This document is a resume for Darlene Downs highlighting her experience in human resources leadership and nonprofit management roles over 15+ years. It lists her professional achievements such as partnering on benefits plan design, implementing an HR software system, and designing leadership training programs. It also provides details on her most recent roles as HR Manager for a direct marketing company and Manager of Training and Recruiting for a nonprofit organization. Her education includes an MA in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and certification in insurance, HR assessments, and the Myers-Briggs Type Instrument.

1. SHRM SPHR PHR
DARLENE DOWNS, MA 1135 Canyon View Rd #201, Sagamore Hills OH 44067 | 440.667.2538 | darlenedowns@gmx.com
HUMAN RESOURCES LEADER & STRATEGIST
PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS AND EXPERTISE
 Partnered with broker on benefits plan design bid evaluation process.
 Initiated strategic communication to educate workforce to the Affordable Care Act and acculturateto consumer-driven
health care,i.e. HealthcareSavings Account (HSA) trends.
 Planned and executed all activities for initiatingcontractwith third party administrator for leaveadministration
subsequent to calculatingcost and risk of continued in-houseadministration. Followed up by implementing and
troubleshootingadaptation to the new relationship.
 Rewrote and expanded company handbook, developing currently relevant policiesto preclude legal risk.
 Policy development, includingretention
 Trained and developed HR staff in diverseareas,from employee investigations to the newest recruitingmethods.
 Led HR expansion in growingcompany, respondingto growth and preparingfor acquisitions.
 Led design of corporateassessmentcenter to identify promotion-ready staff for newly created position in key business
unit.
 Guided and advised management on employee relations.
 Designed leadership trainingprogramfor high potential staff.
 Partnered with EVP on averting workplaceviolenceduringtwo-day critical incident.
 Advised company leadership on averting legal claims for FMLA interference.
 Successfully represented company on EEO complaints.
 Partnered with legal counsel againstlegal claims for wrongful termination.
 Performed and trained other staff in payroll,unemployment, Workers’ Compensation, safety, COBRA, etc.
 Facilitated identification and rolloutof organizational values through focus groups,writingsupportmaterials and
coachingstaff leader.
 Coordinated core competency identification,presentation and implementation. This involved synthesis of interviews of
staff and high profilecommunity leaders,culminatingin authored Competency Guide, Discussion Guideand Workbook
for managers.
 Licensed in Accident, Health and Life Insurance
 Knowledge of Affordable Care Act (ACA)
 Strategic Planning and Communication
 Change Management
 Merger & Acquisition Synthesis
 Benefit Plan Design
 Policy Development and Execution
 Talent Streaming
 Training Development & Facilitation
 Employee Relations, Diversity & Inclusion
Transforming Cultures,
Building Capacity
and Streamlining for the Future
Licensed in Accident, Health and Life Insurance
Human Resources Business Partner who has shaped high-
performing cultures to align with business goals. Employs
strategic communication,process improvement and
training/mentoring to build staff capacity. Haveperformed
all tasks in HRso I know what it takes to get things done.
15+ years responsiblepositionsin HRand nonprofit
organization (NPO) and philanthropic leadership.

2. SHRM SPHR PHR
DARLENE DOWNS, MA 1135 Canyon View Rd #201, Sagamore Hills OH 44067 | 440.667.2538 | darlenedowns@gmx.com
MOST RECENT HR POSTS
HR Manager
AMERIMARK DIRECT, L.L.C. |Cleveland OH 2006 – 2015
Direct marketer with 650 employees, volume environment, all types of employees (distribution, call center, office, professional)
Manager, Training & Recruiting, Change Management
UNITED WAY OF GREATER CLEVELAND | Cleveland OH 2001 – 2006
Charitable organization interfacing regularly with top business and community leaders
ADDITIONAL NONPROFIT SECTOR WORK INFORMATION
Award Recipient for Nonprofit Category, 2 Consecutive Years
BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU | Cleveland OH
Executive Director
BUSINESSCARES FOUNDATION | Cleveland OH
Created “Operation Homefront Fund” during Operation Desert Storm, partnering with USO, TV and radio
Coordinator
WOMEN IN PHILANTHROPY | Cleveland OH
Coordinated council of peers of women executives in philanthropy
Assistant for Donor Advised (509) Funds
Assistant Grants ControlOfficer
THE CLEVELAND FOUNDATION | Cleveland OH
Tracked grantees’ reports, coordinated Discretionary Fund and assisted with 509 funds (Wolpert, Sedgwick, etc.)
HR Director
Director, Information & Planning
Assistant Director, Child Development Centers (“Head Start”)
WEST SIDE ECUMENICAL MINISTRY | Cleveland OH
Key player in Capital campaign, led planned giving initiative, donor database information, HR functions
Editor and Writer
CONGRESSIONAL CLEARINGHOUSE ON THE FUTURE | Washington,DC
Wrote/edited publications of House of Representatives’ foresight agency employing environmental scanning, Delphi polls, etc.
EDUCATION & CERTIFICATION CREDENTIALS
Hondros College of Business, Independence OH – Certificates of Completion in Life, Accident and Health Insurance
Harvard University edX, CambridgeMA – Certificate, Saving Schools: School Choice
Antioch University, Yellow Springs OH – M.A., Industrial/Organizational Psychology
Kent State University, Kent OH – B.A. Journalism - Public Relations
Center for Application of Psychological Type, Jacksonville,FL – Certified, Myers-Briggs Type Instrument
TECHNICAL SKILLS
HRIS software – Empower suite, ABRA, ADP, ATS; advanced skillsin MicrosoftExcel,Access,Word and PowerPoint; Skype; SQL