ABOUT - Circle Strategies

Circle Strategies

Circle Strategies is the culmination of over 30 years of experience in the Human Resources industry, with a constant drive to help design and mold positive workplace culture. The coalescence of technical expertise and creative solutions resembles the harmony and balance of a circle. This circular mentality, one that brings about change with a focus on people and resources, is how we do things. At Circle Strategies we are people first. Meeting individuals where they are, regardless of where they come from, what they practice, or how much they know, builds a firm foundation for trust and a lasting relationship. Understanding a company’s profile, strategic goals, and workplace culture allow us to begin the work of:

✔

LOWERING EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY THROUGH compliance;

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BUILDING A STRONG WORKFORCE THROUGH TALENT MANAGEMENT;

✔

ENSURING A STRONG CULTURE THAT PROVIDES equity, respect and compassion.

Our Team Members

Everyone at Circle Strategies operates from a foundation of togetherness that cements our core mission of creating relationships of trust and loyalty. Many of the greatest discoveries and solutions come from a mix of minds, backgrounds and experiences that are diverse. Our high service is predicated on cultivating an inclusive work environment and client experience. Circle Strategies provides equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic disposition, neurodiversity, disability, veteran status or any other protected category under federal, state and local law.

Clifford Watkin

FOUNDER & CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER

Clifford Watkin

FOUNDER & CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER

Clifford Watkin has a stellar record of success helping companies implement human resources strategies that supplement growth, attract and retain talent, and embrace diversity. Clifford has created comprehensive employee acquisition and retention strategies for private sector employers, professional services firms and non-profit organizations. His work covers the gamut of HR issues including legal compliance, performance management, on-boarding and creating effective corporate cultures. His personal experience drives his passion to help bring about success for minority-owned businesses and corporate organizations. Assisting companies to develop and manage a diverse workforce brings together smart business practices and policies that improve top line revenue, bottom line growth and increased employee satisfaction. In South Africa, where Clifford grew up, he saw first-hand the difference it can make when people have equal access to capital, land, education and resources. Clifford is a regular speaker at the Northeast Human Resources Association and Employee Benefits Council. Writing for the Boston Business Journal and Employee Benefits News, Clifford is a reliable human resources expert. Clifford is also an adjunct faculty member in Human Resources for Salem State University and SHRM certification instructor at North Shore Community College. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Boston University and a Masters of Business Administration degree from Northeastern University. In 2017, Clifford was selected to be the HR strategic adviser for Eastern Bank’s Business Equity Initiative, a program developed to help accelerate the growth of Hispanic and African-American owned local enterprises.

Phone:617.812.0182
Email:[email protected]

Laura Watkin

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Laura Watkin

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Laura Watkin has been an integral part of Circle Strategies since its inception. Together with Cliff, she helped mold the initial team into a family of cooperation and collaboration. Laura developed the original website concept as well as all the firm’s branding, helping to steer the firm’s marketing direction and theme before the hiring of a marketing coordinator. Laura continues to be involved with Circle Strategies in an advisory role, in touch with the firm’s day to day operations. Her significant skill set in organization, planning, and operations can also be found in her own firm, order, a professional organization and move management company. Additionally, Laura works together with PBF Homes as Director of Project Management, overseeing large home renovation projects from concept to construction.

Pamela Brown

SR. DIRECTOR OF HR

Pamela Brown

SR. DIRECTOR OF HR

Pam is a Human Resources Executive with 30 years of experience. Her passion is providing strategic HR solutions for her clients by helping them build their HR infrastructure through technology, compliance and people. Pam’s experience spans multiple industries including hospitality, engineering, manufacturing, software and professional services. Pam is adept at providing guidance and best practice advice to organizations in start-up mode, emerging growth, downsizing / rightsizing as well as mergers, acquisitions and business integrations with multi-state and global operations. She is well known for developing strong relationships and helping her clients create long-term sustainable approaches for HR delivery. Pam has assisted clients with strategically integrating effective HR processes, programs and practices into their daily operations. She has delivered critical support and solutions to her clients that created efficiencies, cost savings, and promoted compliance to state and federal regulations. As an expert at working through complex issues with clients, she is best known for creating effective solutions that address business needs. Pam holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Merrimack College, North Andover, Massachusetts, and an MBA from Suffolk University. She earned her Professional designation from the Society of Human Resources Management and holds the prestigious credentials of a Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP).

Ece Serezli

HR BUSINESS PARTNER

Ece Serezli

HR BUSINESS PARTNER

Ece holds both an undergraduate and Master's degree. Ece is a data specialist, researcher, and a former scientist. She specializes in human resources administration and finance administration for Circle Strategies. Ece is a powerful force in the workplace and uses her positive attitude and tireless energy to encourage others to work hard and succeed. When Ece is not busy with work, you can find her walking by Boston Bay, weaving/knitting/sewing/crocheting on the balcony or baking in the kitchen.

Andrea Garcés Pineda

HR BUSINESS PARTNER

Andrea Garcés Pineda

HR BUSINESS PARTNER

Andrea is a bilingual (English/Spanish) psychologist from Colombia with three years of experience in the Human Resources area. She has been helping to strengthen companies by sourcing and selecting employees for recruitment. She has also supported the administration of Human Resources processes within the company. Andrea is a people person which allows her to have good relationships with employees. She loves a good conversation, a good book, a good cup of coffee, and travel. Animals, especially dogs, are what she loves the most.

Andrés Patiño

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

Andrés Patiño

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

Andrés serves as Circle Strategies’ Executive Assistant. He brings with him valuable skills and guidance in communications, teamwork, and leadership. With a background in Learning and Development, Andrés has served as an officer at different US communications companies. There he sharpened his skills in teaching, training, and recruitment. He resides in Pereira and together with a partner, Andrés manages the popular Sports Blog, La Furia Matecaña, attracting nearly one million monthly visits.

Ada Watkin

MARKETING ADMINISTRATOR

Ada Watkin

MARKETING ADMINISTRATOR

Ada serves as Circle Strategies’ Marketing Administrator. They bring a unique perspective and skills in marketing, user experience, and design. With a UX and UI Design background, Ada has worked for multiple firms. With their skills focused on improving the human experience they are here to help all design and marketing work reach the next level.

Catherine Acosta

FINANCE ADMINISTRATOR

Catherine Acosta

FINANCE ADMINISTRATOR

Catherine is an International Business Administrator with Ten years of experience working with international and multinational companies, managing administrative and productive processes; She also has experience with finance with companies such as payroll, accounts payable, and accounts receivable, getting finances and books up to par, managing safe balance logs in each company and as well giving good metrics at the end of each quarter with profitable results. Catherine lives in Barranquilla, Colombia, and currently works from home. She is an independent and empowered woman who loves to learn and grow constantly, raising two little girls.

Meet Our Coaches

Cristina Costa

Cristina Costa

Certifications: Gallup Strengthsfinder; UMAP Profile Assessment; DISC
Cristina is an engaging educator who believes in the power of empowering others with the personal and professional skills to succeed. She currently serves as the Head of the Career Program at Outco, Inc, a San Francisco based startup that provides career coaching and technical skill sharpening for job seeking software engineers. She also offers career and life coaching for women of color and diversity and inclusion training through her company, Cristina Costa Coaching. For the past 5 years, Cristina served as Chief Marketing Officer of Women with Purpose, an organization that empowers, educates and advances women of color through professional development seminars, empowerment workshops and networking events.
In addition to these roles, Cristina has over 7 years of professional experience working in the technology sector in a variety of roles from client consulting, digital marketing, customer success, serving as director of student engagement, project manager as well as leading diversity and inclusion initiatives at several startups.
Cristina is a Latina born and raised in Boston and is an outspoken advocate who works towards equity and inclusion for all people of color -- particularly in the technology sector and committed to battling the digital divide.

Michael Fenton

Michael Fenton

Certifications: Hogan Assessment; Emotional Intelligence 2.0; Meyers Briggs MBTI; Energy Leadership Index; Leadership Viability Index
Michael Fenton is a dedicated coach with over 30 years of experience as an HR Executive at three Fortune 500 companies and two nonprofits. He specializes in coaching global executives, team leaders, people managers, entrepreneurs, and career professionals across a wide range of leadership, organizational, and cross-cultural management topics.
With extensive experience consulting and coaching global executives and leaders, Michael has led cross-country/cultural management and talent/DEI strategies. He holds multiple leadership assessment and coaching certifications, including CPC, ACC, MSOB, MBTI, LSP, GCI, and ELI MP, and is a proud member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF).
Michael's consulting and coaching highlights include being recognized as a progressive HR leader known for creativity and practical solutions, with extensive global experience working across multiple business units. He specializes in global executive coaching and change management, leadership development, succession planning, workforce strategy, organization development, DEI, employee engagement, global mobility and culture, and compensation consulting.

Jake Herway

Jake Herway

Certifications: Gallup Strengthsfinder
Jake Herway specializes in helping leaders, teams, and organizations wake up inspired and finish fulfilled. With a specific expertise in a Strengths-based approach, Jake focuses on assisting senior leaders in transitioning to new roles or responsibilities while demonstrating measurable business impact.
Jake's objective is clear: to shorten the time to performance, create thriving teams, and cultivate winning cultures that link individual purpose to the collective. He believes in doing what we do best to make a difference in what matters most, ensuring that the more we win, the better the world becomes.

Liz Tracy

Liz Tracy

Certifications: Shirzad Chamine Positive Intelligence; Gallup Strengthsfinder; DISC
Liz Tracy specializes in assisting professionals who feel stuck, overwhelmed by life and work commitments, preventing them from prioritizing their professional advancement. Through career, leadership, and transition coaching, combined with powerful leadership and style assessment tools and frameworks, Liz helps clients become self-aware and shift their patterns to achieve desired results.
Before transitioning into coaching, Liz accumulated many years of experience in corporate America. During this time, she collaborated with senior leaders on strategic projects, led teams, coached team members, and developed compelling onboarding and skill-building programs. Liz firmly believes that individuals experience the most growth when they have both the desire and support to do so. She understands that performance improvement isn't solely about training; it occurs through experience, feedback, and coaching. Liz's approach is focused on helping individuals overcome obstacles and get unstuck.

Kara Lund

Kara Lund

Certifications: Shirzad Chamine Positive Intelligence
A certified coach (ACC) with the International Coach Federation (ICF), and Certified Positive Intelligence® Coach (CPQC), Kara guides individuals and teams to work and live with the wind at their back. By uncovering at the root level the unhealthy drivers that sabotage productivity and well-being, she helps clients to avoid burnout, and build the tools that lead to more positive thinking patterns and communication habits. The result is a more resilient employee, increased trust and productivity in teams, and a healthier, more empathic organizational culture.
As an accomplished public speaking coach, Kara has a talent for bringing out the best in clients. By capitalizing on their strengths, she empowers them to lead with confidence and credibility. Kara is especially skilled at helping international leaders to communicate and compete effectively in an English speaking world.
Kara has worked extensively throughout the United States, France and in Shanghai with clients from over 20 different countries to develop their personal presence and leadership capabilities to work, compete, and communicate with confidence.

Jamie Resker

Jamie Resker

Jamie Resker, Practice Leader and Founder of Employee Performance Solutions, has a uniquely singular focus - optimizing employee performance through re-shaping communications between managers and employees based on two-way, frequent, informal conversations designed to align performance expectations. She helps organizations make the shift away from reviewing and rating past performance to building the capacity of everyone in the organization to speak candidly about strengths, accomplishments, and more comfortably re-direct off-target performance. Jamie is the originator of the Performance Continuum Feedback Method® and The 10-Minute Conversation, frameworks proven to drive individual, team and organizational performance. She's known for being ahead of her time and has dedicated half of her three-decades long HR career to re-framing performance management. As a thought leader on the topic of modernizing performance management she is a frequent contributor on the topic.

Rebecca Fishbein

Rebecca Fishbein

It's not every day that you hear about someone who started as a middle school math teacher, transitioned to consulting actuarial work, completed a stint in digital innovation, and is currently leveraging all of the above to help organizations create and support an employee experience that is inclusive and equitable by design. But here I am!
My diverse background from education to the corporate world has helped me develop a unique perspective on the various aspects of people strategy. I frequently pull on all of the roles I have had to help me make the best business decisions at any given time. With foci in people strategy/human resources, culture change, DEIB, people-related innovation & strategy, and design thinking methodology, I am always seeking to bring insights, ideas, and action to an organization.
I understand that leading with empathy is incredibly important, and also that it doesn't mean the bottom line will suffer. I understand that we can drive business results with effective people decisions. We can be honest and supportive, while challenging our people to be the best they can be. We can both invite productive conflict as a way to ensure innovative ideas are heard and rely on a data-driven approach in decision making.
I have deep experience in leader, manager, and individual contributor development; diversity, equity, and inclusion program design and implementation; and organizational structures. I have balanced strengths in strategy, data analysis, and project management. I lead with empathy, am proud of my strong partnerships with stakeholders, value innovative thinking, and think clear project planning is a must. All of these skills have all played a strong part in my success.
Above all, I am jazzed about making a difference in your organization. Don't hesitate to reach out to find out how!

Russell Herndon

Russell Herndon

Experienced Chief Executive and President with a demonstrated history of working in the biotechnology industry. Skilled in Cell Therapeutics, Small Molecule development, Medical Devices, Oncology, and Rare Diseases. Strong business development professional with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) focused in Biology, General from Barton College.

Amir Kahani

Amir Kahani

Empower your technology company to lead in innovation, market share, and ethical standards. With more than 30 years of business experience spearheading transformative strategies integrating advanced value-based selling (VBS) with a strong ethical framework, my clients consistently achieve enhanced competitive positioning, increased profitability, and improved customer loyalty.
At Keyideas, we utilize the unique and powerful '3Win Model,' my proprietary approach designed to equip businesses to thrive in complex environments while upholding integrity. This model ensures that your tech venture gains revenue, excellent branding, and trust in the industry. Its distinct features make it a compelling choice for your business strategy.
I hold an MBA from the University of Manchester and a PhD in Economics from Varna Free University. My educational journey has given me the analytical tools and economic insights necessary to develop innovative strategies aligning business growth with ethical practices.

Circle Strategies

✔

LOWERING EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY THROUGH compliance;

✔

BUILDING A STRONG WORKFORCE THROUGH TALENT MANAGEMENT;​

✔

ENSURING A STRONG CULTURE THAT PROVIDES equity, respect and compassion.

Our Team Members

Meet Our Coaches

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BUILDING A STRONG WORKFORCE THROUGH TALENT MANAGEMENT;