Summary
Work History
Education
Skills
Professional Leadership Approach
Timeline
Generic

Xavion Lay

Memphis

Summary

Mission-driven Chief People Officer (CPO) with 25 years of progressive human resources leadership experience across nonprofit-aligned, community-based, and highly regulated multi-site organizations. Proven expertise in people strategy, organizational development, employee experience, talent management, workforce planning, compliance, payroll, benefits, HRIS, and culture transformation. Demonstrated ability to partner with CEOs, executive leadership teams, and boards to align People & Culture strategy with organizational mission, strategic plans, operational effectiveness, and community impact. Recognized for building inclusive, high-performance cultures that improve employee engagement, retention, safety, leadership readiness, and organizational health.

Work History

Chief Human Resources Officer

Multi-State Regulated Organization
  • Served as Chief People Officer–equivalent, leading enterprise-wide People & Culture strategy aligned with organizational mission, strategic plan, and operational goals.
  • Reported directly to the President & CEO and partnered with executive leadership and board stakeholders on people strategy, organizational effectiveness, and workforce readiness.
  • Led all HR functions including talent acquisition, onboarding, training and development, performance management, leadership development, succession planning, employee engagement, and retention.
  • Oversaw payroll operations, compensation programs, benefits administration, HRIS platforms, and workforce analytics to ensure accuracy, compliance, competitiveness, and fiscal responsibility.
  • Ensured compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws, internal policies, and regulatory requirements across multiple states and business units.
  • Led employee relations, investigations, corrective actions, and conflict resolution ensuring fair, consistent, and transparent practices.
  • Partnered with legal counsel, risk management, and safety leaders to promote a safe, compliant workplace and support workforce readiness initiatives.
  • Designed and implemented leadership pathways, coaching programs, and succession plans to strengthen organizational capacity and leadership continuity.
  • Championed a people-centered culture grounded in collaboration, accountability, respect, diversity, equity, and inclusion.
  • Implemented workforce analytics, KPI dashboards, and HR reporting to inform executive decision-making and drive continuous improvement.
  • Executive Leadership Team | Chief People Officer Scope

Vice President of Human Resources

Thompson Hospitality
  • Provided senior HR leadership supporting large-scale, community-facing operations with a strong focus on employee experience, service excellence, and mission alignment.
  • Led talent acquisition, workforce development, onboarding, and retention strategies in competitive labor markets.
  • Developed and executed leadership development programs, succession planning, and performance management systems.
  • Oversaw employee relations, engagement initiatives, investigations, and compliance activities.
  • Partnered with business unit leaders to align people priorities with operational success and organizational objectives.
  • Strengthened HR policies, procedures, and systems to improve consistency, compliance, and organizational effectiveness across locations.
  • Multi-Site Operations

Area Director of Human Resources

Tyson Foods
  • Led HR operations across multiple operational sites in a highly regulated, safety-critical environment.
  • Supported workforce planning, talent development, training compliance, and employee relations for frontline and leadership teams.
  • Partnered with operations leaders to improve employee engagement, retention, safety outcomes, and workforce effectiveness.
  • Ensured compliance with employment laws, labor standards, safety regulations, and corporate policies across facilities.
  • Manufacturing & Operations

Education

Master of Human Resources Management -

University of Arizona Global Campus

Bachelor of Arts - Psychology

University of Arizona Global Campus

Skills

  • Chief People Officer (CPO) Leadership
  • People & Culture Strategy
  • Human Resources Leadership
  • Organizational Development
  • Employee Experience
  • Employee Engagement
  • Talent Management
  • Talent Acquisition
  • Retention Strategy
  • Workforce Planning
  • Succession Planning
  • Leadership Development
  • Performance Management
  • Compensation Strategy
  • Benefits Administration
  • Payroll Operations
  • HRIS & Workforce Analytics
  • Compliance Management
  • Employment Law
  • Risk Management
  • Safety & Workforce Readiness
  • Employee Relations
  • Investigations & Corrective Action
  • Labor & Employee Relations
  • Change Management
  • Organizational Design
  • Strategic Planning
  • Multi-Site & Multi-State Operations
  • Community Partnerships
  • Mission-Driven Leadership

Professional Leadership Approach

  • People-first, mission-aligned leadership style grounded in trust, transparency, and accountability.
  • Collaborative executive partner focused on aligning people strategy with organizational impact and community outcomes.
  • Data-informed decision-maker who leverages workforce analytics to drive engagement, retention, and performance.
  • Advocate for employee well-being, recognition, leadership growth, and inclusive workplace cultures.

Timeline

Chief Human Resources Officer

Multi-State Regulated Organization

Vice President of Human Resources

Thompson Hospitality

Area Director of Human Resources

Tyson Foods

Master of Human Resources Management -

University of Arizona Global Campus

Bachelor of Arts - Psychology

University of Arizona Global Campus
Xavion Lay