My name is Amanda Shepherd, a 2020 graduate of California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) and an emerging professional in human resources. I had the privilege of meeting and working with Ms. Nina Woodard when I first joined CSUSM’s Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) my sophomore year of college in 2018. At that time, Nina was a beloved lecturer at CSUSM and the faculty adviser of the CSUSM SHRM student chapter. When I first met her, it was clear how dedicated and passionate she was about helping aspiring professionals understand the intricacies of human resources. When I took the role of President of CSUSM SHRM, Nina continuously supported and coached me through the ups and downs of my leadership journey. She generously guided me and gave me all the tools I needed to successfully lead the society for three semesters. Nina was an incredible resource and inspiration to all of us in the society, and with her vast knowledge of the field, it was easy to talk to her and learn from her.

Her contributions to the society and our individual career developments were priceless. Being an extremely hard worker, Nina was eager to provide memorable and meaningful opportunities for her students. She was passionate and organized while leading events such as HR Career Days and intrastate HR Case Competitions to give students opportunities to think critically and network with HR professionals. It was through her diligence and dedication that we were all given the opportunity to attend these special events that positively impacted our professional growth.

Nina is an irreplaceable, trustworthy mentor. She never missed a meeting, was reliable in every respect, and was always willing to help. It was through her encouragement that I felt prepared and confident taking my next steps into the field of human resources. Her support was monumental in helping me land my first entry-level positions, and I feel very honored and grateful that I had the chance to work with her during my college career. Anyone would be lucky for a chance to work with Nina!

I have nothing but positive things to say about Nina Woodard. She is a natural HR guru who cares about your business and its employees. She has a great combination of patience, tenacity, and knowledge.

When I first started working at ChromoLogic, I was hired on as a recruiter, and within a few months, I started to get more involved with HR processes. I now do the payroll, recruiting, and majority of the HR tasks. Nina was hired as a consultant for our business and she has been an absolute joy to work with. She guided me and helped me grow into a more knowledgeable HR professional. Thank you for mentoring me the last year and a half, your mentorship has really meant a lot to me on both a personal and professional level. I highly recommend Nina Woodard and the stellar HR services that she provides!