Fractional CHROs in Orlando Making Things Happen in 2025

Orlando Interim Chief People Officers to Know

Orlando may be best known for hospitality and tourism, but under the surface is a growing ecosystem of tech, education, healthcare, logistics, and advanced manufacturing. As more companies in Central Florida evolve, scale, or pivot, the need for strategic people leadership has grown with them. And increasingly, those companies aren’t hiring full-time CHROs—they’re going fractional.

Fractional Chief People Officers (CPOs) offer flexible, executive-level HR leadership for companies that need strategy, systems, and structure now—not in six months. Whether it’s a founder-led startup, a nonprofit navigating team growth, or a family-run business modernizing its approach, fractional people leaders are helping Orlando companies build high-performing, people-first organizations.

At Digital Reference, we’ve identified key professionals already delivering this kind of leadership across the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford region.

How We Curate Fractional CHROs in Orlando

Our methodology is centered on credibility, presence, and track record. Each leader listed below:

✅ Works in a fractional, interim, or embedded CHRO/CPO capacity
✅ Is actively serving the Central Florida region
✅ Has public-facing proof of work (LinkedIn, firm website, etc.)
✅ Brings senior-level HR strategy and people leadership experience
✅ Aligns with Digital Reference’s core belief: reputation is currency

We focus on trusted, high-context operators—not just people with the right title.

Orlando Fractional CHRO to Know

🔹 Dawn Colangelo

People & Culture Leader | Fractional CHRO | Workplace Strategist
Dawn Colangelo is an experienced HR executive who helps mission-driven companies build people systems rooted in strategy, inclusivity, and high performance. Based in Central Florida, Dawn brings a coaching-oriented lens to her fractional leadership, often stepping in to guide teams through transformation, scale, or culture change. Whether partnering with founders, boards, or nonprofit leaders, she delivers strategic clarity and operational confidence.

🔍 Specialties: Employee engagement, performance development, values-based leadership, HR infrastructure
📍 Based in: Orlando, FL

More leaders will be added as Orlando’s fractional ecosystem continues to evolve. This list reflects public professionals currently working in fractional people leadership roles within the region.

Why Orlando Companies Are Hiring Fractional CPOs

Orlando’s business scene is increasingly dynamic—and diverse. As more companies navigate complexity, they need HR leadership that’s strategic but lean, embedded but flexible.

Common triggers for hiring fractional CHROs include:

• 🏗️ Startups hitting early growth milestones
  
  
• 🎓 EdTech and healthcare orgs navigating hybrid workforces
  
  
• 🧭 Family businesses undergoing leadership transition
  
  
• 🧰 Internal HR teams needing senior-level guidance
  
  
• 🤝 Nonprofits scaling beyond founder-era people practices
  
  

In all of these scenarios, fractional leadership provides the perfect middle ground: executive experience without long-term commitment.

Traits of a High-Impact Fractional CHRO

The right fractional CPO doesn’t just “cover” HR—they bring transformation with intention. At Digital Reference, we prioritize leaders who bring:

✅ Executive presence and clarity
✅ Tactical and strategic range
✅ Empathy and communication fluency
✅ A bias toward action
✅ Referenceable outcomes from past engagements

That’s what makes professionals like Dawn Colangelo valuable: she doesn't just manage systems—she helps companies rethink how they lead, support, and grow their people.

Related Reading from Digital Reference

📘 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 Word: HR Leadership That Moves With You

In Orlando, companies are building quickly—but not all of them are ready for a full-time CHRO. That’s where fractional people leaders come in. They offer vision, structure, and clarity—at exactly the right scale and pace.

Dawn Colangelo is already helping organizations across Central Florida navigate hiring, culture, compliance, and growth—without slowing down or over-committing resources.

If you're building in Orlando and want your people strategy to grow with you, not lag behind—this is the place to start.

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✅ Check Out Our Local Directories of Fractional CHROs & Interim Chief People Officers by City

This resource highlights city-specific guides to some of the most impactful interim and fractional Chief People Officers across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. Each directory offers a look into the unique business culture of the region and the leaders driving people strategy forward.

• Atlanta
  Fractional CHROs in Atlanta Making Things Happen
  Atlanta’s talent leaders are shaping diverse, tech-forward workplaces in a city that’s become a magnet for startups, logistics firms, and entertainment enterprises. Fractional CHROs here are experts at managing rapid growth and culture change.

• Chicago
  Fractional CHROs in Chicago Making Things Happen
  In this powerhouse of industry and innovation, Chicago’s fractional CHROs help organizations scale intentionally—blending legacy systems with modern people practices in finance, healthcare, logistics, and tech.

• Columbus
  Fractional CHROs in Columbus Making Things Happen
  Columbus combines Midwestern values with high-growth potential, and its interim people leaders bring strategic clarity to fast-growing startups, educational institutions, and service-sector employers.

• Denver
  Fractional CHROs in Denver Making Things Happen
  Known for its entrepreneurial spirit and wellness-driven culture, Denver is home to CHROs who specialize in building values-aligned teams and sustainable HR infrastructures for growing businesses.

• Detroit
  Fractional CHROs in Detroit Making Things Happen
  In the heart of the Midwest’s manufacturing revival, Detroit’s people leaders are reinventing what workforce strategy looks like across automotive, tech, and nonprofit sectors.

• Houston
  Fractional CHROs in Houston Making Things Happen
  Energy, healthcare, and logistics dominate Houston’s economy, and the city’s CHROs are uniquely equipped to address complex compliance needs and workforce transformations.

• Indianapolis
  Fractional CHROs in Indianapolis Making Things Happen
  As Indianapolis grows into a regional tech and biotech hub, its interim HR leaders are guiding companies through strategic hiring, leadership development, and HR tech implementation.

• Jacksonville
  Fractional CHROs in Jacksonville Making Things Happen
  Jacksonville’s fractional CHROs serve fast-growing industries like finance, logistics, and healthcare—offering guidance on culture-building, operational scale, and remote workforce policy.

• Las Vegas
  Fractional CHROs in Las Vegas Making Things Happen
  Beyond hospitality, Vegas is growing its footprint in tech and healthcare—and its HR consultants are ushering in next-gen talent strategies in industries that rely on high performance and adaptability.

• Los Angeles
  Fractional CHROs in Los Angeles Making Things Happen
  In this entertainment and startup capital, LA’s CHROs specialize in hybrid teams, talent branding, and aligning creative and corporate cultures under fast-paced conditions.

• London
  Fractional CHROs in London Making Things Happen
  London’s fractional HR leaders support multinationals and scaleups across finance, fintech, and creative industries—navigating global labor trends and cross-border compliance with precision.

• Miami
  Fractional CHROs in Miami Making Things Happen
  Miami is a rising tech and finance hotspot with a diverse workforce—and its interim people leaders are fluent in multicultural management, bilingual team dynamics, and global HR systems.

• Naples
  Fractional CHROs in Naples Making Things Happen
  In Naples, fractional HR leaders help small to midsize companies and family-owned businesses build professionalized systems without compromising close-knit cultures.

• New York City
  Fractional CHROs in New York City Making Things Happen
  From Wall Street to SoHo startups, NYC’s fractional CHROs are masters of navigating complexity—balancing regulation, rapid scaling, and inclusive leadership in high-pressure industries.

• Phoenix
  Fractional CHROs in Phoenix Making Things Happen
  Phoenix is booming in construction, healthcare, and tech—and local CHROs are helping businesses mature people operations while retaining agility in competitive labor markets.

• Raleigh
  Fractional CHROs in Raleigh Making Things Happen
  As part of the Research Triangle, Raleigh is home to biotech, education, and tech talent—and its HR leaders are supporting scaleups with science-backed people strategies.

• Salt Lake City
  Fractional CHROs in Salt Lake City Making Things Happen
  SLC combines entrepreneurial energy with deep-rooted values, and its fractional CHROs offer people solutions that honor both innovation and integrity.

• San Diego
  Fractional CHROs in San Diego Making Things Happen
  Life sciences, defense, and tourism converge in San Diego—where fractional CHROs are helping companies adapt to hybrid work and global growth strategies.

• Seattle
  Fractional CHROs in Seattle Making Things Happen
  Seattle’s HR experts are key players in navigating tech sector challenges—from layoffs to equity planning to scaling culture across global engineering teams.

• St. Louis
  Fractional CHROs in St. Louis Making Things Happen
  This Midwestern city is home to major employers in healthcare, finance, and manufacturing—and its fractional CHROs support operational resilience and inclusive workforce planning.

• Washington, DC
  Fractional CHROs in Washington DC Making Things Happen
  In the nation’s capital, people leaders serve nonprofits, associations, and purpose-driven orgs—providing strategic clarity and DEI leadership in highly regulated environments.