Strategic People & Culture Leader

Michael G.
Kennedy Jr.

I build the people operating systems that executives rely on and employees actually trust. Two decades of leading organizations of up to 5,300+ personnel across three continents taught me how.

Michael Kennedy in Navy dress whites, representing 20 years of military leadership
Michael Kennedy, People Architect and executive leader
From leading 5,300 personnel People & Culture executive
"I find the frictions in an organization's people operating systems and install the fix. Managers adopt it, the system runs leaner, and teams move faster."
0
Years Leading People Ops
0
Workforce Across 3 Sites
0
Personnel, Largest Program

Not another HR generalist.
A builder who operates.

I build the systems, leadership pipelines, and employee experiences that accelerate talent velocity. Not policy decks that collect dust.

01

Strategic Business Partnering

People strategy is business strategy. I move HR from cost center to strategic driver by delivering quantifiable business impact, not just eNPS scores without a plan behind them.

02

Next-Gen People Operations

AI-driven workforce planning should streamline people operations, not complicate them. That's how I deploy it: freeing the team to focus on high-impact, human-centered work. Certified in AI in HR. Not experimenting, executing.

03

Organizational Design & Scaling

From the ground up is where I work best. Building People & Culture infrastructure at scale, moving seamlessly from tactical execution to visionary planning, and doing both without dropping a beat.

04

Leadership Coaching & Development

I don't just design leadership programs. I coach leaders through them. 1,000+ personnel developed across five sites, using behavioral analysis (DISC, Four Lenses) and resilience-based frameworks (RBLP) to build self-awareness, decision quality, and the kind of adaptability that scales through rapid change. Backed by ICP-LEA and RBLP-T certifications and 20 years of application.

Background
20+ Years, US Navy People Operations
Certifications
RBLP-T · AI in HR · ICP-LEA · Advanced Leadership Coach
Leadership Under Pressure
NCAA D1 Football Official
Consultancy
Founder, 3C's Leadership Solutions

Diagnose. Design.
Operationalize.

Every engagement follows the same discipline. Listen first, build with the people who have to live with the system, then install it so it runs without me.

1
Diagnose
Days 1 - 30

Stakeholder listening tour across every level. Map the friction points. Pull HRIS, eNPS, attrition, and exit data to separate assumptions from facts. Fix 1-2 visible pain points to build trust before proposing structural changes.

2
Design
Days 30 - 60

Co-design operating systems with the people who have to live with them. Equip managers with coaching tools and decision frameworks. Install transparent governance, calibration processes, and escalation pathways.

3
Operationalize
Days 60 - 90

Launch with clear success metrics and baseline-to-target dashboards. Build feedback loops so the system self-corrects. Train internal teams to own and iterate. Deliver business-impact reporting in language the CFO trusts.

Framework Document
The complete First 90 Days methodology with detailed action items for each phase.
Download PDF ↓
Michael Kennedy officiating a UFL professional football game

Split-second decisions.
Tens of thousands of witnesses.
Multiple 4K television cameras.

Zero margin for error.

As an NCAA Division I and UFL football official, I make critical calls under extreme pressure. As Director of Training for SEFOA, I develop the next generation of high school officials. The composure, judgment, teamwork, and accountability I bring to the field is exactly what I bring to your leadership table.

NCAA Division I UFL Professional SEFOA Director of Training
Community & Civic Leadership

The operating principles behind every system I build.

These principles were forged in the most demanding people-leadership environment on the planet and pressure-tested in the most diverse organization in the world. They translate because they're universal.

Attract
Employer brand & pipeline
Onboard
First 90 days that stick
Develop
Coaching & capability at every level
Retain
Retention engineering
Transition
Offboard with dignity
The employee experience, engineered end to end
I

Empathy at Scale

Leading thousands of people through high-stakes, high-ambiguity environments taught me how to truly understand what drives people, and how to care for them deeply while holding them to elite standards. That duality is rare in corporate HR.

II

Systematic Problem Solving

Large-scale, distributed operations demand foolproof systems under pressure. I bring that same diligence to employee lifecycle management, talent acquisition, and performance development. Every process documented, measured, and repeatable.

III

Decisive Action in Ambiguity

Complex, rapidly shifting organizational challenges don't slow me down. They're where I do my best work. The calm in chaos. When there's no playbook, I build one. And I build it fast enough to matter.

IV

The "Culture Add" Philosophy

I don't just fit into your existing culture. I elevate it. A non-traditional background at the executive table means fresh pattern recognition, different questions, and a DEI strategy that's woven into how the business actually operates, not bolted on as an afterthought.

V

Coach Who Builds Other Coaches

Certified leadership coach with 100+ individual and team engagements. I coach executives through high-stakes transitions and build internal coaching capability so the organization doesn't depend on me. From behavioral analysis to structured developmental assignments, I meet other leaders where they are and help move them where the business needs them.

Impact in
seven months.

Whether standing up a People & Culture function from scratch or walking into an established one and making it run better. These results came from a $20B enterprise in seven months.

12%
Reduction in New-Hire Attrition (First 90 Days)
Applied retention engineering to the onboarding and early employee experience at enterprise scale, directly impacting the window where most organizations lose their investment in new talent.
Net New
People Experience Function, Built or Rebuilt
Whether inheriting a fragmented function or building from scratch, I find the friction, install the fix, and leave behind systems that run without me. At a $20B firm: enterprise listening, employee relations governance, talent calibrations, and journey mapping, all operational in under seven months.
1,600+
Employees Impacted
Drove cross-functional alignment between executive vision and frontline reality across a geographically distributed workforce, establishing consistent accountability and experience standards at every level.

What changes when a People Architect arrives.

Before: Day 0
After: Month 12
Before
After
What People Say
"If you're looking for a way to level up your culture and invest in your people, I can't recommend Michael enough."
Vice President, 95+ Property Multinational Hospitality Enterprise
"Michael quickly figured out the right balance of letting me work things out myself and directing me when I was stuck. I am better prepared for the next level of responsibility and authority as a senior Naval officer because of him."
Senior Military Officer, Coaching Client
"What sets Mike apart is his dedication to continuous improvement. He actively seeks feedback and applies it constructively, demonstrating a growth mindset that undoubtedly contributes to his high success in both his professional career and officiating. Mike's strong communication skills foster positive interactions with coaches, players, and fellow officials, enhancing the overall game environment."
National Championship Referee & Former Crew Chief
"Michael challenged us to rethink how we approached people experience across the organization. He earned trust quickly at the executive level, brought clarity to decisions that had been stalling, and modernized systems that hadn't been touched in years. In a short window, the employee lifecycle looked and operated differently."
Managing Director, $20B Enterprise
"Michael Kennedy is a cool dad, I guess. He's all right." 😉
One of Michael's sons
"Michael Kennedy is a tremendous motivational speaker and did a phenomenal job of sharing personal experiences that he did not let define him, sharing how he turned the next opportunities into triumphs."
Commissioner, HS Football Officials Association
"If you're looking for a way to level up your culture and invest in your people, I can't recommend Michael enough."
Vice President, 95+ Property Multinational Hospitality Enterprise
"Michael quickly figured out the right balance of letting me work things out myself and directing me when I was stuck. I am better prepared for the next level of responsibility and authority as a senior Naval officer because of him."
Senior Military Officer, Coaching Client
"What sets Mike apart is his dedication to continuous improvement. He actively seeks feedback and applies it constructively, demonstrating a growth mindset that will undoubtedly contribute to his advancement in officiating. Mike's strong communication skills foster positive interactions with coaches, players, and fellow officials, enhancing the overall game environment."
National Championship Referee & Former Crew Chief
"Michael challenged us to rethink how we approached people experience across the organization. He earned trust quickly at the executive level, brought clarity to decisions that had been stalling, and modernized systems that hadn't been touched in years. In a short window, the employee lifecycle looked and operated differently."
Managing Director, $20B Enterprise
"Michael Kennedy is a cool dad, I guess. He's all right." 😉
One of Michael's sons
"Michael Kennedy is a tremendous motivational speaker and did a phenomenal job of sharing personal experiences that he did not let define him, sharing how he turned the next opportunities into triumphs."
Commissioner, HS Football Officials Association

I believe real organizational growth comes from people who think differently, not just people who fit in. My work is about embedding resilience into the DNA of an organization. Building leaders and teams that are agile, forward-thinking, and ready for whatever comes next.

What I build toward

Let's build something
extraordinary.

Selectively evaluating People & Culture executive engagements where I can build something lasting. If your organization is ready to invest in its people infrastructure, not just hire another HR leader, Let's Talk.

People & Culture · People Experience · Organizational Development · Enterprise People Strategy
Particularly effective in distributed, multi-site organizations · 1,000 - 10,000 employees