Karina Mullen is a global People leader with more than 12 years of experience helping
high-growth organizations scale through thoughtful people strategy, operational excellence, and
leadership partnership. She has built and transformed People functions across technology,
hospitality, retail, manufacturing, and consumer brands, supporting organizations ranging from
startups to global teams experiencing rapid growth and organizational change across North
America, LATAM, India, the Philippines, and emerging global markets. Most notably, she helped
scale a SaaS organization from 100 to more than 1,500 employees in under three years during
a period of 600% ARR growth.
Known for balancing strategy with execution, Karina specializes in organizational design, talent
management programs, total rewards, employee experience, leadership development, and
scalable HR operations. She brings a practical, business-minded approach to HR, shaped early
in her career while earning her MBA and simultaneously applying those concepts in real time as
she evolved from an administrative HR role into a strategic business partner.
As the daughter of first-generation immigrant parents from the Dominican Republic, Karina
values resilience, adaptability, and meaningful connection in the workplace. Fluent in written and
conversational Spanish, she is passionate about building cultures where employees and leaders
feel supported, empowered, and aligned around shared business goals. As a single mother
living in a multigenerational household, she brings empathy, organization, and a grounded
leadership style to both her work and the teams she supports. She is especially energized by
helping companies navigate growth while creating people-first experiences that drive long-term
success.
Karina Mullen
HR Director
Professional Specialties
Areas of Expertise
- Global People Strategy & HR Leadership
- Organizational Design & Workforce Planning
- HR Business Partnering
- Performance Management & Talent Management
- Total Rewards & Compensation Strategy
- Leadership Development & Coaching
- Employee Experience & Engagement
- Change Management & HR Transformation
- M&A Integration & IPO Readiness
Technical Proficiencies
- HRIS
○ Workday
○ HiBob
○ BambooHR
○ UKG
○ ADP Workforce Now
○ Rippling
○ Paycor - ATS
○ Greenhouse
○ Lever - Performance & Engagement
○ CultureAmp
○ Lattice
○ 15Five
○ TinyPulse
○ Infeedo - Project Management & Collaboration
○ Jira & Confluence
○ Slack & Microsoft Teams
○ AI & Automation Tools (ChatGPT, Claude)
Certifications/Credentials
- MBA, Management
- Certificate in Human Resources Management
- Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications
- Professional in Human Resources (PHR) (In-Progress)
Professional Experience
Fractional People Leader | Deepwatch & Med Aesthetics
Jan 2026 – Present
- Provide executive-level HR leadership and strategic people guidance across technology
and healthcare/aesthetics organizations. - Lead organizational design, workforce planning, retention strategies, and leadership
development initiatives to support scalable growth. - Implement people operations frameworks, compliance programs, and HR systems to
improve efficiency and decision-making.
HRBP Director | Deepwatch
Sep 2025 – Jan 2026
- Served as strategic HR partner during a large-scale organizational restructuring and
reduction in force (RIF), supporting leaders through change management and workforce
stabilization. - Expanded HR operations and compliance infrastructure to support growth in India-based
teams. - Developed engagement and retention strategies using workforce analytics and flight-risk
data.
Regional Head of HR, Americas | BW Water
Jun 2025 – Sep 2025
- Partnered with executive leadership on workforce planning, organizational design, and
people strategy during a critical growth phase. - Led implementation of regional HRIS systems and benefits optimization initiatives.
- Directed recruiting strategy for sales and operations teams across the Americas region.
Director of People Operations & Business Partners | HighLevel
Jul 2022 – Mar 2025
- Helped scale the organization from 100 to more than 1,500 employees during a period of
600% ARR growth. - Built global HR infrastructure across the US, India, Philippines, Mexico, Canada, and
select APAC/EMEA markets. - Implemented performance management and leadership development programs that
increased promotions by 78% and reduced employee relations issues by 50%. - Led implementation of HRIS, ATS, LMS, and operational systems to improve scalability
and reporting capabilities.
Senior Human Resources Business Partner | GoodTime.io
Jul 2021 – Jul 2022
- Supported rapid company growth by partnering closely with senior leadership on
performance management and employee engagement initiatives. - Launched total rewards and performance programs that improved productivity and
organizational alignment. - Developed DEI initiatives and HR analytics dashboards that improved hiring outcomes
and operational efficiency.
Manager, HR Business Partners | TurnKey Vacation Rentals / Vacasa
Jan 2019 – Jul 2021
- Led HR strategy during rapid multi-state expansion and post-acquisition integration
efforts. - Designed leadership development, succession planning, and employee engagement
programs to strengthen organizational culture. - Managed talent acquisition strategy and reduced time-to-fill by 45%.
HR Business Partner | The Estée Lauder Companies
Oct 2014 – Nov 2018
- Supported a workforce of more than 2,000 employees across North America and
LATAM. - Led employee engagement, leadership development, talent management, and
organizational change initiatives. - Partnered with leaders on total rewards, recruitment strategy, and workforce planning.
HR Manager | Peace Love World
Dec 2013 – Oct 2014
- Managed HR operations across corporate, retail, manufacturing, and warehouse teams.
- Supported organizational design, onboarding, employee relations, payroll, and
compliance functions.
HR Manager & HR Coordinator | 50 Eggs Hospitality Group
Oct 2011 – Dec 2013
- Built foundational HR processes and helped transform the HR function from
administrative support into a strategic business partner model. - Managed employee relations, benefits, onboarding, recruiting, payroll, and HR systems
across multiple restaurant locations. - Supported company growth from approximately 100 to 500 employees.
Education & Credentials
- SHRM SCP Society for Human Resource Management 2024
- Prosci Change Management Certification Prosci 2022
- Human Resources Certificate Program University of Washington 2027
- Bachelor of Science – Biological Sciences University of California, Irvine 1990
Personal Interests
Outside of work, Karina enjoys spending time with her son, exploring new restaurants and travel
experiences, and staying closely connected to her Dominican culture and family traditions.
Living in a multigenerational household has strengthened her appreciation for empathy,
adaptability, and community, which naturally shape the way she leads and supports others
professionally.