“Entrepreneurs have a great ability to create change, be flexible, build companies and cultivate the kind of work environment in which they want to work.” - Tory Burch
Our Mission and Values
Our Values: At Strategic HR Advisory, how we work matters as much as the results we deliver. Our values guide our decisions, shape our client partnerships, and define the standard of service we provide.
Solution-Driven: We are strategic in our approach and deliver practical, compliant, forward-thinking solutions. Our clients rely on us to bring clarity and sound judgment to complex or sensitive HR matters.
Responsible: We take responsibility for our work, communicate openly, and follow through on our commitments. Our clients experience reliability, professionalism, and thoughtful guidance.
Community Impact: We strengthen the organizations and people in the communities we serve by building better workplaces and giving back beyond our work. We believe strong workplaces build strong communities — and we demonstrate our commitment through giving, volunteerism, and responsible business practices.
The Strategic HR Experience
Personalized Approach – Every client has different needs and your business goals are a priority for us. You don’t have to tell us about your business and your employees every time you call. We see you and we’ve got you.
Executive Level Expertise – You will have access to a certified HR expert with 20 years of HR experience in California as well as VP level experience. We have created HR departments and worked as an HR Dept of One. We provide both strategic and tactical guidance.
White Glove Service – As a small business, we go above and beyond for our clients – service means everything to us. We respond to our clients using their preferred method of communication (phone, email, text, video) within 24 hours during our regular business hours.
Our Team
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![Shawn Jough]()
Shawn Jough, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
CEO and Principal Consultant
Shawn Jough, the Founder and Principal Consultant, has 20 years of experience in human resources and is SPHR and SHRM-SCP certified. Shawn has a B.A. in International Business from San Diego State University (Go Aztecs!) and a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership. Prior to forming Strategic HR Advisory, Shawn served as the Vice President of Human Resources for 10 years for a hospitality management company with over 600 employees.
Shawn is a San Diego native and spends her free time enjoying the outdoors, latte in hand, with her husband and two boys. Her favorite quote is “Let it go, let it go” from Frozen.
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![Shelley Reed, PHR, SHRM-CP]()
Shelley Reed, PHR, SHRM-CP
Sr. HR Consultant
Shelley has more than 25 years of experience in HR is PHR and SHRM-CP certified. She has a BA in Business/Human Resources from California State University Fullerton and holds a Certificate in Human Resources from University California Irvine. Shelley is certified in the DISC and Predictive Index (PI) assessment tools and is certified facilitator for Development Dimensions International (DDI).
Shelley is passionate about giving back to the community. She serves on the Board of We Care in Los Alamito, the Advisory Board for the Academy of Global Logistics at Cabrillo High School and is a member of the Assistance League of Long Beach.
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Amarilis Rivera, SHRM-CP
HR Consultant
Amarilis holds a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Puerto Rico and an M.S. in Organizational Industrial Psychology from Carlos Albizu University. She is a bilingual Spanish and has extensive experience in HR leadership, leave-of-absence administration, process optimization, and strategic HR solutions.
Ama is from San Juan Puerto Rico, and has been in California for 11 years. She is a boy mom and loves to stay active. Ama loves reading and her favorite authors are Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Mario Benedetti, Edgard Allan Poe and Pablo Neruda. She also enjoys cooking new recipes while watching 90's sitcoms or shows.
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Kennedy Peppers
HR & Talent Acquisition Coordinator
Kennedy has a degree in Business Management with an emphasis in Human Resources from San Diego State University. She is our recruitment guru! She enjoys meeting new people and connecting our clients with great talent.
Kennedy also created a non-profit organization in honor of her late grandmother which donates gifts to families in need during different holiday seasons. In her free time, she also enjoys painting, watching movies, and spending time by the ocean.
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![Zoomer - Goldendoodle]()
Zoomer Zoomie Zoomster
Mischief Maker
Zoomer is currently working on basic puppy training including greeting friends appropriately and dropping stolen socks. He often chimes in and contributes his opinions on Zoom calls (when he is not napping). His most important job is to bring smiles and laughter to the office. He is a constant reminder that we need balance in our lives.
He loves long walks to the park, meeting new people, eating bugs, and destroying potted plants.
