Employer Council

The Employer Council is a panel of HR professionals with a combined 50+ years of experience that advise BerniePortal on issues facing HR Parties of One. They contribute their knowledge and expertise to help us guide small to midsize employers to improve the roles of HR professionals nationwide.

Angela Gaddy

Angela Gaddy is currently living in California.  She is a seasoned professional with over 10 years of experience in the public sector as a dedicated social worker, where her passion for helping others truly shined. Transitioning into the private sector, she has spent more than 24 years honing her skills, and for the past 18+ years, she has been excelling in the dynamic field of Human Resources as an office manager at a small industrial mechanical insulation shop.

Balancing work and family life is her forte – besides managing a bustling office, she recently embarked on a new chapter of her life by getting married and expanding her family to include not just one furry friend but also five wonderful kids. When she’s not wearing her HR hat, you can find her whipping up delicious dishes in the kitchen or getting creative with succulents, nurturing both plants and people with equal care and attention.

Darron Acklin

Darron Acklin discovered his interest in working in the Human Resources profession during his tenure as a Workforce Development Specialist with the State of Missouri that introduced him to various HR professionals and roles that aligned with his background and work experiences. Darron has held Law Enforcement, Investigative, Recruiting, Talent Acquisition, and HR Generalist roles before bringing his experience to work as the first Director of Human Resources for Hoffman Supply Company, Inc. dba Johnstone Supply for the past five years. During his time at Hoffman Johnstone, he has increased employee headcount from 82 to 145 employees and emphasized compliance, professional development, and transparency for the organization. 

A Missouri native, he uses his bachelor’s in criminal justice from the Central Methodist University and his MBA from Northwest Missouri State University to help Hoffman Johnstone’s continued growth.  In his free time,  Darron enjoys spending time with his wife and sons, watching Kansas City Chiefs and Mizzou football, and working on home improvement projects.

Liz Russell

Liz Russell is an entrepreneur who discovered she had a passion and drive for HR.  Liz started MTSL group with her two business partners in 2011 and eventually took the role of HR Manager.  In addition to running her company, she is also the HR manager for the medical clinic group, Oregon Occupational medicine.  

She has a bachelor’s in psychology which she feels helps her understand her staff and how to help them. She also holds a master’s in business administration. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, kayaking, and rowing on the water and playing board games with her kids.

Jon Barrett

Jon Barrett is a Finance and HR professional with over a decade of executive leadership experience in a variety of industries. Awarded the “Rising Star CFO of the Year” award in 2019 by his local business journal, his diverse background in finance, operations, marketing, PR, and HR has helped him become an invaluable resource for small and medium-sized businesses that require multi-disciplined executives that can wear a variety of hats. Currently serving as the VP of Finance and Accounting for 8z Real Estate in Denver, CO, Jon has been instrumental in helping to modernize the company’s HR and payroll systems, helping them to exit their PEO, developing new benefits packages, and administering the company’s ESOP. 

Outside work, Jon enjoys spending time with his family and three dogs exploring the outdoors and doing work around his hobby farm where he has pigs, goats, and chickens.