Rachelle Thompson

Rachelle Thompson was named Vice President - Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) of Carpenter Technology Corporation in August 2020. She previously held the position of CHRO.

Rachelle’s primary role is to execute workforce business strategy, increase employee commitment and shape Carpenter Technology’s culture, with an emphasis on performance. She is responsible for providing executive leadership in critical areas such as organizational development, compensation, benefits, staffing, communications, labor relations and policy, employee engagement, and talent acquisition, as well as other supporting human resources functions. She is a member of the Executive Team that sets the strategic direction of the company.

Prior to joining Carpenter Technology, Rachelle was a partner at McGuireWoods LLP, where she concentrated on intellectual property, complex commercial litigation, and business counseling. She also practiced in the general and patent litigation departments of an international law firm in the District of Columbia. Before practicing law, she conducted academic and industrial research in the areas of synthetic organic chemistry, phospholipid chemistry, and lithography.

Rachelle completed her Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from The University of San Diego School of Law. She earned her Ph.D. from Stanford University, and was the first African American woman in the school’s history to receive a Ph.D. in Chemistry. She graduated first in her class from Furman University with a Bachelor of Science degree, summa cum laude, in Chemistry. She is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management, serves on the Furman University Board of Trustees, and is actively involved in several other professional and community organizations.