MARIA VALENTINI-BRITO
Revere
Overview
36
36
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Director, Human Resources
NeighborHealth/East Boston Neighborhood Health Center
09.2022 - Current
- Lead HR strategy to align with organizational goals, serving as a key partner at both strategic and operational levels.
- Oversee HR teams, coordinating recruitment, employee relations, and compliance efforts across the organization.
- Direct hiring, onboarding, and workforce planning initiatives to support over 1,300 employees, ensuring engagement.
- Manage complex employee and labor relations issues, partnering with legal as needed and ensuring thorough documentation, policy compliance, and a positive workplace culture.
- Design competitive compensation and benefits programs aligned with market trends, budgets, and internal equity.
- Assess training needs and implement L&D programs to promote staff growth and succession planning.
- Maintain compliance with state and federal labor laws through frequent audits, policy updates, and employee education and communications.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with leadership and staff to enhance communication, support performance management, and drive organizational efficiency.
Manager, Benefits & HRIS
11.2012 - 09.2022
- Administered comprehensive employee benefits programs: health, dental, vision, life insurance, retirement, disability, and leave management; led open enrollment, claims resolution, and benefits billing.
- Evaluated and benchmarked benefit plans through industry surveys and data analysis; provided strategic recommendations to leadership for plan enhancements.
- Designed and updated benefits policies to ensure legal compliance, competitiveness, and internal alignment.
- Managed relationships with brokers, financial advisors, insurers, and TPAs; oversaw audits, renewals, and RFP processes to optimize offerings and cost.
- Ensured compliance with federal and state regulations: COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA, and PFML; all LOA programs.
- Oversaw Workday HCM configuration, maintenance, and upgrades across Benefits, Recruitment, and HR modules to align with evolving business needs.
- Managed data integrity, validation, and file feeds between Workday and external vendors; led bi-annual testing during system upgrades.
- Served as a Workday Functional Expert and Power User; provided training and support to managers and end users.
- Generated and submitted ACA reports (1094-C/1095-C) using Workday integrations and reporting features.
Operations Manager - Vision & Optical
11.2011 - 11.2012
- Oversaw daily clinical operations of the Vision Center and Optical Departments, ensuring efficient workflows and high-quality patient care and resolved all patient concerns.
- Developed and enforced internal policies to improve service delivery, address audit findings, and support compliance.
Senior Benefits Specialist
01.2003 - 01.2011
- Conducted comprehensive benefits and payroll orientations for new hires, ensuring understanding of health, dental, life, disability, 401(k), and FSA plans.
- Processed and audited benefits enrollments for accuracy in PeopleSoft; managed COBRA administration and leave programs including FMLA and Workers' Compensation.
- Served as primary contact for employee benefit inquiries, resolving complex issues related to coverage, claims, and payroll deductions.
- Monitored benefit plan participation and costs, identifying discrepancies and supporting regular compliance audits.
- Supported broader HR initiatives including exit interviews, candidate recruitment, and cultural competency trainings.
HRIS Specialist & HR Assistant
01.1998 - 01.2003
- Streamlined HRIS processes in PeopleSoft by onboarding new hire data, processing terminations, managing enrollments, and performing regular audits for accuracy and compliance.
- Led internal system testing and validation to ensure HRIS enhancements met business needs and improved efficiency.
- Generated detailed demographic, vacancy, and compliance reports—including Affirmative Action and Department of Revenue—for senior leadership and external agencies.
- Created and presented monthly staff demographic reports using PowerPoint to support strategic decision-making.
- Trained HR Team on PeopleSoft functions, MS Office tools, and Outlook to promote consistent, efficient workflows.
- Managed employee verifications, CORI checks, unemployment claims, and Workers' Compensation reporting with accuracy and confidentiality.
Executive Secretary - VP of Human Resources
01.1989 - 01.1998
- Served as primary administrative support to the VP of Human Resources, proactively managing calendars, preparing meeting agendas, and anticipating leadership needs.
- Handled highly confidential communications, drafted internal and external correspondence, and took detailed minutes for executive, board, and union negotiation meetings.
- Supported TA and benefits teams with logistical and admin tasks, ensuring smooth operations across functions.
- Maintained a well-organized office environment, managing supplies, responding to high volumes of inquiries, and enabling team productivity through reliable, responsive support.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Management Studies
Cambridge College
Cambridge, MA01.2011
Skills
- HR Director with 33 years of experience in leadership, organizational development, and expertise in Benefits, Compliance, HRIS, and Recruitment/Retention
- Strong communicator with excellent analytical, conflict resolution, and team-building skills Adept at managing performance appraisals, policy adherence, and employee relations
- Fluent in Italian; passionate about outdoor activities, traveling, cooking, and spending quality time with family
Certification
- Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce 2018–2019 Women’s Leadership Program, Simmons School of Management
- Professional in Human Resources (PHR) - Certified since 2007
Affiliations
- Board Member, First Priority Credit Union
- Member, Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
- Advisory Board Member, Mass General Brigham Health Partners
- Former Member, Revere Chamber of Commerce
Timeline
Director, Human Resources
NeighborHealth/East Boston Neighborhood Health Center
09.2022 - Current
Manager, Benefits & HRIS
11.2012 - 09.2022
Operations Manager - Vision & Optical
11.2011 - 11.2012
Senior Benefits Specialist
01.2003 - 01.2011
HRIS Specialist & HR Assistant
01.1998 - 01.2003
Executive Secretary - VP of Human Resources
01.1989 - 01.1998
Bachelor of Science - Management Studies
Cambridge College
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