Cheryl D.

Cofield
3588 North Buckingham Drive
Fayetteville, AR 72703
cc82b0a6@westpost.net
479-442-5835
479-283-7319
SENIOR EMPLOYMENT PRACTICE/COMPLIANCE LEADER
Seasoned senior level diversity and employment compliance professional with 20 y
ears experience in Employee Relations, EEO and ADA initiatives, policy developme
nt, conflict resolution and diversity education. Well established record of dev
eloping extraordinary employment practice and diversity programs from the ground
up. Excellent critical thinking and written communication skills. Outstanding
negotiation skills and relationship/consensus building abilities.

KEY PROFICIENCIES
EEO/ADA Program Strategy
Conflict/Dispute Resolution
Diversity Program Development
Employee Relations
Policy Development
Cultural Competence
Litigation Avoidance
Complaint Investigations
Relationship/Consensus Building
Legal and Policy Advisement
Executive EEO Coaching
Negotiation and Influence

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Wal-Mart Stores, Incorporated (Global Home Office) - Bentonville, AR
Wal-Mart US - Strategy & Innovation, Multi-Channel Innovation
Director of HR Innovations
March 2010 - Present
Lead HR professionals in establishing multi-tiered, Corporate HR Shared Service
Center of Excellence to deliver sustainable HR solutions to business units. Incr
ease global HR efficiencies to enhance consistency, compliance and overall analy
tics.
Benchmark worldwide best-practice HR Shared Services models
Reinvent companywide HR policies, practices, processes, and procedures
Redefine organizational design to create multiple tiers of support for HR Center
of Excellence
Create complete centralized HR knowledge repository
Wal-Mart Stores, Incorporated (Global Home Office) - Bentonville, AR
Office of Diversity/Inclusion & Employment Practices
Director of Global Equal Employment Opportunity
November 2006 - March 2010
Administer Employment Compliance program for 2.1 million employees. Team with de
partmental partners to execute EEO and ADA implementation strategies. Weave fai
rness principals into company culture. Supervise HR Directors, Project Managers
, Coordinators, and attorneys/vendors to ensure flawless project execution.
Provided thought leadership, strategic guidance and employment coaching to senio
r executive management.
Ensure full integration and alignment of equity and inclusion concepts in busine
ss unit processes, systems and communication strategies to reinforce desired cor
porate culture.
Continually benchmarked EEO and diversity practices against worldwide competitor
s.
Managed Corporate ADA Center of Excellence. Redesigned reasonable accommodation
process to trailblazing standard allowing employees to receive job aids and "env
ironmental adjustments."
Transformed national, best practice training into multidimensional, world-class
compliance training for 1.5 million U.S. based employees using live instruction
, train-the-trainer, TV broadcasts and computer-based modules.
Tyson Foods, Incorporated (Corporate World Headquarters) - Springdale, AR
Director of Employment Compliance (EEO) - Diversity/Inclusion Champion
January 2005 - November 2006
Administered Employment Compliance program for 114,000+ employees. Managed inter
nal and external discrimination complaints. Identified successful methodologies
for promoting diversity and championed company's inclusion efforts.
Managed EEO discrimination investigations and mediations saving company millions
of dollars in litigation costs.
Provided employment counsel to 600+ Executives and Human Resources Directors/Man
agers.
Managed external governmental relationships and National Universal Mediation Agr
eement with U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Delivered educational programs for managers addressing EEO, litigation avoidance
and cultural competence.
Master certified to facilitate highly sensitive diversity education for Executiv
es and Officers.
Fulton County Government - Atlanta, GA
Director of Equal Employment Opportunity & Diversity - Office of the County Mana
ger
2000 - 2005
Directed all activities of county's Equal Opportunity program. Oversaw all aspec
ts of discrimination complaint investigations and mediations. Developed Diversit
y Education Series.
Provided employment related guidance to elected officials and county managers.
Managed investigative teams responsible for resolving discrimination disputes.
Served as external liaison with U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Developed and implemented comprehensive, multi-tiered Diversity Education Series
Oversaw county's Affirmative Action Plan.
Fulton County Government - Atlanta, GA
Labor & Employment Counsel - Office of the County Attorney
1998 - 2000
General corporate counsel duties including litigation, trial practice and contra
ct negotiations.
Represented elected officials & county management in civil employment litigation
matters and grievance hearings.
Provided legal guidance to elected officials & county managers regarding obligat
ions in labor/employment matters.
United States Department of Education - Office of Civil Rights - Atlanta, GA
Regional Civil Rights Attorney - Southeast Region
1989 - 1998
Provided legal counsel to national Civil Rights Director as well as investigativ
e guidance to federal investigative teams.
Developed litigation strategies to support federal anti-discrimination enforceme
nt efforts.
Developed national education policy and presented anti-discrimination training s
eminars.
Provided investigative guidance to 100+ federal investigators.
Negotiated settlements with College and University Presidents and School Superin
tendents
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit - Cincinnati, OH
Staff Attorney
1988 - 1989
Prepared legal memoranda and opinions and delivered oral presentations to federa
l circuit judges.
Engaged in extensive legal research and critical analyses to support federal Cir
cuit Court rulings.
EDUCATION
Doctorate of Jurisprudence
University of Cincinnati College of Law - Cincinnati, OH
Bachelor of Arts (Honors) - English Literature and Composition
Ohio University - Athens, OH
CERTIFICATIONS/COMPETENCIES
Master Trainer/Employment Law - Morgan Lewis Resources
Certified Mediator - American Association of Affirmative Action
Executive Development Series - Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Certified Diversity Trainer - Novations, National Coalition Building Institute
Dale Carnegie Breakthrough Leadership & Powerful Presentation Graduate
SOFTWARE SKILLS
MS Word * MS Excel * MS PowerPoint * MS Project * MS Visio * WBS Chart Pro