The NorthstarPMO Team

David Bradshaw founded NorthstarPMO on the conviction that small and mid-sized organizations deserve access to the same caliber of strategic and operational HR support as larger enterprises. He brings deep expertise in business strategy, lean operations, and human resources, with a focus on professional services. David holds a master’s degree from the University of Cambridge and an MBA from Quantic School of Business and Technology. He is passionate about building client relationships grounded in responsiveness, trust, and genuine partnership, where fractional HR feels like an extension of the team.

Kelly Pallanti brings more than 20 years of HR experience to her work with NorthstarPMO clients, partnering with growth-stage companies to build people-first systems that scale. Her expertise spans employee benefits, mental well-being, DEI, and HR technology, with a particular focus on integrating AI ethically and effectively into HR operations. A SHRM Senior Certified Professional and Y USA Salary Compensation Task Force member, Kelly is passionate about helping leadership teams navigate the complexity of growth and build HR infrastructure that supports both performance and purpose.

Sara McConnell is a senior HR consultant who is known for building and scaling growing companies. With a career spanning VP and director-level roles at places like Powerhouse Animation Studios, Netflix, and ProjectManager.com, her roles in people & culture, people operations, and talent acquisition bring both strategic depth and hands-on expertise to every engagement. Her experience extends globally, having supported people operations across the USA, New Zealand, Russia, Canada, the Netherlands, Croatia, Norway, and beyond. She helps ambitious organizations lay strong people foundations so they can scale with confidence.

Katie Walsh partners with growth-stage companies to build the people practices and management infrastructure needed to scale. Her experience spans technology, digital media, and professional services, helping founders and leadership teams translate business goals into practical approaches for hiring and strengthening performance. A core part of her work is designing custom programs that equip managers with the skills they need to lead effectively as organizations grow. Katie brings both strategic perspective and hands-on execution to her work, with a focus on solutions that are clear, useful, and aligned to business priorities.

Dave Santino is based in Greater Boston and has 20+ years of experience, covering areas such as HR compliance, employee relations, compensation, HRIS, and HR customer service. Dave is a SHRM Senior Certified HR Professional and a Massachusetts-licensed attorney. While his services do not include the practice of law, Dave’s legal background is helpful in evaluating compliance matters. Dave aims to deeply understand client businesses (not just the HR parts) and to break down complicated subject matter into everyday language, enabling each client to focus on growing the business rather than worrying about HR.

Jessica Leitzel brings 18 years of HR and people operations experience to her work with growing organizations, with expertise spanning talent acquisition, employee relations, performance management, compliance, and leadership development. She partners with executives and managers across small businesses, healthcare, and corporate environments to build scalable HR solutions that drive engagement and retention. Jessica is passionate about helping people grow, bringing a coaching perspective to her client work that supports individuals at every career stage in building confidence, navigating meaningful change, and reaching their full potential.

Sabine Raphael brings nearly 10 years of experience across human resources, talent acquisition, onboarding, benefits administration, and people operations. Her background spans banking, mortgage, nonprofit, professional services, and consulting environments, where she has supported recruiting operations, employee programs, HR systems, and day-to-day people processes. Sabine enjoys working across all areas of HR, with a particular passion for talent acquisition and creating a thoughtful candidate experience. She is passionate about helping clients build organized, people-centered HR practices that bring structure, clarity, and care to both employees and leadership teams.

Amy Reid, PHR, brings 15 years of HR experience helping organizations build compliant, scalable HR programs that support long-term success. Her expertise includes HR compliance, policy development, HRIS implementation, and organizational change, with a focus on creating clear, efficient processes and strong operational foundations. Recognized for her attention to detail and project management expertise, Amy partners with business leaders to bring structure, clarity, and practical solutions to HR initiatives that enable growth and consistency.

Fred Ritzau brings more than 30 years of experience in human resources, executive leadership, and consulting to his work with small and mid-sized businesses and nonprofits. His expertise spans HR strategy, compensation, performance management, employee relations, and workforce planning. A Boston University and Northeastern University MBA graduate who has also taught HR and business strategy at the university level, Fred is passionate about simplifying complex workplace challenges and helping organizations build management practices that hold up as they grow.