HR Advisory Board
Brandon is a seasoned HR leader with an extensive track record spanning over 12 years of progressive human resources experience. Brandon has made a significant impact in the realm of HR, showcasing expertise that extends to a national level.
Currently serving at Altra Federal Credit Union in La Crosse, WI, Brandon plays a vital role in enhancing the HR landscape for employees across multiple states, including WI, MN, TX, TN, NJ, and CO.
Brandon’s dedication to the HR profession is exemplified by his active involvement in the national Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) chapter. Additionally, he holds a position on the Winona Area SHRM Board, where he contributes as the Marketing Director and Web Coordinator. These roles allow him to blend his passion for HR with his proficiency in strategic marketing and technology.
Education forms a strong foundation for Brandon’s expertise, having earned a dual degree in Human Resources and Business Administration from Winona State University. His commitment to continuous growth and professional development is reflected in his certification as a Certified Professional by the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM-CP). Furthermore, Brandon’s dedication to conflict resolution and effective communication is demonstrated through his training as a Rule 114 Trained Alternative Dispute Resolution Mediator, as is his dedication to mental wellness with his certification in Adult Mental Health First Aid (MHFA).
Elizabeth Ressie is the Director of Safety & Human Resources for Dairyland Power Cooperative where she leads Dairyland’s Safety & Human Resources teams. Ressie joined Dairyland as Senior Human Resources Business Consultant in January 2020.
She is a strategic Safety & Human Resources leader within the organization, focused on leading a multi-site Safety & HR team while designing, planning, and implementing Safety & HR solutions by establishing processes, programs, and policies–including benefits, compensation, employee relations, metrics/data analysis, leadership development, performance management, rewards and recognition, staffing forecast/labor management, and succession planning.
Prior to joining Dairyland, Ressie was the Director of Human Resources for BIC Graphic, which she joined in 2014. Before joining BIC Graphic, Ressie was an HR Generalist for Peerless Chain Company and McNeilus Companies, Inc.
Ressie is a graduate of Winona State University with a dual degree in Human Resources and Business Administration. She also earned her Master of Human Resources Management from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.
She is certified as a Senior Certified Professional from the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM-SCP) and as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) from the HR Certification Institute.
Kelley Blank has been the Human Capital Operations Manager at JF Brennan Company, Inc. in La Crosse, WI, for the past 2 years. Kelley has been actively working in the Human Resources field for the past 9 years and has held roles as HR Manager and Director of HR. Kelley is a graduate from Viterbo University and currently lives in La Crosse.
Melissa graduated from University of Wisconsin-La Crosse with a BS in Business Management with an emphasis in Human Resources. After graduation, she worked as an HR Generalist for 2 years in Manufacturing. She then started at WNB Financial where she has been working for the last 7.5 years. She started as an HR Assistant and has been the SVP Chief Human Resources Officer for 2 years. She also serves as the secretary for the Winona Area SHRM Chapter.
Rebecca is currently employed by the City of La Crosse, WI, as the Director of Human Resources.
She has her associate’s degree in Human Resource Management from Western Technical College, her bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin – Stout in Business Administration with an emphasis in Human Resource Management, and her master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin – Stout in Training and Human Resource Development.
Rebecca has been actively working in the Human Resources field for over 10 years, primarily working in a variety of industries such as manufacturing, retail, and the public sector
She has been actively involved with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) since college, serving on the college Board of Directors in a Secretary role.
She has been on the Board of Directors for 7 years and is currently the President of the Winona Area SHRM chapter, Professional Development Director for MNSHRM, and a member of SHRM’s emerging Professionals Advisory Council (EPAC).
She is also certified as a Certified Professional from the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM-CP) as of July 2018.
Shawna Tienter is an HR Consultant with the Minnesota Department of Revenue (MDOR) and has worked in HR for the State of Minnesota in various roles for the past 5 years. She started out with the Minnesota State System, most recently working remotely for the Chancellor’s Office. She promoted to the Minnesota Department of Revenue in March 2023 to broaden her agency and state experience. Her current role provides leadership and strategic direction to the MDOR staffing team and functional support to the MDOR leadership team.
Prior to working for the State of Minnesota, she worked for BCS Automotive Interface Solutions and Mayo Clinic. Shawna has over 8 years of experience in HR in various functional areas.
She has a bachelor’s degree in Business with a minor in Marketing from Winona State and a Master of Business Administration from Viterbo University.
In her free time, she enjoys camping and spending time outdoors with her husband and 2 sons.
Stephanie Hemker is the Human Resources Manager for Thern, Inc.
She is a strategic Human Resources leader focused on leading an HR team while designing, planning, and implementing HR solutions. She has developed and implemented HR processes, programs, and policies, including benefits, compensation, employee relations, HR metrics/data analysis, leadership development, performance management, rewards and recognition, staffing forecast/labor management, and succession planning.
Stephanie is a graduate of Graceland University where she obtained her Bachelor of Business Administration with a minor in Human Resources. Stephanie is a member of the national SHRM Chapter as well as the local Winona SHRM Chapter.
Tabitha Newton is an experienced human resources leader with SHRM-SCP, SPHR, and CCP professional certifications.
Tabitha is a member of the national SHRM chapter and serves on the Winona Area SHRM Board as the Membership Director, and she has been an active member of the Chippewa Valley SHRM Chapter where she served as the College Relations Coordinator for UW-Eau Claire. She holds a master’s degree in Management from Cardinal Stritch University and a bachelor’s degree in English from UW-Parkside.
Tabitha is from southeastern Wisconsin and works for Fastenal as Director of Compliance-Human Resources. Prior to this, she worked for an organization in the Chippewa Valley and a company on the East Coast focusing primarily in the areas of leadership, compensation management, organizational development, and talent management. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, reading, traveling, and walking.
Terrie Klug is a WSU alumni who graduated with a degree in Human Resources Management. She was active in the collegiate SHRM group and is currently a member of the local Sr. HR Network as well as the Winona area and National SHRMs. She is actively involved in the Winona Area Safety Council and has served on their Board of Directors and held the roles of President and Vice President in the past.
She held the role of HR Manager at her previous job at Boelter Industries for 13 years. Prior to that, she was employed as a Sr. Staffing Specialist for 7 years where she received a vast amount of experience in Human Resources from recruiting, hiring, training, workers compensation, and more. She was an instrumental part of the team in implementing and maintaining ISO 900 Certification. She is currently the Director of Human Resources at Behrens Mfg. in Winona, MN.
Tyler Kiel, SHRM-CP is the Director of Human Resources at The Watkins Company in Winona. He serves on the executive leadership team and has been with the organization since 2016. Prior to that, Tyler worked on the Diversity and Compliance and Payroll teams at Fastenal. Additionally, Tyler serves as the Certification Director for the Winona Area Society for Human Resources (SHRM) and is an active member of SHRM. He earned his SHRM-CP certification in 2020.
Tyler is a graduate of Winona State University where he earned a dual bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management and Business Administration. While in college, he was an active member of SHRM and the professional business fraternity Delta-Sigma-Pi.
In Tyler’s free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Elizabeth, and daughter, Elyse. Tyler is also a sports official, officiating volleyball at the Division I, II, and III level, as well as officiating high school basketball in the Southeast Minnesota area and women’s college basketball at the Division III level.