People & Organizational Development

Where people-first
strategy meets
organizational excellence.

I partner with organizations to build cultures where people feel valued, connected, and empowered to do their best work — through talent strategy, employee engagement, and leadership coaching.

Employee Relations Talent Acquisition Leadership Coaching Culture & Engagement
Debbie E. Lumpkin

For over 25 years, I've partnered with executives and management teams across Fortune 500 utilities, California state government, and independent schools — building the kind of culture that holds up under pressure, because it isn't what's on the wall, it's what happens when no one's watching.

25+
Years in HR leadership
$1.5B
In diverse supplier contracts led
Debbie E. Lumpkin at the California State Capitol
About Debbie

I believe organizational success begins with engaged people.

Strong leadership and a culture where individuals can thrive — that's what I've spent 25+ years building, from Fortune 500 utilities to California state government to independent schools.

My path has taken me through some of California's most complex organizations, and across every role, the throughline has been the same: people do their best work when they feel seen, supported, and set up to succeed.

Career Highlights

A few moments along the way

Debbie receiving a California Legislative Black Caucus recognition alongside Governor Jerry Brown

Recognized by the California Legislative Black Caucus, with Governor Jerry Brown.

Debbie holding a California State Assembly Certificate of Recognition

Certificate of Recognition from the California State Assembly for her diversity and small business development work.

Debbie at the California State Capitol

At the California State Capitol during her tenure with the Newsom administration.

The Path

A career built on people, not just process

2025 – Present

Human Resources Manager

The John Thomas Dye School, Los Angeles, CA

2022 – 2025

Chief People, Culture & Inclusion Officer

Crystal Springs Uplands School, Hillsborough, CA

2021 – 2022

Chief of Staff to Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley

County of Orange, Santa Ana, CA

2018 – 2021

Transportation Deputy Inspector General of Diversity

Office of California Governor Gavin Newsom, Sacramento, CA

2013 – 2018

People & Organizational Development Advisor

Debbie E. Lumpkin Consulting, LLC

1994 – 2013

19 years at Southern California Edison

Rising from Payroll & Benefits Analyst to Principal Manager of Diversity & Supply Chain, leading $1.5B in diverse-business contracting and tripling supplier diversity spend.

Education

Grounded in policy, sharpened in practice

B.S., Political Science — University of California, Berkeley
M.P.A., Public Policy — California State University, Northridge
Certifications
Internal Investigation Fundamentals
Conducting Internal Investigation Interviews
Conducting Effective Employee Relations Conversations
Services

The full range of HR, built around your people.

From day-to-day employee relations to organization-wide culture work — here's how I can support your team.

01

Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning

Recruitment plans and hiring strategies built around who your organization actually needs — plus the workforce data to plan ahead with confidence.

02

Employee Relations

Practical, fair, and legally sound guidance for the moments that matter most — conflict resolution, investigations, and difficult conversations handled with care.

03

Leadership Coaching & Training

One-on-one and small-group coaching for managers and executives ready to lead with more clarity and confidence, backed by real training.

04

Performance Management

Systems and coaching that make performance conversations constructive instead of dreaded — clear goals, honest feedback, real growth.

05

Compensation & Benefits

Pay structures and benefits packages designed to be competitive, fair, and sustainable — so your best people stay.

06

Compliance & Legal

Keeping your organization on the right side of labor law, workplace safety, and employment regulation.

07

HR Policy Development

Clear, fair policies and procedures that standardize how things get done — and hold up when they're tested.

08

Culture & Engagement

Strategy that turns "employee engagement" from a buzzword into something people actually feel, day to day.

09

Organizational Development

Structural and cultural assessments that surface what's really going on — and a roadmap to fix it.

Get In Touch

Let's build a workplace people are proud to be part of.

No pitch deck required — reach out directly and I'll get back to you within a couple of days.