Kathy Albarado, President & CEO

As president and founder of Helios HR, Kathy is an award-winning HR management consultant with 20 years of experience practicing in both large firms and small to mid-sized organizations. Her expertise includes targeted recruiting initiatives, professional training and development programs, and high-impact employee communication programs. Her counsel has been credited with contributing significantly to firm valuation and long-term employee retention. Kathy has been quoted in various media sources including The Washington Post, the Washington Business Journal, The New York Times, Human Capital Magazine, Compliance Magazine, Virginia Business and ExecutiveBiz regarding HR and leadership challenges.

Kathy holds an M.A. in Human Resource Management and a B.S. in Psychology from George Mason University. She is certified as a Senior Professional of Human Resources (SPHR), and was awarded the 2006 Community Service/Corporate Social Responsibility Award by the HR Leadership Awards of Greater Washington and the President’s Award from Women in Technology. In 2007 Kathy was recognized by the Washington Business Journal as a “Woman Who Means Business” and by Women in Technology as a Heroine in Technology.  In 2009 she was nominated as a Finalist for the Women in Technology (WIT) Leadership Award in the Entrepreneur Category and she was also named a Finalist in the Washington Business Journal’s 2009 Philanthropy Awards.

Ellyn Krause, Vice President, Finance

Ellyn has over 25 years in finance and business management in both large and small organizations. Prior to supporting Helios HR, Ellyn spent 11 years at ENC Marketing and Communications, Inc. as the Vice President of Finance. Prior to ENC, Ellyn had numerous management positions in finance and accounting over her 15 year tenure at Digital Equipment Corporation. Ellyn supported Digital’s hardware and services business in Chicago and Washington. Throughout her career, Ellyn has given back to the community by actively participating on numerous local boards in a variety of capacities.

Ellyn holds a B.S. in Management from Northern Illinois University and a Masters in Business Administration from Loyola University in Chicago.

Lee Butler, Managing Director

As a Managing Director for Helios HR, Lee leads a team of HR Business Partners who provide full-service HR and strategic consulting support to a wide variety of organizations. The Managing Director acts as an additional trusted advisor supporting the HR Business Partner ensuring the success of the relationship.

Lee’s extensive human resource experience spans 20 years in a variety of organizations, including government contractors, non-profit entities, and professional consulting firms. Prior to joining Helios HR he served as the Director of Human Resources at a start-up telecommunications and technology firm, and he has also served as Vice President, HR and Administration in a call-center environment, Manager of Human Resources at a national environmental consulting firm, and Manager of Benefits and Retirement Plans at a national aggregate construction company.

Lee holds an M.A. in Human Resource Management and B.S. in Business Administration, and is a certified Senior Professional of Human Resources (SPHR).

Kitty Nix, Director of Strategic Development

As the Director of Strategic Development for Helios HR, Kitty is responsible for building and leveraging strategic client relationships, strategic partnerships and scaling business processes that position Helios HR for continued growth. In this position, Kitty works with the Managing Directors and HR Business Partners to ensure our clients continue to receive the highest quality services in meeting their strategic and tactical HR needs.

Kitty’s consulting and human resources experience spans 13 years in a variety of organizations including government contractors, professional consulting firms and nonprofits. Prior to joining Helios HR, Kitty served as the Vice President of Corporate Services for an IT consulting firm, creating the infrastructure which directly contributed to their exponential growth over the course of her tenure. In this role, she was responsible for human resources and strategic development and was actively involved in business development, marketing, and daily operations of the consulting business. Under her leadership, the organization earned multiple regionally recognized awards for employment practices, culture, and ethical business.

Kitty’s technical HR expertise includes strategic planning for HR, organizational development and best practice processes and program implementation. She holds an M.S. in Organizational Development from George Mason University and a B.S. in Computer Information Systems from James Madison University. She is certified as a Senior Professional of Human Resources (SPHR), received her Executive Leadership Coaching certificate from Georgetown University and was awarded the 2007 Strategic Alignment Award by the HR Leadership Awards of Greater Washington.

Jacqueline Dendievel, Practice Leader

Jacqueline’s 20 years of experience have spanned the private and not-for-profit sectors across a variety of industries including media, technology, healthcare, consumer goods, and higher education. Her areas of expertise include organizational development and training, employee relations, policy formulation, and performance management. Jacqueline established the HR department in a rapidly growing subsidiary of a Fortune 100 Best Places to Work company, developed the HR function at one of Inc.’s 500 Fastest Growing Companies, and led the strategic planning process for the largest student services department of a DC-area university.

Jacqueline holds an M.B.A., International Concentration, from Babson College; B.S., Public Relations, French Concentration, from Boston University; Certificate in Organization Development from Georgetown University; and certification as a Senior Professional of Human Resources (SPHR).