Overview
Vanessa Ethier leads our HR Consulting and Outsourcing national practice at CLA. She is a dynamic senior leader with over 20 years of experience in Human Resources and Accounting. As a former global HR and talent leader at Amazon, Vanessa leverages technology and people analytics to build and scale HR teams and operations, align global people strategy with business goals, and craft high-impact scalable employee initiatives that translate vision into results.
Vanessa is recognized as a thought leader and trusted advisor with an exceptional ability to coach senior executives on complex people and organizational challenges. Through her leadership, she delivers a high level of employee engagement by fostering a culture of innovation, learning, diversity, inclusion, and shared commitment to success.
Vanessa’s unique blend of Human Resources and Accounting expertise offers clients a multifaceted perspective that bridges critical aspects of people, culture, and business. Her ability to navigate complex financial data while deeply understanding the people and cultural elements of an organization enables her to craft solutions for her clients that are not only operationally sound but financially practical. This holistic approach not only strengthens employee engagement and retention, but also contributes to the overall financial health of the organization, making Vanessa a strategic asset for clients seeking to optimize their human capital and financial sustainability.
Technical experience
- Global HR strategy
- Start-ups, turnarounds, reorganizations, mergers, and acquisitions
- Succession planning and organizational design
- Talent acquisition strategy and executive recruiting
- Talent management & leadership development
- HR technology and people analytics
- HR operations and employee relations
- Executive coaching
Education
- Bachelor of Science in Accounting | University of Pittsburgh
- Master of Science in Innovation, Creativity and Leadership | City, University London CASS Business School
- Certified Public Accountant (CPA) | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania – License #CA050936
- Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Master Certified Practioner
- Situational Leadership (SLII) Certified Trainer | The Blanchard Companies