HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/07/2026 05.B. Introduction of Human Resources Director Lisa Garcia •
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BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
AGENDA STATEMENT
Item No. 5.B.
For Meeting of: April 7, 2026
ITEM TITLE: Introduction of Human Resources Director Lisa Garcia
SUBMITTED BY: Vicki Baker, City Manager
SUMMARY EXPLANATION:
Introduction of HR Director Lisa Garcia. Bio attached.
ITEM BUDGETED: N/A
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 24-25: A Resilient Yakima
RECOMMENDATION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Lisa Garcia_Bio_City_of Yakima.pdf
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CITY OF YAKIMA
BIOGRAPHY
Lisa Garcia
Director of Human Resources
Lisa Garcia serves as the Director of Human Resources for the City of Yakima, bringing more
than 25 years of progressive human resources leadership experience spanning healthcare,
higher education, global manufacturing, and agribusiness. A strategic and community-centered
leader, she is recognized for her ability to align people-focused strategies with organizational
missions, strengthen workplace culture, and drive operational excellence.
Prior to joining the City of Yakima, Lisa served as the Chief People Officer at Yakima Chief
Hops, the largest United States hop merchant, where she led global People and Culture
strategy across North America, Europe, Asia, Canada, and Mexico for a workforce of-470
employees. Over more than 13 years with the organization, she rose through progressive
leadership roles and played a central role during a period of substantial organizational growth.
She served as a strategic advisor to the CEO, Board, and executive team on workforce
planning, succession, and organizational design, while overseeing human resources, safety,
facilities, and corporate social responsibility.
Earlier in her career, Lisa served as Director of Human Resources at Sunnyside Community
Hospital (Astria Health), where she managed people operations, collective bargaining with the
Washington State Nurses Association, total rewards, recruitment, retention, and HIPAA
compliance for over a decade. She also held human resources leadership roles at Heritage
University and Rabanco/Allied Waste (now Republic Services), where she gained experience in
higher education HR operations, labor relations, and multi-site workforce management.
Lisa's areas of expertise include strategic workforce planning, total rewards and compensation
strategy, leadership development and succession planning, organizational change
management, labor relations, and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. She is known for
building trusted partnerships with employees, executives, boards, and community stakeholders
to advance organizational success.
Deeply committed to community engagement and developing the next generation of leaders,
Lisa serves as Board Chair of the Yakama Nation Boys and Girls Club, where she leads
finance, safety, and fundraising efforts. She is a guest lecturer at Heritage University and serves
as a mentor for lower valley youth involved in Safe Yakima Valley.
Lisa holds a Master of Health Administration from the University of Washington and a Bachelor
of Science in Business Administration from Central Washington University. Born and raised in
the Yakima Valley, she brings a deep personal connection to the community she now serves
and is proud of her family roots in the region.
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