Best HR Consultants in St. Louis

St. Louis Area HR Consulting Services

St. Louis, Missouri — the Gateway to the West — is a vibrant city where legacy industries meet new frontiers, from biotech and healthcare to manufacturing, tech, and education, spanning both Missouri and Illinois. Known for its strong sense of community, affordability, and entrepreneurial energy, the region thrives on relationships, making human resources a strategic cornerstone rather than just a support function. In this dynamic ecosystem, HR consultants play a crucial role, helping local businesses attract and retain talent, ensure compliance, foster inclusive workplace cultures, and guide leaders through transformation — whether as solo consultants supporting startups or full-service firms assisting enterprises in restructuring for growth, St. Louis’s HR professionals are central to the city’s workforce evolution.

At Digital Reference, we’re passionate about connecting organizations with trusted people-strategy experts who embody professionalism, empathy, and measurable impact. As part of our national series spotlighting regional HR talent, we’re proud to showcase the best HR consultants in St. Louis — professionals who bring deep expertise, community understanding, and genuine care for the people they serve.

Our Methodology: How We Selected These St. Louis HR Consultants

Our process at Digital Reference is grounded in thorough research and human discernment. We evaluate consultants based not just on reputation, but on verified impact, client feedback, and demonstrated commitment to ethical, effective HR practice.

🌿 Extensive Research: We review LinkedIn profiles, testimonials, and published materials to assess a consultant’s experience and influence.

🌟 Local Insight: We prioritize professionals who understand the nuances of the St. Louis–Illinois business corridor — its local industries, workforce culture, and community-driven approach.

💼 Philosophical Alignment: We highlight consultants who reflect Digital Reference’s values — strategy with empathy, compliance with creativity, and performance with purpose.

Each featured professional here has earned a reputation for excellence — whether as an independent consultant, firm leader, or organizational advisor. None of these profiles are ranked; instead, they represent diverse specialties within the HR spectrum — from recruiting and talent strategy to leadership coaching and DE&I.

🌟 Meet the HR Consultants in the St. Louis Area

♦️ Dena Rogers

HR & Recruiting Consultant
🔗 LinkedIn

Based in the St. Louis metro area, Dena Rogers brings a human-centered and operationally fluent approach to HR consulting. With years of experience across HR, recruiting, and business operations, she’s known for helping growing companies establish structure, clarity, and consistency in their people practices.

Her work spans recruitment strategy, onboarding optimization, and culture design, with a focus on aligning HR processes to real business outcomes. Dena’s style is collaborative — she partners closely with leadership teams to understand the heart of their culture before implementing change.

✨ What makes Dena stand out:
🌿 Focuses on human-first HR systems rooted in trust and transparency.
🧱 Supports small and scaling firms that need HR foundations without over-complexity.
🛠 Builds robust recruiting processes that attract and retain high-potential talent.
💬 Advocates for authenticity and empathy as core leadership traits.

Dena’s blend of strategy and heart makes her a standout for companies wanting HR guidance that feels both practical and personal.

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♦️ Taylor Dukeman, SHRM-CP

HR Consultant, Payroll & Benefits Manager at the Forsyth School
🔗 LinkedIn

As a SHRM-CP-certified HR consultant, Taylor Dukeman offers a modern, data-informed approach to people operations. She works with small to mid-sized businesses to refine policies, streamline workflows, and enhance employee engagement.

Taylor’s methodology is rooted in balance — blending compliance and innovation. Her consulting often involves building scalable HR systems, designing employee handbooks, or helping organizations navigate growth transitions.

✨ Why Taylor is trusted:
🌟 Experienced in designing HR policies that protect both company and culture.
📈 Excels at helping startups professionalize HR operations.
💬 Focused on coaching managers to lead with empathy and accountability.
🧭 Brings certification-backed structure with a modern, adaptable mindset.

For St. Louis businesses that need structured yet agile HR leadership, Taylor’s combination of knowledge and responsiveness is invaluable.

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♦️ Rachel G.

HR Consultant & Talent Acquisition Specialist
🔗 LinkedIn

Rachel G. is a people and culture strategist who believes in the power of clear communication, trust, and transparency in the workplace. She’s known for helping organizations create environments where employees feel valued, supported, and engaged.

Her work often bridges change management, HR process design, and culture transformation — making her a key ally for organizations evolving their internal structure or leadership.

✨ What distinguishes Rachel:
🌱 Known for helping small businesses create HR systems that reflect their values.
💡 Skilled at conflict resolution, performance improvement, and cultural alignment.
📊 Brings a thoughtful, data-conscious approach to employee engagement strategies.
🤝 Builds relationships first, systems second — ensuring every policy supports people.

Rachel’s human-centered approach fits perfectly within the collaborative, community-oriented fabric of the St. Louis business landscape.

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♦️ Sydney Wright, SHRM-CP

HR Generalist & Consultant
🔗 LinkedIn

Sydney Wright combines professional certification with practical HR experience to deliver real impact. As a SHRM-CP-certified professional, she’s recognized for her knowledge in HR compliance, training, and talent management.

Her expertise extends to employee relations, retention programs, and culture development, where she helps organizations foster a sense of belonging and accountability.

✨ Why clients value Sydney:
🌿 Expertise in compliance and employee relations with a personable touch.
💬 Passion for developing policies that balance fairness and performance.
🧩 Helps businesses strengthen internal communication and feedback systems.
🌟 Embodies the next generation of HR leadership — thoughtful, tech-savvy, and people-driven.

Sydney’s calm, collaborative energy makes her an invaluable asset to organizations seeking both structure and empathy.

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♦️ Karen Taylor-Liggins

Founder of Higher Level Coaching and Mediation, Diversity, Equity & People Strategy Consultant
🔗 LinkedIn | 🌐Website

A respected voice in diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI) and people strategy, Karen Taylor-Liggins helps organizations move from intent to impact. Her consulting combines strategic HR practices with an unwavering commitment to equity and representation.

With a career spanning corporate, nonprofit, and community sectors, Karen helps leaders embed DEI principles into everyday operations — from hiring practices to leadership development.

✨ What makes Karen exceptional:
🌍 Expert in creating equitable policies and inclusive leadership pipelines.
💬 Skilled facilitator who fosters honest conversations around culture and belonging.
📈 Helps companies measure and sustain DEI impact through accountability frameworks.
🤝 Recognized for her ability to connect HR strategy with social responsibility.

Karen’s influence extends beyond HR — she’s helping shape the inclusive future of work in St. Louis.

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♦️ Ellen Moran, Ph.D., PCC

Owner, Executive Coach, & Organizational Consultant at Leadership Dialogues
🔗 LinkedIn | 🌐 Website

Dr. Ellen Moran is a distinguished executive coach and organizational psychologist whose work focuses on leadership development, emotional intelligence, and system-level transformation.

As the founder of Leadership Dialogues, she partners with executives, teams, and boards to help them navigate complexity and lead with clarity. Her Ph.D. in Psychology and Professional Certified Coach (PCC) credential from the International Coaching Federation reflect both academic depth and practical rigor.

✨ Ellen’s impact includes:
📘 Coaching senior leaders through high-stakes transitions and change.
🌿 Helping organizations foster psychological safety and resilient cultures.
💬 Combining evidence-based psychology with coaching for measurable outcomes.
🧭 Empowering leaders to self-reflect, adapt, and lead authentically.

Ellen’s balance of science and humanity makes her a trusted name in the St. Louis leadership community.

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♦️ Ashley Varner

Accounting Career Consultants & HR Career Consultants
🔗 LinkedIn

Ashley Varner is a bridge between HR consulting and career development. Through Career Advancers, she helps professionals and organizations alike reach their full potential — whether through recruiting, coaching, or team development.

Her HR work focuses on talent optimization, employee engagement, and leadership readiness, making her a sought-after partner for organizations looking to strengthen their internal pipelines.

✨ What makes Ashley unique:
🌱 Deep dual perspective as both HR consultant and career coach.
💼 Proven success designing programs that boost retention and engagement.
📈 Helps businesses develop career pathways and leadership succession plans.
💬 Passionate about empowering women in leadership and mid-career transitions.

Ashley’s ability to align personal growth with organizational success reflects the evolving priorities of the St. Louis workforce.

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♦️ Monique C. McKinney

Founder & CEO of The MCM Group USA, HR & Talent Acquisition Consultant, Keynote Speaker

🔗LinkedIn | 🌐Website

Monique McKinney is the visionary founder of The MCM Group USA, a consulting firm specializing in DEI, leadership development, and organizational strategy. Her approach integrates people analytics, equity principles, and strategic foresight to help organizations transform from the inside out.

✨ Monique’s signature strengths:
🌍 Expert in cultural diagnostics and climate assessments.
💬 Facilitator of inclusive leadership programs across corporate and nonprofit sectors.
📈 Helps organizations build equitable systems and measurable DEI metrics.
🧭 Beloved for her calm authority and authentic connection with clients.

Her leadership reflects the region’s growing emphasis on equity-driven HR transformation.

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♦️ Dawn Cramer, PHR

HR & Talent Strategy Consultant
🔗LinkedIn

Dawn Cramer brings years of HR leadership experience and PHR certification to her consulting practice. Known for her precision, professionalism, and people skills, she partners with small and midsize organizations to enhance their HR systems and compliance practices.

✨ Why Dawn is trusted:
🧱 Specializes in HR operations, employee relations, and policy development.
💬 Strong communicator and mediator — known for handling sensitive matters with grace.
📊 Experienced in improving organizational performance through HR process redesign.
🌿 Helps companies remain compliant while building healthy, high-performing cultures.

Dawn’s grounded expertise makes her an invaluable ally to businesses navigating HR complexity and change.

Final Thoughts: Building the Future of Work in St. Louis

St. Louis stands at the crossroads of tradition and transformation. With a diverse business base — from family-run enterprises to global corporations — the city’s growth depends on one shared element: its people. HR consultants like those featured above are the architects of that growth. They help organizations not only survive change but lead it — shaping cultures of respect, trust, and innovation.

At Digital Reference, we’re proud to highlight these professionals who embody what HR should be: strategic, human, and future-ready. Our mission is to connect organizations with the consultants who can help them flourish.

If you’re an HR leader, business owner, or executive looking to strengthen your people strategy, explore more of our curated guides, including:

• Best HR Strategy Consulting Services in the USA
• Best Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Consulting Services in the USA
• Best Performance Management Consulting Services in the USA

We believe great workplaces don’t happen by accident — they happen by design. And that design starts with the right HR partner.