Neeyada knew she wanted to have a career in Human Resources since she was in high school. She achieved a Master’s degree in HR Organization and Development and has additional background in HR Training. As she moved into different roles like Recruiter, HR Generalist, and HR Manager, she enjoyed the breadth of new knowledge she learned and how that allowed her to grow as a person.
In her upbringing, Neeyada didn’t have the opportunity to live in a family home. Therefore, one of Neeyada’s goals was to become a homeowner. Neeyada is passionate about coaching individuals to succeed in the workplace, because this career success equates to being able to meet basic needs for thriving families and communities.
Helping Others Use Their Voice
Throughout Neeyada’s various positions, it became a pattern that she became the HR representative to help other employees get comfortable during their professional onboarding. She helped people who felt bad asking basic questions about their job feel comfortable speaking up for themselves.
Neeyada realized she was passionate about helping staff navigate their careers, becoming a voice for staff, and building her team’s learning capacity.
When asked what kind of leader she is, Neeyada comments that she always wants to help people towards the next step in their career, whatever that may be. She enjoys supporting her team at Guild and helping them grow. “I strive to be a leader that helps people grow outside of their comfort zones,” says Neeyada.
Neeyada also keeps the bigger picture in mind and leads towards her vision of a supportive workplace. She values empowering staff and is always looking for ways to encourage new ideas and initiatives.
Assembling a New Team
In 2019, Neeyada came to Guild as the Director of HR. In this role, she had the opportunity to build her own team.
“I experience joy when I see the growth of the HR team,” says Neeyada. She’s proud of the HR team for rising to challenges, collaborating, and becoming a cohesive team.
Looking Forward
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the HR team has made it a priority to support staff during this difficult time. They’ve also worked hard to move procedures and processes to digital platforms.
COVID has encouraged the HR team to become more organized, efficient, and to find new ways to collaborate. Ultimately, it had helped them find creative ways to support each other and Guild’s programs.
Neeyada values creating an environment where staff are encouraged to learn and try new things. In the future, she wants to find creative ways to engage Guild staff in training and further learning opportunities.
In her free time, Neeyada enjoys gardening and volunteering for organizations that empower women in entrepreneurship as well as uplifting the local Southeast Asian community.