Trudi Simmons, PHR — Founder

*Disclaimer* The HR and employment tips I share here are meant to be general guidance - not specific advice. Every situation is unique, and I’m not an attorney, so nothing I post should be taken as legal advice. If you’re an employer and need help navigating a particular issue, feel free to reach out to me directly or connect with your favorite employment attorney. Now that we’ve got that out of the way…. I didn’t grow up dreaming about HR. I grew up watching my family run businesses - rolling up their sleeves, taking care of people, and making hard decisions with heart. That environment taught me early that leadership isn’t just about profit. It’s about people. After two decades in Human Resources, working across industries and navigating every imaginable scenario, one thing became clear: too many businesses treat HR like a box to check. But people aren’t boxes; they’re complex, talented, messy, and brilliant. And when you support them the right way, your entire business thrives. That’s why I started People Person, Inc. - to bridge the gap between business strategy, compliance, and compassion. I wanted to be the voice in the room that says, “We can grow a business, follow the law, and still lead with empathy.” To help executives and business owners get out of the weeds, create better workplaces, and lead confidently - without losing their humanity. Clients tell us we’re direct but never cold, knowledgeable without ego, and always approachable. We speak their language, we keep it real, and we never forget that HR is about people first. This isn’t just consulting; it’s partnership. My mission has always been simple: put the “human” back in Human Resources. Specialties include but are not limited to the following: HR Strategy, Compassionate Leadership, Employment Law Compliance, Employee Relations, Company Policies, and More.

Stackforce AI infers this person is a Human Resources expert specializing in compliance and employee relations.

Location: Redondo Beach, California, United States

Experience: 24 yrs 1 mo

Skills

Hr Strategy
Employment Law Compliance
Employee Relations
Hr Consulting
Hr Management
Operations Management
Recruiting

Career Highlights

Over 25 years of HR expertise across various industries.
Founder of People Person, Inc. focusing on compassionate HR.
Specializes in bridging business strategy and employee support.

Work Experience

People Person

Founder/Principal HR Consultant (10 yrs 2 mos)

Private

Human Resources Consultant (5 yrs 1 mo)

Vice President of HR and Operations (3 yrs 6 mos)

Human Resources/Hiring Manager (2 yrs 4 mos)

Operations Manager (3 yrs)

Education

English Literature at California State University, Long Beach

Trudi Simmons, PHR

Founder

Redondo Beach, California, United States24 yrs 1 mo experience

Highly Stable

Key Highlights

Over 25 years of HR expertise across various industries.
Founder of People Person, Inc. focusing on compassionate HR.
Specializes in bridging business strategy and employee support.

Stackforce AI infers this person is a Human Resources expert specializing in compliance and employee relations.

Contact

Skills

Core Skills

Hr StrategyEmployment Law ComplianceEmployee RelationsHr ConsultingHr ManagementOperations ManagementRecruiting

Other Skills

HR AuditStrategic HR and PlanningWage & HourEmployee GrievancesWorkplace InvestigationsLeaves of AbsenceEmployee Handbooks & Company PoliciesPerformance Improvement Plans & Employee CounselingEmployee Separation/TerminationsTraining and DevelopmentCustomized Employee HandbooksFederal and State Labor ComplianceWorkshopsHarassment TrainingOnboarding

About

Experience

24 yrs 1 mo

Total Experience

13 yrs 11 mos

Average Tenure

10 yrs 2 mos

Current Experience

People person

Founder/Principal HR Consultant

Mar 2016 – Present · 10 yrs 2 mos · Greater Los Angeles Area · Remote

Trying to run (and strategically grow) a business is difficult enough without having to worry about whether you are complying with the ever-changing federal and state labor law environment. When your organization requires a highly experienced Human Resources Partner at rates that you can afford, we are the solution.
With 25+ years of HR expertise, including 15 years as a Consultant servicing a variety of industries, we have seen it all. We can assist you in resolving difficult HR challenges while we create structure and improve processes for your entire team. Services include but are not limited to the following:
HR Audit
Strategic HR and Planning
Employment Law Compliance
Wage & Hour
Employee Grievances
Workplace Investigations
Leaves of Absence
Employee Handbooks & Company Policies
Performance Improvement Plans & Employee Counseling
Employee Separation/Terminations
Training and Development (Sexual Harassment Training, Leadership Training, etc.)
Did you know that HR outsourcing is a practice used by nearly 6 out of 10 organizations? Why? Offloading human resources responsibilities allows you to focus on the task of growing your business. Allow your executive team to do what they do best, while allowing your “People Person” to take care of the rest.

HR AuditStrategic HR and PlanningEmployment Law ComplianceWage & HourEmployee GrievancesWorkplace Investigations+6

Private

4 roles

Human Resources Consultant

Feb 2011 – Mar 2016 · 5 yrs 1 mo

Effective employee relations are the key to any successful business. Yet few companies have the experience or resources to perform their own Human Resources functions in-house, efficiently and productively – without creating an unnecessary burden or risk to their continued success.
We are here to help with human resources outsourcing and consulting. Customized employee handbooks, federal and state labor compliance, workshops and harassment training, just to name a few.

Employee RelationsCustomized Employee HandbooksFederal and State Labor ComplianceWorkshopsHarassment TrainingHR Consulting

Vice President of HR and Operations

Promoted

Aug 2007 – Feb 2011 · 3 yrs 6 mos

Direct and manage Human Resources and daily operations of a fast-growing online media company specializing in the affiliate marketing space. Affiliate Media, Inc. consists of an online ad agency and a publishing division, as well as a tradeshow/conference division.

HR ManagementOperations Management

Human Resources/Hiring Manager

Feb 2005 – Jun 2007 · 2 yrs 4 mos

Successfully managed Human Resources department and Recruiting efforts for privately held consulting firm servicing the financial services industry.

HR ManagementRecruiting

Operations Manager

Feb 2002 – Feb 2005 · 3 yrs

Managed HR, recruiting and operations for the California location of this mid-sized company servicing the auto industry. Maintained and improved processes and successfully impacted the improvement in customer relations and retention rate.

HR ManagementOperations Management