Monica brought West Sound Workforce into its next generation of leadership by becoming President, CEO, and owner in 2018.
Monica finds incredible fulfillment in seeing people use their skills and talents to succeed in their professional lives. Ultimately, it’s a community’s workforce that allows all to thrive! If you don’t find Monica in the office, it’s because she is volunteering, serving, and lending her talents to boards and organizations aligning with economic development, education, workforce training/HR, diversity, and many other things.
Graduating from the University of Washington as a third-generation Husky, Monica went on to earn an MBA in Strategic Leadership from Amberton University. She loves to have meaningful conversations, build sandcastles, and always finds a good reason to travel the world with her family.
Lora Kelly, CSP
Director of Recruiting
Lora Kelly celebrates over two decades with West Sound Workforce. She is a veteran recruiter with 25 years spent in HR, healthcare recruiting and staffing. She believes jobs build self-esteem and community.
Her self-ascribed mission on this planet is as a matchmaker, connecting great local people with great local companies for win-win relationships. Behind the scenes, she is an avid horse rescuer. Her favorite pastime is driving her big Ford truck around with a bunch of dogs in the back seat.
Crystal Nixon, CSP
Senior Recruiter
Crystal is a Kitsap County native and South Kitsap High School graduate. Holding a Certified Staffing Professional certification through the American Staffing Association, she also has her bachelor’s degree in business with a concentration in Human Resources Management.
Crystal is a self-proclaimed HR nerd and knowledge junkie. She found herself drawn to talent acquisition because of the satisfaction she feels every time she perfectly matches a company’s needs with a job seeker’s desires and career goals. She has a high-energy, dynamic personality and loves a challenge (and challenging personalities!).
Like everyone at West Sound Workforce, Crystal can find humor in just about anything. “I have high expectations for performance and professionalism — however, you’ve got to know when to drop it all and take a cartwheel break.”
Lynnea Tweed
Senior Recruiter
Lynnea has been with West Sound Workforce since 2005. When she isn’t beating all her coworkers in ballroom battles, she is a passionate Senior Recruiter who’s been in HR for 20 years. She loves that her job helps put people to work in her local community. Lynnea is a member of WSHRMA, involved with several Chambers of Commerce, has served as a committee chair and participant with Kitsap Relay for Life, and volunteers for The Admiral Theatre Foundation.
Cassandra Russell
Junior Recruiter
Cassandra comes to West Sound Workforce with more than 25 years’ experience in Hospice and Healthcare sectors, and a Bachelor’s degree in Communications. She is delighted to extend her skills in human connectedness through the human resources industry where she can continue to help people through life transitions. Cassandra is passionate about providing solid opportunities to both clients and employees. Ultimately, she finds joy in helping others.
When not guiding people through changes in their lives, Cassandra’s beating fellow World of Warcraft nerds at their own game!
Allyson Willoughby
Operations Coordinator
HR is synonymous with “documentation and policy” in many minds. In a staffing firm, there’s always one person making sure that everyone else practices what HR preaches. Allyson is that person for us, and she’s fantastic at it! She keeps the operations in order, whether it’s collecting missing timesheets so payroll can be completed, following compliance practices, acting as the IT liaison and oh, so much more. Our team appreciates her wide range of talents and willingness to dive in – maybe traits from her early lifeguarding career? Regardless, her abilities are one reason why we never stop counting how many technical difficulties we’ve averted!
George Unruh
Controller
George’s expertise with all things accounting-related brings him to our team, making sure our bookkeeping is in order, payroll is processed, and invoices are sent. His steady presence helps ground the rest of our team when dealing with the fast-moving changes found in the staffing industry. After all, he is the one that provides us with weekly quotes of inspiration and uses his business acumen gained over the years to provide helpful insights as well.
It is said that George alone accounts for the majority of the hikes counted in our “fun facts” on the home page. If you’re looking for a place to enjoy the ridges and ravines of the PacNW, you’ll want to talk with him!
Jen Michel
HR Assistant
The day can be busy when you’re scheduling interviews, greeting visitors, answering numerous phone calls, and providing one-on-one support to the office team and to job seekers all at once! Jen does it with incredible patience and style as our HR Assistant, and provides some timely humor to make it fun, too. Prior to joining our fantastic team, Jen served in the US Air Force in a variety of capacities, including performing HR activities around recruitment and compliance.
To find Jen in their element though, simply visit Milwaukee Irish Fest in the late summer or ask them anything related to fostering cats. Jen is learning the art of bookbinding and enjoys dancing, too!
