CEO and Founder

With nearly three decades of experience across human resources, risk management, organizational development, business operations, and leadership, I have devoted my career to helping organizations build strong, compliant, people-centered foundations that support healthy growth. My work has always centered on creating clarity inside the systems that sustain an organization, ensuring leaders have the structure and insight needed to operate with excellence.

For the past twelve years, while serving full time in executive HR leadership roles, I have also partnered with nonprofits, startups, and small businesses as a consultant. In these roles, I have designed and implemented strategic frameworks that strengthen compliance, streamline processes, elevate culture, and align people practices with organizational goals.

Throughout my corporate career, I have led organizations to rank among the top three Best Places to Work, reflecting my commitment to fostering environments grounded in trust, accountability, and operational integrity.

My experience spans every phase of the employee lifecycle, with a concentrated emphasis on compliance, audits, risk mitigation, leadership capability, and building repeatable systems that scale. I bring a blend of corporate executive insight and entrepreneurial agility, offering practical solutions rooted in data, clarity, and a deep understanding of how people and operations intersect.

Through my consulting work, I have launched HR functions from the ground up, conducted comprehensive compliance audits, rebuilt underperforming teams, optimized HRIS systems such as ADP and UKG, and supported leaders through complex organizational challenges. My approach has always prioritized elevating people, strengthening culture, and protecting the business through sound, compliant practices.

This combination of twenty-eight years in HR leadership and twelve years of consulting reflects more than experience. It reflects a calling to advance the human side of business through clarity, alignment, and integrity.

I also offer companion-based support through a professionally trained therapy dog, available upon request.

I proudly serve clients across the United States and collaborate with a select network of highly skilled consultants who meet the highest standards of expertise, ethics, and client care.

Onboarding & Culture Development Consultant and Strategist

Mike Norwood specializes in creating onboarding experiences that build trust, clarity, and connection from day one. With a strong background in leadership and culture development, he designs values-based onboarding systems that align people with purpose and equip teams to thrive. At ELAVANTIHR, Mike helps organizations turn onboarding into a strategic advantage, one that strengthens engagement and sets the foundation for long-term success.