Nancy Kasmar

MS, SHRM-SCP, CCP

Nancy is a Principal of Compensation Connections, with over 25 years of management experience in addition to 10 years in human resources and total rewards. She received her Master of Science degree from the University of California, San Francisco, and a Certificate in Management from the University of California, San Diego. Nancy holds a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) designation with an additional certification as a Certified Compensation Professional (CCP). She is also certified as a SHRM-SCP.

Nancy has worked with hundreds of organizations throughout North America as a compensation consultant. She volunteers with Washington State SHRM and is a past President of the Lake Washington Human Resource Association. In addition to her professional and volunteer responsibilities, Nancy speaks regionally and nationally on topics ranging from compensation and benefits to mentorship and diversity.

As you can tell by her shoes, Nancy walks for exercise when she isn’t working or volunteering. On the rare occasion she is not moving, she also enjoys spending time watching movies with her husband, Ken. Oh, and she loves laundry!

Shannon Drohman

MS/HR, SHRM-SCP, CMHR, CCP

Shannon is a Principal of Compensation Connections. She has worked in human resources for over 25 years. With an emphasis on total rewards, she developed compensation strategies and designed comprehensive total reward programs as an internal partner and external consultant. Her clients have ranged in size from small start-ups to over 10,000 employees, in a variety of sectors including government, non-profit, education, manufacturing, technology, health care, and professional services.

Shannon loves helping HR professionals better understand compensation principles and frequently speaks at SHRM chapters and other associations. She has taught graduate-level HR Management courses and been an instructor with the University of Washington’s Human Resources Certificate program. Shannon is past President of the Lake Washington Human Resource Association. Her credentials include an MS/HR, SHRM-SCP and CMHR certifications, and Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) designation.

When Shannon isn’t working or teaching, she can be found volunteering, reading, hiking or hanging out with Peter (human husband), Millie and Mouse (furry kids).

Matt Johnson

Matt is a Senior Consultant with Compensation Connections. He has over 25 years of human resources, performance management, total rewards, and leadership coaching experience. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Washington.

Most recently Matt led the Total Rewards and Workplace Experience teams at Simple Finance. Prior to that he ran a successful software company called NextComp and was President of Johnson HR Consulting where he worked with some of the leading companies in the Pacific NW. Matt is a past President of the Northwest Compensation and Rewards Forum and co-led the successful launch of the first Rewards NW regional conference.

In his free time, Matt loves to spend time outdoors taking photos and painting scenes of the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

Jacqui Demrose

SPHR, SHRM-SCP, CCP, GRP

Jacqui is a Senior Consultant with Compensation Connections. She started her human resources career in the hospitality industry and since then continued down that path with different companies in financial services, consulting engineering, energy services/utility, and global high tech/manufacturing. Her specialized skills include compensation, benefits, employee communications and HRIS.

Jacqui has managed HR departments at various organizations and in the past 10 years concentrated her efforts more specifically in compensation and HRIS systems. Besides the human resource designations (SPHR and SHRM-SCP), she is a Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) and Global Remuneration Professional (GRP). She has held board roles with local human resource associations including the Northwest Compensation and Rewards Forum.

She was raised on the islands of Trinidad & Tobago in the Caribbean, and has lived in England, Switzerland, as well as a few states in the US, and has made Washington state her home. She loves taking cruises with her family (husband and daughter), and enjoys working out and walking the dog.

Kathy Marek

SPHR, SHRM-SCP, CCP

Kathy is a Senior Consultant with Compensation Connections with over 25 years of experience in human resources including a focus in total rewards/compensation for the past 10-plus years. She has a broad range of experience in industries including research/biotechnology, healthcare, information technology, education, government, and financial and professional services. Kathy’s certifications include Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), SHRM-SCP and Certified Compensation Professional (CCP).

A start in commercial fishing operations, then with a move to the financial services sector and finally to a compensation consulting role gives Kathy a unique perspective into a variety of company cultures. Kathy enjoys gaining a deep understanding of an organization and developing the right tools to help achieve their goals. Her experience and strengths include employment, compensation, communication/training, legal review, employee relations, FLSA analysis, and regulatory reporting.

Kathy enjoys spending time with her family… a dog, rabbit, goldfish, two teens and a husband (not in any particular order). She loves any adventures in the Pacific Northwest: walking, hiking, biking or kayaking. When not immersed in nature you will find Kathy planting flowers in her garden, wandering a nursery, hardware store, or bookstore, or volunteering at her children’s swim meets.

Jo Lingenfelter

MS/HR, SHRM-SCP, CMHR

Jo is a Senior Consultant at Compensation Connections. With over 20 years of experience as an HR leader and practitioner, she has designed, communicated, and administered a wide range of human resource programs and initiatives. She is passionate about workplace equity, organizational development, change management, coaching, and partnering with the business to execute strategy with optimal people solutions.

During her career, Jo has worked for large and mid-size companies in a variety of industries including financial, manufacturing, healthcare, telecom, and public sector. Before transitioning to her true calling as a human resource professional, Jo worked in public and private accounting. She has a Master of Science degree in Human Resources and a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting. She has SHRM-SCP and Change Management in Human Resources (CMHR) certifications.

Jo loves to tap into her creative side and spends time paper crafting and doing home décor. She also enjoys wine tasting and listening to live music with her favorite person, her husband.

Allison Lee

CCP

Before joining Compensation Connections, she worked with major retail, merchandising, marketing and telecommunications business units as a Compensation Partner. Allison’s favorite thing about compensation is the blend of working with both people and data regularly, and she feels lucky to have found a career that combines two of her passions. Allison is a Certified Compensation Professional (CCP).

When not working in excel, Allison enjoys reading, taking outdoor walks, drinking tea and spending time with her husband and two children. She is a Seattle native and a graduate of the University of Washington.

Mary Farag

MBA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, CMHR

Mary is a Senior Consultant at Compensation Connections with more than 20 years of management and HR experience. She has worked with a variety of public and private sector employers, including healthcare, education, laboratory sciences, and local government. She has also served in the mentorship program and on the Board for the Lake Washington Human Resources Association. Mary earned her Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from Seattle University, and holds the SPHR, SHRM-SCP, and CM/HR designations.

Mary began her career in healthcare operations and quickly found that Human Resources was her true passion. Her extensive experience includes working with organizations to design, communicate, and administer a wide range of strategic, culturally aligned human resource programs, with a particular interest in workplace equity. Mary also enjoys working with people to build strong and effective teams, creating and delivering training, and facilitating the success of leaders through coaching and development.

Mary loves all things Northwest. When she is not working, she can be found enjoying the outdoors with her husband and three kids or volunteering on the pool deck and cheering them on at swim meets.

Steve Tiegs

CCP, SHRM-SCP

Steve is a Consultant with Compensation Connections. He is experienced in survey design, pay equity analysis, market studies, data storytelling, communications, training and development.

After 14 years teaching middle school math and social studies, Steve brought his love of Excel to a second career in compensation. Steve is a Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) and has earned his SHRM-SCP certification.

Steve spends a lot of time traveling! Live music and excellent food bring him joy. He loves learning and helping others.

Chandler Pobis

Chandler is a Data Support Analyst with Compensation Connections. His skills include data analysis and visualization, project management, and communication coaching, with previous professional experience in the insurance and broadcast media industries. He is most passionate about using data to tell stories in an approachable way. Chandler earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Clemson University.

Outside of work, Chandler is an active member of the Olympic fencing community as both an athlete and coach. He enjoys writing code, discovering new music, and broiled eel rice bowls.

Kim Cook

Kim is an Associate Consultant at Compensation Connections with over 20 years of experience in healthcare talent acquisition. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Western Washington University.

Kim values collaboration, workplace equity, and building meaningful relationships. Prior to joining Compensation Connections, Kim was the owner of Anchor Healthcare Staffing, an employment agency dedicated to serving the medical community of the Pacific Northwest. Kim enjoys spending time with her family and friends, meeting people with unique perspectives, and dancing in the kitchen to loud music. She appreciates the beauty of nature and would ski every day if she could.

Paul H. Hutter

SPHR

Paul is a Senior Consultant with Compensation Connections. He has worked in multiple Human Resource specialties and operational management for the past 35 years, as a Human Resources executive and Compensation Director. Paul also specializes in Organizational Development. As both an internal partner and external consultant, he has developed compensation strategies, and redesigned corporate wide compensation systems to facilitate improved retention and recruitment, as well as to comply with compensation best practice and governing regulations. Paul works with clients ranging from small startups to organizations with many thousand employees, over multiple sectors in public, non-profit, private and education.

Paul has a passion for ensuring his clients are getting the best from his services, through effectively listening to their needs and concerns, asking pertinent questions and establishing realistic timelines and goals for the projects he is completing. As a certified HR Professional, Paul provides education for those learning the procession of Human Resources and is also a public speaker when the occasion dictates.

In his free time, Paul has multiple hobbies and activities from being a clay artist, to scuba diving, downhill skiing, cycling, singing in a symphony chorale, volunteer work in his community, to spending time with his wife, seven children and five grandchildren.

Alaina Goodman

MA, PMP

Alaina is a Senior Consultant with Compensation Connections. She brings over 10 years of experience in leadership including managing compensation and classification programs for a large government agency, non-profit leadership, and overseeing organization-wide human resource projects.

Alaina earned a Master of Arts degree from Argosy University and holds a Project Management Professional designation. Alaina’s background in psychology and leadership informs her approach to creating solutions that are both effective and easy to understand.

Outside of work, Alaina enjoys cooking, exploring new hobbies like backyard birding, and going on long road trips with her husband.