District's General Counsel kicks up her heels to walk a mile with the Director of Human Resources

Tara Kraber
Director of Human Resources

Profiled by Valerie Shahriari, Esq.,
General Counsel

When I was initially asked to “Walk A Mile In Your Shoes” with the District’s Human Resources Department, visions of a competitive “Shoe Off” flooded my mind. It is a well-known fact that the department’s Director, Tara Kraber, is known for her fierce shoe game! As a shoe aficionado myself (with a healthy dose of competitive spirit), I immediately set out my “game plan.” I had an advantage - periodic emails from HR provided me a glimpse of what I might expect. As the date neared, I touched base with Tara and confirmed that I would have a full itinerary as HR was in the midst of preparation and planning for Biometrics, Annual Evaluations and the Benefits Fair!

Left to right: Karon Dedolchow, HR Specialist; Linda Tabel, HR Assistant; Chris Dominguez, HR Generalist, Lauren Arias, HR Manager at the Healey Center and for School Health; Edwin Melendez, HR Manager at Lakeside Medical Center; Tara Kraber, Director of Human Resources; Julie McPherson, Benefits Manager; and Valerie Shahriari, General Counsel. Not Pictured: Laura Goff, HR Recruitment Coordinator; Mery Arevalo, HR Coordinator; Susan Brown, HR Assistant.

With a full schedule of HR responsibilities to condense into one day, I donned my sporty tennis shoes and met with all the members of the District’s Human Resources Department. In addition to being a shoe fashionista, Tara Kraber is the Director of Human Resources. She supervises nine members of the Human Resources Department: Julie McPherson, Manager HR Benefits; Karon Dedolchow, HR Specialist; Linda Tabel, HR Assistant; Chris Dominguez, HR Generalist; Lauren Arias, HR Manager at the Healey Center and for School Health; Edwin Melendez, HR Manager at Lakeside Medical Center; Laura Goff, HR Recruitment Coordinator; Mery Arevalo, HR Coordinator and Susan Brown, HR Assistant. That’s right, ten employees are responsible for the hiring, insurance, benefits and much more for over 1,300 Health Care District employees. No pressure, right? It made me wonder why Tara doesn’t wear tennis shoes or perhaps roller blades daily…

Of course, Tara’s personal commitment to wellness serves as a model and inspiration to her staff. She routinely participates in Health Matters Challenges and was even seen leading one of the Zumba classes at this summer’s Family Fun Day. So, it came as no surprise when she challenged me to a handstand competition. Being equally as competitive (if not more so), I accepted her challenge…. And well, that’s how we started our day upside down.

With all the blood flow to the brain, I was pumped to move on and learn more about the upcoming Benefits Fair.

Speaking of pumps, it was time for our first wardrobe change and what goes better with benefits than fun and fresh open-toed wedges?

Walking through the reams of paperwork that must be filed for each employee on an annual basis was eye-opening.

Julie McPherson coordinates Benefit Fairs at locations across the District. This year, she hosted fairs at the C. L. Brumback Clinics’ Annual Meeting, School Health’s Annual Education Days, the Healey Center, Lakeside Medical Center and multiple days at the Home Office. And while a fair may sound like all fun and games, organizing benefits from more than 17 vendors requires tenacious attention to detail. Thanks to Tara’s team, District employees are covered on everything from Pet Insurance to Living Wills.

Helping take care of our employees so they can take care of their families is very serious business. Which meant it was time for another wardrobe change and our most serious shoes of the day… closed-toed stilettoes.

I finished up my WAMIYS tour with an overview of Annual Evaluations. Retaining and rewarding our staff has played a vital part in the culture change at the District over the last two years.

Tara personally provides training to managers, ensuring that everyone is on top of updates, changes to forms, and the reporting process for all employees in the month of August.

As I walked with Tara through the HR department, from the fun and inspiring Wellness Program to the very significant responsibilities of the department, I also learned how similar our walks through life have been. We had so much more than just our shoe game in common. In fact, we both found employment with the District for the exact same reason! In addition, we are both also country girls at heart – though two very different types of country. I am a Kentucky native and as the old saying goes, “You can take the girl out of the country, but you cannot take the country out of the girl.” As a Kentucky native, I have found this to be true whether I was living in the hollows (regionally known as “hollers”) of Kentucky, the windy Midwest or near the beaches of South Florida. Tara was also born in the country, except her version of “country” was literally another country, Korea. Despite the geographic disparity of our birthplaces, our professional careers have been remarkably similar. We both spent extensive time in the Midwest.

Before sunny days in Palm Beach County, Tara and I were both in Minnesota! Talk about a small world…. Tara worked for Hennepin County and I worked at a hospital. And now, we both call South Florida “home” as a result of our husband’s jobs!

As I wrapped up my time with Tara, I found it very fitting that she supervises the District’s Culture Committee, which celebrates the diversity of our employees and their families. Tara has an innate ability to identify that which brings people together and makes us alike while still honoring the distinct traits and abilities which make each of us unique.