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Joe Kitson, SPHR, HCS has extensive experience in human resources management. Joe is currently the Chief Human Resources Officer at Lighthouse Autism Center, where they are responsible for growing and overhauling the HR function. Joe leads a team of 20 and executes a people strategy to support aggressive EBITDA and revenue targets.

Prior to their current role, Joe served as the Human Resources Director at E&A Companies, a private equity firm specializing in scaling entrepreneurial businesses. Joe led all aspects of the HR function, including human capital strategy, talent management, and organizational design. Joe also played a key role in evaluating acquisition opportunities and driving sales and profitability by empowering and developing talent.

Earlier in their career, Joe worked as the Area HR Manager at Advance Auto Parts, supporting a large retail organization across multiple states. Joe was responsible for talent selection, training, and development, as well as driving organizational objectives in partnership with the Regional Vice President. Joe also implemented various initiatives to improve employee engagement and reduce turnover.

Prior to that, they served as the HR Manager at Mister Quik Home Services and DEFENDERS. At Mister Quik, Joe managed the HR function, while at DEFENDERS, they handled various HR responsibilities including compensation, benefits, and employee relations.

Throughout their career, Joe has demonstrated their ability to implement innovative HR strategies and drive positive organizational outcomes.

Joe Kitson, SPHR, HCS, received their Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree in Human Resources from Western Michigan University, where they studied from 2000 to 2004. Following this, they pursued a Master's degree in Human Resources and Industrial Relations (MHRIR) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, completing their studies from 2004 to 2005. In 2013, Joe obtained the Human Capital Strategist certification from the Human Capital Institute (HCI). A year later, in 2014, they obtained the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification from the Human Resources Certification Institute.