The people side of the deal, from day one.
We give private equity firms and their portfolio companies a fractional or interim chief people officer for the months when the people decisions get made: carve-outs, transitions and changes of control.
Track record
Where we have done this
Large-company HR first, then the growth-stage run, then carve-outs stood up from nothing.
- 1997–1999Abbott LaboratoriesHR Manager
- 1999–2006AramarkSenior HR Director
- 2006–2009Reader's DigestVice President, HR, Books Are Fun
- 2009–2012MeritasGlobal Vice President, HR
- 2012–2013The Pampered ChefVice President, HR
- 2013–2015Martin-BrowerVice President, HR, North America
- 2016–2019Home ChefVice President, People
- 2019–2021Farmer's FridgeChief People Officer
- 2021–2022HomethriveVice President, HR
- 2022–2023KalderosChief People Officer
- 2023–nowHR CatalystFounder and Chief People Officer
The two halves matter together. Large-company HR taught us what a diligence team looks for. Growth-stage roles taught us to deliver it with a small team in months while the business keeps moving.
Lisa has built the people function at Meritas, Home Chef and Kalderos, and in several carve-outs, so each company had its policies, pay structure, HR systems and recruiting in place from day one. The full record, on About.
Engagements
Three ways to work with us
Each one has a shape, a duration and deliverables.
Interim: on the leadership team full time for a defined period.Fractional: two to three days a week, with no fixed end date.
Day-one readiness, the transition services period and the people decisions that come with a change of control.
A standing line to a CHRO for a CEO, a sponsor or an operating partner who wants a second opinion on a people decision.Or an experienced practitioner to step in on an urgent need or a defined project.
Client results
What clients say
Three engagements, in the words of the CEO or CFO who hired us.
Lithium film developer, 2025. Built the people function.
Her ability to build and scale all facets of HR from the ground up was critical to getting us executing effectively from Day One.
Jim C.Chief Executive OfficerAugust 2025
Kalderos, 2022. First chief people officer.
Lisa has an unmatched background and reputation for building and scaling high-performing teams.
Brent DoverChief Executive Officer, KalderosOctober 2022
Fluence Automation. Interim HR leadership through the sale.
Thanks to her efforts, our leadership team did not have to worry about HR operations during the sale.
Craig LevyChief Financial Officer, Fluence AutomationSeptember 2026
Both sides of the table
We have hired fractional leaders too
Before founding HR Catalyst, Lisa hired fractional leaders as a full-time chief people officer. We know what a sponsor checks for in the first meeting, and what a management team needs to see before it hands a fractional executive the hard conversations. Lisa leads every engagement herself, from the first call to the handover.
Lisa Bomrad
Founder and Chief People Officer, SPHR
“I've experienced fractional leadership from both perspectives, as the hiring manager and as the fractional leader.”
Lisa Bomrad in WorldatWork's Workspan Daily, June 2024.
Next step
Twenty minutes is enough to know
A first call covers the situation, the timeline and whether we are the right fit for it. If we are not, we will say so and, where we can, name who is.
Or write to lisa@hrcatalyst.pro