Our authorsThe Top HR and Government experts

Nicole D. Carr is the Director of Human Resources at the California Department of Social Services and she has been appointed to various executive-level positions within State Government during her 20-year, public service career which includes but is not limited to serving as the Assistant Deputy Director for the Department of Housing and Community Development and a Budget Officer for the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Noelle is currently a Public Relations Specialist for the City and County of Honolulu Office of the Mayor’s Neighborhood Commission Office, working primarily on Office digital initiatives and citizen engagement. Follow them on Twitter: @HNLNCO. Passionate about developing communities, she channels this passion through organizing Network of Women’s Honolulu chapter and volunteering for the Hawaii Bicycling League’s Bike to Work Day. Her background in urbanism led her to co-found MultipliCITY, a conference held in 2013 for young urban scholars to exchange ideas on cities, across cultures and disciplines. She is inspired by her yoga practice and travel. She completed a Master degree in Urban Studies at Sciences Po Paris and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from UCLA, c/o 2011.

Olivia is a journalist who always tries to see the bright side of things. She likes to inspire people in her writings and to enjoy a mysterious beauty of twilight. Connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

Orlando Pacheco has served as Lancaster Town Administrator since March of 2005. Prior to serving as Town Administrator, Mr. Pacheco served as Aide to Mayor David T. Hildt of Amesbury Massachusetts. Mr. Pacheco has also served in various capacities with the Town of Andover and the US Social Security Administration. Orlando has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and a Master of Public Administration from the University of New Hampshire at Durham. Mr. Pacheco is a recipient of the Bronze and Silver Congressional Award and is a 2 time Ronald E. McNair Scholar. Orlando is a member of the Massachusetts Managers Association, and serves as a management representative on the Massachusetts Municipal Association’s Energy and Environmental Policy Committee. He was also one of Governor Deval Patrick’s Appointee’s to the Regionalization Advisory Commission, established by the State Legislature.

Patrick Ibarra, a former city manager and Human Resource Director, owns and operates an organizational effectiveness consulting practice, The Mejorando Group (www.gettingbetterallthetime.com), and is one of the country's leading experts on optimizing the performance of public sector organizations

Paul Palamattam is an MPA and MADIR candidate at Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ with an anticipated graduation date of May 17th, 2014. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Diplomacy, a former intern of the NYC Mayor’s Office for International Affairs, and has worked on several political campaigns. His paper titled “Public Policy and SOPA: The Failure of Elite Theory and the Success of Political Process Theory” examining the public policy debate surrounding the Stop Online Piracy Act was published in the 2013 issue of Political Analysis.

Pete Wheelan, CEO of InsideTrack, has dedicated his career to leading mission-driven, high-growth companies focused on helping individuals live up to their full potential. Before joining InsideTrack, he served as chief operating officer and chief revenue officer at Blurb, a groundbreaking leader in unleashing creative expression through self-published books.

Ralph Jacobson is the founder of The Leader’s Toolbox. He work was recognized by NACo which gave his client the Innovation in Leadership Training Award for the Year. Leadership Excellence Magazine has ranked him in the top ten independent leadership developers/consultants in the country. He has written two books, Leading for a Change: How to Master the Five Challenges Faced by Every Leader, and just published, Getting Unstuck: Using Leadership Paradox to Execute with Confidence. He can be reached at ralph@theleaderstoolbox.com.

Rayanne Thorn is VP of Communications & Branding for Evenbase, a global digital recruitment group and part of A&N Media. The Evenbase portfolio includes over 60 recruitment sites in 55 countries, with aggressive plans for further expansion. Rayanne's specialties include US language and customs transition, content creation, and social marketing.

Rebekah Dorworth is the president of Kyra Solutions, a trusted government partner specializing in the art and science of digital transformation and modernization. With decades of experience assisting clients in the public sector, Kyra Solutions understands the pain points government agencies face and provides forward-thinking solutions that help capable employees carry out their best work. In her role at Kyra Solutions, Rebekah drives operational excellence by executing the strategic vision. She has been with Kyra Solutions for more than six years.

Richard (Dick) Finnegan is CEO of C-Suite Analytics and the originator of Stay Interviews. A top global voice on employee retention, his strategies have helped organizations reduce turnover by up to 58% and save millions of dollars across six continents. He is a frequent speaker at executive and C-suite leadership conferences, workforce development conferences, industry associations’ annual meetings, and national SHRM conferences. Targeting Turnover is his sixth book and his most direct call to action for frontline accountability.

Richard Schwartz is a tech lover and a productivity addict. He likes spending time trying the newest technologies on the market and designing websites. He is also an editor for TemplatesAssistant.com, a website that delivers free templates for making everybody's work easier.