communication, what she’s learned from employee advocacy wins (like implementing a lactation accommodation policy), and how empathy can transform even the toughest HR moments.

From improving manager feedback to navigating performance challenges and decoding background check results with compassion, Makaylah’s perspective offers HR leaders and hiring managers alike a real-world look at what it means to take a truly human approach to people management.

🔹 The Human Approach to HR: Why leading with empathy, grace, and open communication creates stronger teams and better outcomes.

🔹 The Art of Feedback: How tailoring feedback to different communication styles helps employees grow—and keeps high-potential talent engaged.

🔹 Balancing Policy and People: The power of transparency when navigating layoffs, documentation, and regulatory nuances.

🔹 Advocacy in Action: How Makaylah championed a lactation accommodation policy in a male-dominated industry—and why it was the right call for everyone involved.

🔹 Grace in Difficult Moments: How supporting employees through illness, loss, or personal challenges can redefine workplace culture.

🔹 Smarter Background Checks: Why interpreting context, timing, and honesty matters more than a report’s surface-level results.

✅ HR isn’t just about compliance—it’s about compassion, support, and helping people perform their best.

✅ Great feedback requires creativity; not everyone receives information the same way.

✅ Open communication and transparency can prevent most policy and performance issues.

✅ Documentation isn’t just protection—it’s a tool for accountability and clarity.

✅ Empathy and understanding during personal hardship strengthen trust across the organization.

✅ Effective HR leadership means seeing people as more than their performance metrics.

🔗 Connect with Makaylah Reyes on LinkedIn.

🔗 Learn more about Manhard Consulting at manhard.com.

🔗 Follow Atwell on LinkedIn to explore upcoming career opportunities at Atwell.com as the companies merge.

In this episode of Who Hired This Person?, host Kaitlyn Randall sits down with Kristie, Human Resources Director at The City of Tomball. With a foundation in law and years of HR leadership in local government, Kristie offers a unique perspective on balancing compliance with compassion, navigating the modern workforce, and supporting leaders to make better hiring decisions.

She shares why today’s candidates value culture and balance just as much as salary, how her legal background shapes her HR approach, and the subtle red and green flags hiring managers often miss. Kristie also opens up about a hiring success story that reshaped her IT department and the one myth about HR she wishes more people understood.

Whether you’re an HR professional, a business leader, or simply curious about how hiring works behind the scenes, Kristie’s insights deliver practical strategies and real-world lessons.

🔹 The New Workforce Mindset: Why younger candidates are prioritizing flexibility, balance, and growth over traditional “long-term job” paths.

🔹 Compliance Meets People-First HR: How Kristie blends legal expertise with empathy to guide fair, effective HR decisions.

🔹 Red Flags in Hiring: Warning signs like short job tenures or sluggish onboarding that managers shouldn’t overlook.

🔹 Green Flags for Success: Traits like responsiveness, genuine communication, and confidence that usually predict a great hire.

🔹 Cultural Fit vs. Skills: Why people skills often matter more than technical qualifications in long-term success.

🔹 The HR Myth: Why HR doesn’t “always side with the employer” and how great HR leaders advocate for both employees and leadership.

✅ Candidates now weigh culture, balance, and growth as much as pay.

✅ HR leaders must walk the tightrope between compliance and compassion.

✅ Hiring red flags often show up before day one—pay attention to them.

✅ People skills and cultural fit often outweigh technical expertise.

✅ HR’s role is not one-sided—it’s about championing employees and supporting leadership.

🔗 Explore career opportunities at The City of Tomball

In this episode of Who Hired This Person?, host Kaitlyn Randall sits down with Jeremy English, PHR, Human Resources Business Partner at Bell Partners. With over 13 years in HR, Jeremy brings a thoughtful perspective on the balance between business needs, employee wellbeing, and leadership accountability.

He opens up about his journey into HR, how mental health became a central focus in his career, and why the post-pandemic workplace has forever changed how HR leaders approach hiring and retention. Jeremy also shares candid stories about interviewing red flags, what true leadership accountability looks like, and the one HR practice he wishes he could change immediately.

Whether you’re an HR professional, business leader, or someone passionate about workplace culture, Jeremy’s insights offer a fresh look at what it takes to build healthier, more sustainable organizations.

Key Lessons Covered in This Episode:

🔹 Finding Balance in HR:

Why HR professionals must advocate for employees and protect business interests at the same time.

🔹 The Mental Health Imperative:

How Jeremy is pushing past “buzzwords” to make mental health a real workplace priority.

🔹 Post-Pandemic Hiring Challenges:

Why the candidate landscape has shifted—and what HR needs to do differently.

🔹 Red & Green Flags in Interviews:

What Jeremy looks for beyond resumes to assess true culture fit.

🔹 Leadership Accountability:

Why retention and culture depend less on HR and more on the leaders employees report to.

🔹 A Practice He’d Change Tomorrow:

Jeremy shares one outdated HR approach he believes holds organizations back.

Key Takeaways:

✅ HR must serve as a bridge between organizational goals and employee needs.

✅ Post-pandemic hiring requires new strategies and more empathy.

✅ Mental health can’t just be talked about—it has to be prioritized through action.

✅ Leaders, not policies, have the biggest impact on retention.

✅ Interviews should go beyond skills to uncover mindset and alignment.

Links & Resources:

🔗 Explore career opportunities at Bell Partners Inc.

🔗 Connect with Jeremy on LinkedIn: Jeremy English, PHR