Board of Directors

JC CARRION
President

  • JC Carrion has over 25 years of experience in the recruitment industry and has partnered with leading organizations across a wide range of industries, including life sciences, financial technology, consumer goods, and autonomous driving. In 2021  he founded myTOD LLC.   myTOD is fulfilling a commitment made 33 years ago after his first experience with a recruiting agency where he struggled to get traditional recruiters to see his true talent. He felt the frustration of being placed in unsuitable roles and swore the same experience wouldn’t happen to others.

    The model at myTOD is built on values that come straight from the heart, forged through real-life experiences, and fueled by a passion for disrupting the world of talent acquisition. It is also built on the promise to pay back for the mentorship and support he received throughout his career as a young professional. myTOD is committed to nurturing the talent of 1,000 disadvantaged teenagers by 2025, offering support in: Skills assessments, education, training, and mentorship.

    JC graduated from the University of California, Irvine, receiving a Bachelor's Degree in Biological Sciences.

KRYSTA VILLAGRAN
President-Elect & Membership Co-Chair

  • Krysta Villagran is a forward-thinking Human Resources executive with a proven track record of driving organizational success through strategic people leadership. As Head of Human Resources at Financial Partners Credit Union, she leads with a business-first mindset, aligning talent strategies with enterprise goals to accelerate performance, culture, and growth.

     

    With over a decade of HR leadership in the financial services sector, Krysta has overseen enterprise-wide functions including Talent Acquisition, Talent Development, Total Rewards, and HR Operations. Her ability to translate business objectives into actionable HR strategies has made her a trusted advisor to executive teams and a catalyst for transformation.

     

    Krysta began her career in a high-impact management development program, where she gained deep insight into financial services and operational excellence. She quickly advanced into HR, where she led early-career and executive talent initiatives, including leadership rotation programs designed to build future-ready leaders.

     

    A passionate advocate for the HR profession, Krysta has served as Co-Chair of the Rising Star Program on the NHRA OC Board of Directors for the past four years, following her own participation in the program in 2020. Her commitment to mentoring and developing emerging HR talent reflects her belief in the power of people to drive business success.

    Krysta holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communication and Journalism and is widely recognized for her ability to build trust, influence at the highest levels, and deliver results through people.

MONICA PLEASANT
Past-President

  • Monica is the past NHRA President for the Orange County affiliate and is an active member in the business community.  Monica Pleasant has served in various leadership roles on the Board of Directors of NHRA Orange County since 2015. She was also recognized as a NHRA Rising Star Academy honoree in 2015 and paid it forward by co-chairing the program over the past few years.

    Monica has over 20 years of experience in Human Resources and working in a variety of industries. She is the Director of Human Resources at Medtronic where she oversees the execution of the global talent strategy for one of the many business units. She is passionate about developing talent to reach their full potential and partnering with leaders to successfully achieve business goals.

    She enjoys leading continuous improvement initiatives that remove obstacles, increase quality, enhance the employee experience, and add value to the company.

    Monica earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Human Resources from Loyola Marymount University. She obtained a certification in Human Resources Management from Loyola Marymount University. In addition, she earned a Green Belt certification and is known for her continuous improvement perspective. 

SYDNEY ROSS
Membership Co-Chair

  • Sydney Ross is a Vice President, Employee Benefits with Burnham Benefits, a full-service employee benefits consulting firm. Sydney is responsible for overall leadership, growth, and strategic planning on all her client accounts. She fosters authentic relationships with her clients and views the bond as a true partnership, working closely to develop their health and welfare strategy. She has also served the HR Community through her previous role as the Programs Chair for the PIHRA South Orange County chapter.

    Sydney began her career with Burnham Benefits in 2013, where she is considered a leader for her clients by delivering health care solutions that increase employee education, engagement, and retention. She is a known advocate for her clients, by managing their health and welfare spend to ensure efficient and effective use.

    Sydney prides herself on her relationships - cultivating an environment where her team, partners, and clients can thrive, operate at an optimal level, and maintain a high-quality benefits portfolio. She is devoted to serving the Human Resources and Business Community by creating deeper connections and a sense of community while increasing professional development for all NHRA members.

    Sydney was a Division 1 athlete at the University of California, Irvine where she earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology. She currently resides in Dana Point, with her husband Matthew and their Labradoodle, Leo. Sydney enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, spending time outdoors, and anything ocean-related.

AARON ROAF
Programs Co-Chair

EMILY ANDREWS
Programs Co-Chair

  • Emily Andrews is a highly experienced professional with over 12 years of sales expertise in various roles. She currently works at Paycor, a leading HCM technology platform that empowers leaders to build winning teams by connecting them with people, data, and expertise.

    At Paycor, Emily supports enterprise clients, providing them with powerful HCM technology to streamline operations, increase automation, and achieve a strong ROI. She is a strong advocate for her clients, adept at negotiating contract terms, developing customized solutions, and co-authoring strategies. Emily is deeply passionate about helping clients empower their people and connecting individuals, taking great pride in her ability to connect with clients and prospective clients.

    Beyond her professional life, she loves power walking with her dog Sloan,  exploring new culinary experiences by trying new restaurants, and traveling. Emily is also passionate about charity and supports multiple causes.

     As NHRA Programs Co-Chair she is passionate about providing thought leadership to impact our local HR Community and drive personal & professional growth.

HEATHER BISCHOFF
2026 HR Executives of the Year Co-Chair

  • Heather Bischoff, Fractional CHRO at Upskill Consulting LLC has been an active member of NHRA-OC for 3 years, contributing her expertise and enthusiasm to the organization. Most recently, she serves as co-chair with the HR Executive Hackathon event and previously served on multiple committees for the 2024 Executives of the Year Gala. Additionally, Heather is dedicated to giving back, mentoring a protégé in the Mentor Program.

    Heather's career began in case management, where she discovered her passion for guiding people to achieve their goals. This passion naturally led her to her first position in human resources in 2013, where she quickly rose to a leadership role with direct reports throughout the U.S.

    Throughout her career journey, Heather has worked with nonprofit organizations, corporate entities, and private sector employers in the service industries. Her extensive experience includes serving as a solo practitioner and leading large HR teams. Heather finds the most fulfillment in teaching middle management how to utilize their skills to become exceptional leaders, ultimately driving positive outcomes for companies. She has founded several of her own businesses and is deeply passionate about empowering organizations and nurturing talent.

    In addition to her professional accomplishments, Heather has served on boards for both senior care and youth programs. In 2016, she was invited to speak at TEDx Normal in Normal, IL, where she delivered a compelling presentation titled “How Asking the Right Question Can Change Your Life.”

    Heather exemplifies leadership, dedication, and a commitment to empowering others, making her an invaluable asset to Upskill Consulting LLC and the broader professional community.

TORRIE PLATA
2026 HR Executives of the Year Co-Chair

  • Torrie Plata is the Head of Human Resources Business Partners for Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, which develops therapies for patients with endocrine diseases. She has a passion for serving as a trusted advisor to her business client groups through delivering people and organizational solutions that are aligned to optimizing business priorities by providing proactive and robust change management practices and strategic guidance for the company’s growth including building out late-stage development and commercialization capabilities. Torrie enjoys leading people and culture initiatives and connecting talent to their reach their fullest potential in achieving successful business outcomes; she has held senior HR leadership roles with some of the county’s most prominent employers across multiple industries.

    Sharing her HR experience spanning a career of over 25 years, she has been an active member volunteer with the NHRA Orange County since 2002, supporting the Executive of the Year event for numerous years. Torrie holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of California, Riverside and a Master of Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix. She also earned her certification as a Strategic HR Business Partner (sHRBP) from the Human Capital Institute.

    Torrie resides in south Orange County with her husband Ed and are “empty-nesting-in-training” with their 3 college-aged sons. She enjoys spending time with their dogs, family and friends, traveling, trying new gastronomical delights, and basking in the OC sunshine swimming, hiking, paddle boarding, and playing pickle ball.

KEVIN SHEARER
Social Chair

  • Kevin Shearer is the current Rising Star Co-Chair & Social Chair for the NHRA Orange County Affiliate.  Kevin is an OC native bringing over 14 years of experience in the recruiting industry.  Before beginning his career at Kimco Staffing, you might have found him surfing the coastlines of Southern California, snowboarding the Sierra Nevadas, or playing soccer competitively up in Santa Barbara, CA where he received his BS in Business Economics from UCSB.

    As Kevin’s expertise grew, he honed his passion for connecting people and helping others, which coupled with his high level of work ethic made him a standout leader in a competitive market. During his 8.5 years at KORE1, Kevin led and grew their Orange County Branch as the Managing Partner, where he played a vital role in developing high-performing teams, building training programs and expanding their client base in Southern CA.

    Kevin prides himself on being an active community member, dedicated to giving back to those less fortunate. This passion quickly became Kevin’s mission and led him to his current position as President at myTOD, where he can combine his expertise and life’s greater purpose to disrupt the staffing and recruiting industries while supporting underprivileged teenagers and young adults in his own backyard.

    Today, Kevin is married to a loving wife who share a beautiful daughter together in Costa Mesa where they reside. When he’s not doing great work as a leader or as a father, you can find Kevin playing a plethora of sports (golf or pickleball anyone?), growing his knowledge of nutrition and performance, travelling the world, or setting up a tent for a weekend camping adventure.

    Drop Kevin a note for coffee or a foodie adventure, and let’s get to know each other!

DANIEL LEO
Mentorship Chair

  • Daniel is a Certified Financial Planner™ and Partner at Continuum Consulting Group in Irvine, CA. He works with both individuals and corporate clients, providing strategic financial planning and investment guidance to help them define and achieve their long-term financial goals.

    He leads Continuum's Retirement Plan Services division, where he helps plan sponsors run their retirement plans more effectively and confidently. His work focuses on fiduciary risk management, optimizing plan design, and implementing employee education strategies that boost retirement readiness. Daniel takes pride in simplifying the complexities of the 401(k) landscape so employers can make informed decisions and stay focused on growing their business.

    Daniel's passion and commitment to building meaningful, long-term relationships fuels his work. He welcomes every opportunity to connect and collaborate with any NHRA OC member.

MALEA ESTRADA
Rising Stars Academy Co-Chair

NATHAN LEVOIT
Rising Stars Academy Co-Chair

  • Nathan develops and leads the human resources and talent team, focused on customer service and high engagement for potential, current, and former employees.  He currently serves as the Global Vice President of Human Resources for HireRight, a leader in background checks, drug testing, and employment verification services, where he leads Talent Acquisition, Talent Management, Total Reward, HR Systems, and Services.

     

    Prior, Nathan was the Sr. Vice President and Head of HR at Silverado, where NHRA-OC awarded his team the first Team of Excellence Award. He has also held HR leadership positions with a Fin-Tech startup in Orange County and for several international law firms.

     

    He and his wife Trish are both from Orange County and have two children, Liam and Zara.  Nathan also serves as the PTA president for his children’s school and as Treasurer for Newport Harbor PTA (over Costa Mesa and Newport Beach Unified School District). Nathan earned a Bachelor of Science in Management from Pepperdine University and a Master of Science in Human Capital Management from Columbia University.

SARAH CHINTAWAT
Finance & Data Analytics Chair

  • Sarah is an accomplished futurist and HR executive. With over 20 years of diverse experience drawn from her unique background and reflected in her global perspective and out-of-the-box approach to people-centric programs, Sarah has worked with her colleagues to develop business process optimization initiatives and strategic people-focused programs.

    Sarah currently works at Altior Healthcare as CHRO and previously served as the Vice President of Human Resources for Profit Recovery Partners, a management consulting firm focused on cost reduction solutions for Fortune 1000 firms. Prior to PRP, she led both the Human Resource Strategic Initiatives and Advertising Revenue Generation Groups for Panasonic Avionics Corporation, where she leveraged data to create human capital programs and drive revenue growth.

     Sarah’s expertise lies in diagnosing human capital dysfunction and translating business needs into dynamic talent imperatives. She has implemented programmatic talent solutions across numerous industries, including engineering, financial services, management consulting, and technology. Known for her probing questions and innovative mindset, she consistently seeks better, faster, and simpler ways to solve problems – an approach that has served her well in both large multinational organizations and small startups. 

    Sarah holds an MBA from San Diego State University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from California State University, Chico. Sarah, her husband, and two children spend their weekends watching soccer and planning their next adventure. 

LESLIE LEGUERN
University Relations Chair

  • Leslie LeGuern, Organizational Development & Career Strategist at MemorialCare, has over 12 years of Human Resources experience and currently responsible for designing and developing the career development strategy for the MemorialCare Health System which is comprised of over 11,000 employees. 

     Leslie has a strong passion for Organizational Development and enabling leaders to impact their teams and organizations in a thoughtful way. During Leslie’s time with MemorialCare she has worked her way up in Human Resources and assisted the organization with high-level initiatives.

    In 2021 Leslie was named a NHRA Rising Star and a Sunflower Leader at MemorialCare. Leslie received a Bachelor's Degree in Communication Studies with an emphasis on Interpersonal and Organizational Communication from California State University Long Beach. Leslie loves spending time with her friends and family, other hobbies include reading, golfing, and working out at her and her husband’s gym.

THOAI HA
Executive Engagement Chair

  • Thoai Ha currently services as Chief Human Resources Officer for DPI Specialty Foods. She is a global oriented professional, with 20+ years building and leading business-centric Human Resources departments, both in public and private entrepreneurial companies. Her experiences are in a variety of industries including retail/consumer electronics, design/architectural professional services, engineering, software, Internet, biotech, corporate travel services, automotive, food service and wholesale distribution. This diversity of experiences leverages her ability to bring innovative ideas to resolve challenges. Both broadly and tactically focused, her attention is split equally between goal attainment and quality assurance – getting it done – and making sure it is done absolutely right.

    Ms. Ha holds a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology & Social Behavior. She has a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification. 

    As part of giving back to the community, Ms. Ha is a mentor for the School of Social Ecology Mentor Program at University of California, Irvine (UCI), a member of the Board of Directors of the local Orange County Chapter of National Human Resources Association (NHRA), and on the HR Advisory Council for nonprofit Working Wardrobes.

MARYAM REZAI
Sponsorship Chair

  • Thoai Ha currently services as Chief Human Resources Officer for DPI Specialty Foods. She is a global oriented professional, with 20+ years building and leading business-centric Human Resources departments, both in public and private entrepreneurial companies. Her experiences are in a variety of industries including retail/consumer electronics, design/architectural professional services, engineering, software, Internet, biotech, corporate travel services, automotive, food service and wholesale distribution. This diversity of experiences leverages her ability to bring innovative ideas to resolve challenges. Both broadly and tactically focused, her attention is split equally between goal attainment and quality assurance – getting it done – and making sure it is done absolutely right.

    Ms. Ha holds a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology & Social Behavior. She has a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification. 

    As part of giving back to the community, Ms. Ha is a mentor for the School of Social Ecology Mentor Program at University of California, Irvine (UCI), a member of the Board of Directors of the local Orange County Chapter of National Human Resources Association (NHRA), and on the HR Advisory Council for nonprofit Working Wardrobes.