Title: Human Resources Director
Company: Guadalupe Centers, Inc.
Location: Kansas
Education: Pursuing Doctorate of Business Administration in Human Resources, Walden University (2020-Present); MBA in Human Resources, Inter American University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico (1998); BBA in Management, Minor in Finance, Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico (1995)
Career History: Human Resources Director, Guadalupe Centers, Inc., Kansas City, MO (2019-Present); Human Resources Manager, Tippin’s Gourmet Pies, LLC, Kansas City, KS (2016-2019); Customer Service/Front End, CVS Health, Overland Park, KS (2018-2019); Researcher/Clerk, Special Investigation Unit, Government Employees Health Association, Inc. Independence, MO and Lee’s Summit, MO (2014-2016); Part-time Point of Sale Associate, Kohl’s, Inc. (2010-2016); Cost Recovery Adjuster/Data Entry, Government Employees Health Association, Inc. (2014); Enrollment Dental Specialist/Data Entry, Government Employees Health Association, Inc. (2013-2014); Administrative Assistant, Pathology Department, Saint Luke’s Hospital (2012); Human Resources Generalist, Western Forms, Inc. (2011); Human Resources Specialist/Generalist, CyDex Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Capitsol (2008-2009); Human Resources Manager, iNEK Technologies (2005-2008); Mediator and HR Consultant, Private Practice (2002-2006); Administrator/Mediator, Institute for Dispute Resolution, Inter American University of Puerto Rico School of Law (1999-2005)
Shirley Loraine Folch, MBA, SHRM-SCP, Human Resources Director at Guadalupe Centers, Inc., has been recognized as a Marquis Emerging Leader for their contributions and achievements in the field of human resources.
Guided by her empathy for others, emotional intelligence, and expert listening skills, Ms. Folch has overseen daily operations at Guadalupe Centers, Inc.—a community organization that strives to improve the quality of life for individuals in the Latino communities of Greater Kansas City through counseling, early childhood, youth development, and adult and senior programs, and even assistance with taxes and vaccinations—since 2019. Through her services as the director of human resources, she is proud of her ability to create engagement with her team, educate her employees about the mission and vision of the organization, and help those within the community as much as possible. “Being a leader is not to be the best,” Ms. Folch says. “It is making everyone else better.”
Certified by the Society for Human Resource Management and several other organizations, Ms. Folch previously lent her abilities to Tippin’s Gourmet Pies, LLC, where she served as a human resources manager from 2016 to 2019. Alongside this appointment, she worked in customer service at CVS Health for a year and was formerly active as a researcher and clerk for the special investigation unit at Government Employees Health Association, Inc., where she has also been a cost recovery adjuster and enrollment dental specialist. She has worked in several positions over the years for Kohl’s, Inc. and Saint Luke’s Hospital, and in the human resources departments for Western Forms, Inc., CyDex Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and iNEK Technologies. She launched her career in 1999 as an administrator and mediator at the Institute for Dispute Resolution at Inter American University of Puerto Rico. In addition to her primary endeavors, she has found success through her work at Nonprofit Connect and regularly volunteers at an animal shelter.
An excellent public speaker, Ms. Folch has been a presenter at numerous venues, offering information on such topics as “Communication with Your Peer and Supervisor,” COVID-19 protocols and safety measures, and diversity, inclusion, and equity. Since 2017, she has been a devoted member of the Society for Human Resource Management. In preparation for her professional journey, she earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in management, with a minor in finance, from Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Puerto Rico in 1995 and a Master of Business Administration in human resources from Inter American University of Puerto Rico in 1998. Ms. Folch is currently in pursuit of a Doctor of Business Administration at Walden University, a degree with which she hopes to advance in her career and become either a vice president of human resources or a chief human resource officer.
