Michelle Candelaria

Michelle Candelaria, SPHR has a diverse work experience spanning over three decades. Michelle began their career as an Assistant Store Director at Toys R Us, where they worked for over ten years. Michelle then transitioned into the field of human resources, starting as a Field Operations Manager at All Covered and later becoming a Human Resources Manager at BEOPEN.COM. At Netflix, Inc., they held various roles including Human Resources Representative and Human Resources Manager, where they managed employee relations, policy development, and vendor partnerships. Michelle continued their HR career at EarthLink as a Senior Manager and at ANN SACKS Tile & Stone as a Director, where they focused on organizational development and talent management. Currently, they are the Human Resources Director at A to Z Wineworks, overseeing HR initiatives and collaborating with senior leadership to align HR strategies with business objectives. Throughout their career, Michelle has demonstrated expertise in leadership development, employee relations, and HR program implementation.

Michelle Candelaria, SPHR, obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from San Jose State University, where they studied from 1999 to 2003. In addition to their degree, Michelle has also earned several certifications throughout their career. In 2010, they obtained the Senior Professional in Human Resources® (SPHR®) Certification from HRCI. This was followed by the Certified Master Facilitator, The Oz Principle certification from Partners in Leadership in 2012. In 2015, Michelle obtained the SHRM-SCP certification from SHRM. Most recently, in May 2021, they obtained the Crucial Conversations Trainer certification from VitalSmarts.