Suzanne Kirk is President & Executive HR Consultant with Employee Development Strategies, Inc., a human resources and organizational development consulting firm established in 2011.
Suzanne works with clients to ensure their HR practices embody their organizational culture, vision and business objectives by aligning performance management processes with business strategies. From employee handbooks, job descriptions, performance evaluations and coaching processes to employee orientation programs, custom training, and employee relations, Suzanne helps clients focus on the people side of business. In addition to implementing HR foundation components, Suzanne is a dynamic facilitator of board retreats, strategic planning sessions and custom learning programs for all audiences.
Suzanne attended Georgia State University and holds Bachelor’s of Business Administration and a Master’s degree in HR Management & Development. She is SPHR and SHRM-SCP Certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources and is a certified administrator of the Myers Briggs Type Indicator, the Leadership Versatility Index and the CPI260 managerial assessment. Suzanne was a featured speaker at the 2016 national SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) conference in Washington, DC, which hosted over 15,000 attendees from over 90 countries. Kirk’s topic was “Building Blocks to Effective Performance Management,” which focused on the importance of making the connection between an organization’s strategic plan and every employee’s contribution to meeting business objectives through their skills, competencies and behaviors. Suzanne has served as the program facilitator for the Leadership Southeast Georgia program since 2013, where she incorporates professional development into the curriculum and facilitates learning in the regional leadership program.
As Director of HR Services at a level-one trauma center teaching hospital, Suzanne led the Organizational Development, HR Business Consultant and Recruiting teams with a customer-centric approach to healthcare HR. As Associate Director of Global Learning and Development for a Boston-based marketing and technology professional services firm, Suzanne was responsible for the learning and development strategies for a global workforce of over 1200 employees. She drove the implementation of an organizationwide competency model and redesigned the performance management process in support of the initiative. Earlier in her career, Suzanne was an internal performance improvement consultant in the utility business during the deregulation of Georgia’s natural gas industry.
Outside her HR consulting practice, Suzanne is:
• Past President of the Board, Susan G. Komen of Coastal Georgia
• Past-President, Metropolitan Savannah Rotary Club
• Past Secretary of parish council and past president of women’s council
at Blessed Sacrament Church
• Parent Council Member, Savannah Arts Academy
Originally from Toronto, Canada, Suzanne has lived in Savannah, Georgia, where her and her husband (attorney Adam Kirk) enjoy raising their three children.