We don't just plug in. We integrate, align, and elevate. Whether you're a startup finding your footing or a scaling company moving fast, we meet you where you are and grow with you.
Nimble. Strategic. Grounded in real people operations.
Growing businesses need great HR and operations. They don't always need a full-time team to get it.
Led by Nikki Carter, SHRM-CP, MBA, an HR and operations executive with over 20 years of experience, we specialize in scaling, repairing, and elevating the systems that keep businesses running, from people strategy to operational infrastructure.
Nikki has led HR and operations across tech, healthcare, cannabis, and nonprofits, guiding organizations through hyper-growth, M&A transitions, international expansion, and full compliance overhauls. Whether the challenge is people, process, finance, legal coordination, or IT operations, she brings the same steady hand and strategic lens.
We're not your traditional HR department. We're the People Patch. Fast, strategic, and ready to plug in across HR, finance, legal, and IT support when it matters most.
Nikki Carter is an HR executive with 20+ years of experience helping fast-growing companies build smarter, people-first workplaces. She has led global people operations, talent strategy, and organizational transformation across industries like telehealth, cannabis, healthcare, and private equity-backed startups, working with several PE/VC firms including Sequoia Capital, TPG, Apollo, Slate, Poseidon, and GTCR.
Nikki currently holds executive-level HR and operations roles at multiple organizations, including her position as Chief Administrative Officer at a high-growth telehealth startup operating in eight countries and Chief People Officer at a leading national distributor of metal deck and building materials for commercial construction.
Across these roles, she leads strategy spanning HR, finance, legal, and operations, with deep expertise in compliance, DEI, engagement, performance, and HR tech. Her work has included HRIS implementation, financial operations oversight, legal and regulatory coordination, international expansion, and culture-building programs that have measurably improved employee satisfaction.
Before stepping into these current roles, Nikki built and led HR functions across cannabis, consulting, and healthcare organizations, standing up entire departments, guiding workforce planning, and leading teams through change, including mergers and acquisitions. She is especially passionate about helping founders and executive teams translate vision into culture and process that actually works.
Nikki holds an MBA and a BA in Human Resources and Organizational Leadership, and is SHRM-CP certified. She is also fluent in the tech stack that keeps modern people teams running, with tools like Jira, Asana, BambooHR, Greenhouse, and more.
Austin Carter is a Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist with a knack for building strong teams and creating seamless, positive hiring experiences. He specializes in high-volume recruitment for government contracts, partnering closely with hiring managers to find the best talent while keeping everything compliant and running smoothly.
Austin spent years in sales and customer service, where he learned how to listen closely and make real connections. Those skills have proven invaluable in recruitment, helping him understand both candidates' needs and what employers are really looking for.
He is also a proud U.S. Army veteran, having served a tour in Qatar in 2020. His time in the National Guard taught him how to lead, adapt, and work effectively under pressure, skills that continue to help him excel in fast-paced recruitment environments.
Through HR People Patch, Austin provides fractional talent acquisition and finance operations support to startups and growing teams. In addition to recruitment, he supports core finance functions including accounts receivable, accounts payable, and day-to-day financial operations, giving growing businesses a versatile resource across both people and finance. Whether you're scaling fast, refining your hiring strategy, or need reliable support keeping your financials in order, Austin helps you build a solid operational foundation. Plug in the patch and get the right people and processes in place.
Brooke Schoenholz is a strategic leader in employee experience and talent acquisition, specializing in engagement, retention, and culture-building. She launched and led the first employee experience department at a national workforce services company, where she scaled hiring operations and implemented people-first initiatives that enhanced workplace success and morale across both remote and onsite teams.
Throughout her career, Brooke has focused on developing employee engagement programs that foster a positive culture. From creating recognition initiatives to launching peer recognition platforms, she works to ensure employees feel connected and valued. She also mentors and leads recruitment teams, guiding them to improve performance, boost retention, and develop efficient, streamlined hiring processes that have reduced time-to-hire by 35%.
In addition to employee engagement and team development, Brooke has been dedicated to building lasting relationships with internal teams and external clients to drive brand loyalty and engagement. Earlier in her career, she expanded her skill set in customer-focused sales and relationship management within the retail and apparel industry. She holds a BA in Mass Communications with a focus on Public Relations.
Shawn Rosenkrans is a results-driven Recruitment and Talent Acquisition professional with nearly a decade of experience helping organizations attract, hire, and retain top talent. He built his career on a foundation of relationship-building, process optimization, and a genuine passion for connecting people with the right opportunities.
Most recently serving as a Delivery Lead at Cielo Talent, Shawn managed client relationships and oversaw recruitment operations across multiple functions. Under his leadership, teams saw a 20% increase in job satisfaction scores and a 15% reduction in time-to-fill. He progressed steadily through the ranks at Cielo Talent, from Interviewing Specialist to Senior Recruiter, managing up to 50 open requisitions simultaneously while maintaining a 95% client satisfaction rate.
Shawn holds an MBA in Business Administration and a B.S. in Human Resources and Organizational Leadership from Rasmussen University. Through HR People Patch, he brings a data-driven, strategic approach to talent acquisition for startups and growing teams that need expert recruitment support without the full-time overhead.
We understand that no two businesses are the same. That’s why every client receives personalized HR support designed to fit their unique goals, challenges, and growth stage.
Our customized approach ensures you get exactly what you need.