Fractional CHROs in Seattle Making Things Happen

Seattle Interim Chief People Officers to Know

Seattle isn’t just a tech hub—it’s a culture lab. With global giants like Amazon and Microsoft, a thriving startup ecosystem, and a growing number of impact-driven orgs, this region is constantly experimenting with how people work, grow, and lead. And increasingly, that evolution includes fractional people leadership.

At Digital Reference, we’re watching the Pacific Northwest become a proving ground for flexible executive models. Seattle-based companies are tapping fractional CHROs and CPOs to guide them through hiring ramp-ups, hybrid transitions, DEI efforts, and org design—with speed and credibility.

Whether they’re helping Series A startups build foundational systems or guiding established teams through re-orgs and restructures, these professionals aren’t just consultants—they’re embedded partners in creating people-first companies.

Our Selection Process: How We Identify Seattle Fractional CPOs

Digital Reference spotlights leaders based on location, role alignment, and reputation. Each CHRO featured here:

• Is based in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metro area or works with companies there
  
  
• Clearly works in a fractional, interim, or embedded Chief People Officer capacity
  
  
• Has a public-facing presence through LinkedIn or an advisory firm
  
  
• Brings experience across fast-growth companies, cultural transformation, or operational HR strategy
  
  
• Is known for delivering results and trusted by their clients
  
  

Our lens is always focused on execution and trust—not just titles.

Seattle Fractional CHROs to Know

🔹 Rebecca Weaver

Founder, HRuprise | Fractional CPO | Equity-Driven People Strategist
Rebecca Weaver launched HRuprise to help people navigate their careers—and help companies create workplaces where people actually want to stay. As a fractional CPO, she partners with companies in moments of cultural shift, expansion, or reset. Her human-first, equity-centered approach blends business goals with the people systems that support them.

🔍 Specialties: Culture transformation, employee relations, HR policy, DEI
📍 Based in: Seattle, WA

🔹 Julie Nyberg

Executive Coach | Fractional People Leader | Founder-Centric HR Partner
Julie Nyberg works with startups and scaling companies to install HR foundations and leadership capabilities that support healthy growth. With a background in enterprise and early-stage orgs, she brings the right blend of strategic structure and emotional intelligence. Her clients include founder-led companies and mission-aligned orgs navigating people and performance complexity.

🔍 Specialties: Talent development, executive coaching, growth-stage HR strategy
📍 Based in: Seattle, WA

🔹 Judy Iannuccilli

Strategic HR Executive | Fractional CHRO | HR Transformation Advisor
Judy is a senior HR strategist who helps companies transform how they manage talent, teams, and trust. She brings experience from high-growth tech companies and has served as a trusted partner to CEOs and boards. As a fractional leader, she focuses on implementing scalable HR systems and aligning people strategy with business vision.

🔍 Specialties: Organizational design, HR operations, executive alignment
📍 Based in: Seattle, WA

Why Seattle Companies Are Embracing Fractional People Leadership

Here’s the reality: hiring a full-time CPO takes time, budget, and executive alignment—luxuries that many high-velocity orgs can’t afford. But people leadership isn’t optional.

Fractional CHROs are the answer for:

• 💻 Hybrid work transitions that need culture and systems
  
  
• 📈 Rapid team growth outpacing internal HR capacity
  
  
• 🧭 Founders needing a strategic HR sounding board
  
  
• 🧰 Maturity upgrades—like implementing performance frameworks or equity plans
  
  
• 🔄 Re-orgs, M&A events, or restructuring initiatives
  
  

Seattle companies are choosing fractional over full-time not because they want less—but because they want the right fit, faster.

What to Look for in a Fractional CHRO

The best fractional people leaders bring:

✅ Strategic range—able to operate at policy, people, and board levels
✅ Empathy and directness—especially when guiding exec teams
✅ A playbook that flexes—not just “best practices”
✅ Commitment to reputation over resume

These CHROs get in fast, diagnose clearly, and help companies grow without breaking what made them special in the first place.

Related Digital Reference Insights

For more context on how to engage interim talent:

📘 How to Hire a Fractional Executive
A practical guide for founders and operators navigating interim leadership.

📍 The Importance of Professional References
Explore why third-party credibility is more critical than ever in today’s trust-driven hiring market.

📘 Collecting Professional References: The Dos and Don’ts
References are often the make-or-break element of your next opportunity. Yet many professionals still treat the reference process as an afterthought or, worse, scramble to collect them last minute.

📗 The Talent Ecosystem: Why Fractional Operators Are Reshaping the C-Suite
Explore the structural shifts behind the rise of fractional leadership and what it means for your next hire.

Final Thought: Seattle’s People Strategy Is Becoming More Strategic

In a city that builds for the future, how you hire matters. And for many companies in Seattle, the best way to get senior HR leadership isn’t to wait for a perfect full-time hire—it’s to bring in a fractional partner who can execute, adapt, and align people with purpose.

Rebecca, Julie, and Judy are already showing how that model delivers real results.

The future of work is already here. And Seattle’s people leaders are making it happen.

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