About Us
Our consultants play an essential role in the success of our firm. We have a dynamic team who value and share the firm's commitment to professional excellence, the highest ethical standards, diversity, collegiality and community service.
Expand HR Consulting comprises a diverse group of consultants with in-depth experience working successfully with organizations and individuals. Our clients view us as trusted advisers in addressing their human resource challenges.
Stacey Berk
Phone: 301.502.1191
E-Mail Stacey
Stacey is the Founder & Managing Consultant for Expand HR Consulting. She founded the firm in 2006 and serves as the lead project director on most engagements, including research and client facilitation. Her primary role is to grow the organization and ensure that each client’s needs are met.
Stacey has over 20 years of general human resource experience. She received her bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Public Affairs, with a major in human resources/conflict management and minor in general management and has her certification in Conflict Resolution and Mediation. Stacey holds her certification from Cornell University’s Leadership Program in Diversity and Inclusion for HR. Further, she is an expert with employee relations, executive coaching, and has a strong command of related federal and state employment laws. She is a member of SHRM, WorldAtWork, and ASAE. She is a former board member of JSSA and served on its Human Resources Committee. Stacey serves as part of various HR Roundtables with nonprofit HR professionals. She is regularly quoted in the media, most recently, Media Bistro, The Muse and several articles on SHRM.
She got her start in human resources as a generalist with Internet Interstate (now a Verio company, a global internet communications leader). From there, she joined Sodexo, a world leader in food and facilities management services, which has more than 110,000 employees. Stacey worked for Sodexo’s corporate headquarters in Gaithersburg, MD, where she was responsible for the oversight of corporate recruiting and human resources. As a generalist, Stacey was responsible for employee relations and recruitment, policies and compliance, coaching, performance management and diversity outreach.
In 2006, after two years of independent HR consulting for nonprofits, Stacey launched Expand HR Consulting. Stacey oversees the work of each outsourcing and project-based engagement. In addition to EHR’s outsourcing, Stacey leads the consulting team on various HR projects. This may include executive and specialty search, comprehensive compensation and benefits analysis and planning, custom research, performance management-based initiatives and employee engagement surveys.
She has led, overseen and managed DEIB initiatives and related trainings for numerous clients. EHR’s portfolio of work in this area includes custom surveys and related analysis, formal DEIB related policy reviews, recruitment outreach to minority communities, improving systemic HR approaches, annual custom DEIB training via our core library, affirmative action plans, workplace and sexual harassment investigations at the executive, management and staff levels.
One of Stacey’s area of focus is partnering closely with nonprofit Boards on matters of corporate governance and leadership initiatives. Most notably, a Board’s Compensation or Executive Committee to help independently manage CEO/Executive Director annual performance, plan and document executive compensation and benefits, Board surveys and DEI initiatives, and as needed, transition and executive search during leadership transitions.
Stacey acts as a volunteer for Dunks for Diabetes, part of the American Diabetes Association. Volunteer activities include sponsoring & fundraising, coordinating and running an annual tournament in support of the Potomac Dunks for Diabetes event. In her spare time, Stacey created Expand Home & Kitchen (www.expandkitchenandhome.com), a food and baking blog. She also helps in her community to support a local women’s shelter several times a year.
EHR’s practice focuses on nonprofits in various sectors, including community-based health, social welfare, and arts/cultural organizations, international NGOs, professional membership associations, higher education, government relations, and public policy. Nonprofit missions of our clients range from real estate and land use, transportation policy, and environmental sustainability to aging services, public/private partnerships, and community and public arts engagement. For-profit clients include professional services firms, consulting firms and entrepreneurial businesses in diverse industries including real estate, biotechnology, communications, government contracting and government relations.
Kert Quashie, JD
Kert serves as the senior affirmative action consultant to the firm.
Prior to becoming a consultant, Kert served in the capacity of affirmative action and supplier diversity subject matter expert for three Fortune 100 companies where he revamped their diversity programs and implemented company-wide strategies to ensure compliance with equal employment opportunity and affirmative action laws. He has successfully interfaced with federal agencies in numerous affirmative action and supplier diversity compliance evaluations.
Kert holds a juris doctor degree (highest honors) from Concord University School of Law, Los Angeles. Kert has worked with Expand HR Consulting since 2008.
Erica Thomas, SPHR
Erica is a senior generalist who works with clients in New York City and Washington, DC.
Erica has more than 15 years of human resources experience with expertise in aligning HR activities with strategic business goals. She has strong knowledge in recruitment, employee relations, compensation, benefits, international HR and training. She has provided human resources services to nonprofit, technology, airline and legal industries.
Erica earned a bachelor’s degree from Auburn University and is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR). She serves on the Associate Board of Gilda’s Club of New York City. Erica has worked for Expand HR Consulting since 2012. Erica is currently pursuing her certificate in Workplace Diversity, Equity and Inclusion from the University of South Florida Muma School of Business.
Erica Raphael
Phone: 301.257.8947
E-Mail Erica
Erica is a senior generalist who works with clients virtually and in the Washington, DC area.
Erica has more than 25 years of experience in human resources and nonprofit administrative operations. Before becoming a consultant, she worked for Iona Senior Services as Director of Administration, HR and Development for twenty years.
Erica is an outsourced HR Generalist for nonprofit, biotechnology and government contracting clients in Washington, DC. She has worked on numerous HR research, compliance, benefits and employee development projects for clients of varying size and complexity and has done work to support nonprofit boards of directors.
Erica has been a consultant with Expand HR Consulting since 2008. She completed the Social Entrepreneurship Program for Nonprofits training from Community Wealth Ventures Inc. Erica holds her bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and her master’s degree from the University of Chicago, both in cultural anthropology. Erica holds her certificate in Workplace Diversity, Equity and Inclusion from the University of South Florida Muma School of Business.
Raisa Razzaque
Raisa serves as a Human Resources Associate for the firm. She has collaborated with senior consultants on various human resources and research projects for clients. She has evaluated job applicants and provided candidate recommendations for recruitment searches, written job descriptions according to client requirements and standardized report and presentation formats for complex compensation projects. She has assisted with technology upgrades to meet the firm’s expanding business needs and assisted with marketing efforts via promotional product design.
Raisa has a bachelor of science from Cornell University in Information Science, Systems and Technology. She has been a consultant with the firm since 2011.
Danielle Gilbert
Danielle is a skilled Human Resources Consultant. She received her undergraduate degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in business administration and holds two master’s degrees in human resources management and in Public Administration from Strayer University. Danielle continues to pursue education, including two certifications from the Society of Human Resources Management including the SHRM Certified Professional designation and a certificate in workplace Diversity, Equity and Inclusion from the University of South Florida Muma School of Business.
Danielle works with EHR’s clients on generalist consultation, training initiatives and facilitation. Danielle has worked with EHR since January 2021. Danielle has experience with a large healthcare organization as a Director of Human Resources where she was responsible for all aspects of administration, employee engagement and development, employee relations, and training. Previously she worked for Lowe’s and Circuit City, respectively, as a Human Resources Manager. She has experience at many levels supporting exempt, nonexempt and hourly employees. Danielle is approachable, easy to work with, responsive and has a strong grasp of generalist human resources concepts. She is a strong facilitator and often serves as our lead trainer.
Danielle works with EHR’s clients on training initiatives and facilitation. She is a facilitator and leads the certification preparatory courses for the HR Certification Institute. Danielle has worked with EHR since January 2021.
Sharon Ossi
Sharon, a consultant with EHR, is a generalist who works with clients virtually and in the Washington, DC and Maryland area. She has been with EHR since July 2016. She has experience in executive and specialty search, HR compliance research, onboarding projects and professional development engagement. She has developed and managed internship programs and campus recruiting. She conducts research to support EHR’s compensation and benefits practices and human resources consulting projects. Sharon has assisted and helped manage complex discrimination and sexual harassment investigations and trainings.
Sharon holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a Master’s degree in Industrial Organizational Psychology from UMBC. Her Master’s Capstone project involved developing an internship program for one of EHR’s clients.
Amy Taylor
Amy is a Human Resources Consultant with EHR.
Amy is a graduate of University of Maryland, Baltimore County, with a master’s degree in Industrial-Organizational (I/O) Psychology, and a bachelor’s in Psychology. Amy holds her certificate in Workplace Diversity, Equity and Inclusion from the University of South Florida Muma School of Business. Amy has DEIB and outreach experience working for a non-profit organization that improves the daily life for adults with mental illnesses.
She assists EHR’s Senior HR Consultants with various projects and initiatives, conducting research and analysis. She also assists with general human resources administration to support recruitment and retention activities for clients. Amy has worked as an investigator and provided research support on several investigations varying in nature for EHR.
Joe Boone, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
Joe Boone is a human resources generalist with over 20 years of experience in recruiting, employee relations, performance management, compliance, compensation, and benefits. He prides himself on strong client service.
After a distinguished career as a Marine Corps officer, retiring at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, Joe began working in human resources. Joe was a human resources manager for two large companies in the automotive and manufacturing industries before transiting into human resources consulting. He as a consultant with EHR on recruiting and human resources projects.
Joe holds his bachelor's degree in human resources management from the University of Hawaii and his master's degree in business administration from Indiana Wesleyan University. He is a Certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). Joe is working towards a certificate in Workplace Diversity, Equity and Inclusion from the University of South Florida Muma School of Business.
Gwen Alessi
Gwen Alessi is a Human Resources Consultant with EHR. She assists clients with search and recruiting consulting projects.
She has 15 years of professional experience in human resources, finance and program administration. Specifically, she has 8 years of human resources experience in recruitment, compensation and benefits.
Gwen received her MBA from the University of Buffalo and her BA in math from SUNY College of Geneseo. She also enjoys volunteering and has been part of nonprofit organizations such as the local YMCA branch, Ronald McDonald House of WNY, and currently is a Board member of the Williamsville Education Foundation.
HR Internship Program
The firm offers an internship program for students to gain unique HR consulting experience. The Human Resources Intern will assist with recruiting, generalist project preparation, support, and research for senior consultants. The position is approximately 5-10 hours a week. Students are offered the chance to earn their certificate in DEIB (paid for by EHR) and participate in a networking skills seminar. Interns will work remotely in a virtual team. This position is best suited for a candidate looking to grow.