Mary Anne Varela-Spooner
US Navy
Mary Anne Varela-Spooner, “MAVS”, began her human resources career while serving in the United States Navy as a payroll and personnel support. She graduated from Virginia Wesleyan University in 2005 with a Bachelor of Liberal Arts, where she graduated with honors (magna cum laude). She attended the University of Mary Washington in 2011 with a Master of Business Administration with a focus on organizational and human resources development.
As she transitioned her military experience into her civilian career, she began as an HR Assistant and focused on understanding and delivering in all facets of human resources. She built her career working with all levels of operational leadership to design, adapt, develop and define the human resources functions to meet the needs of the organization. She believes the Human Resources role should be an action oriented and strategic guide for leadership and provides value through effective and efficient processes, creative leadership development, and as the culture navigator for leaders and associates to negotiate the employment experience.
Quote: I started my US Navy career in August 1994, as the last female recruit to graduate from then Recruit Training Center, Orlando, closing out 22 years of history at that location. I transitioned to my first duty station supporting sailors and submariners at Personnel Support Detachment in San Diego, California, as a Disbursing Clerk focusing on personnel and payroll for my unit. Over the course of my short career I learned the value of knowing regulations when figuring out complex personnel and pay challenges. As a young sailor, there were many times I was asked to create new processes to ensure payment was more timely and new concepts like Safeguarding were trained to our unit. When I left the Navy in 1999, to begin college, I understood that whatever I would do, it needed to be supporting good people who do good work. Over my civilian career I have been able to support businesses with benefits decision, address compliance related audits, build HR, Timekeeping, Learning Management and Applicant Tracking System, and navigate the complexities of employee relations, in healthcare and now in International Development. I am forever grateful that my Navy career gave me my first taste of being in service to those who are willing and able to serve others.
Mary Anne Varela-Spooner
US Navy
Mary Anne Varela-Spooner, “MAVS”, began her human resources career while serving in the United States Navy as a payroll and personnel support. She graduated from Virginia Wesleyan University in 2005 with a Bachelor of Liberal Arts, where she graduated with honors (magna cum laude). She attended the University of Mary Washington in 2011 with a Master of Business Administration with a focus on organizational and human resources development.
As she transitioned her military experience into her civilian career, she began as an HR Assistant and focused on understanding and delivering in all facets of human resources. She built her career working with all levels of operational leadership to design, adapt, develop and define the human resources functions to meet the needs of the organization. She believes the Human Resources role should be an action oriented and strategic guide for leadership and provides value through effective and efficient processes, creative leadership development, and as the culture navigator for leaders and associates to negotiate the employment experience.
Quote: I started my US Navy career in August 1994, as the last female recruit to graduate from then Recruit Training Center, Orlando, closing out 22 years of history at that location. I transitioned to my first duty station supporting sailors and submariners at Personnel Support Detachment in San Diego, California, as a Disbursing Clerk focusing on personnel and payroll for my unit. Over the course of my short career I learned the value of knowing regulations when figuring out complex personnel and pay challenges. As a young sailor, there were many times I was asked to create new processes to ensure payment was more timely and new concepts like Safeguarding were trained to our unit. When I left the Navy in 1999, to begin college, I understood that whatever I would do, it needed to be supporting good people who do good work. Over my civilian career I have been able to support businesses with benefits decision, address compliance related audits, build HR, Timekeeping, Learning Management and Applicant Tracking System, and navigate the complexities of employee relations, in healthcare and now in International Development. I am forever grateful that my Navy career gave me my first taste of being in service to those who are willing and able to serve others.