At Talent Advancement Professionals, our goal is to help organizations across the country tap into talent and the power of strong teams with customized approaches to lead transformative change and ultimately enhance the bottom line. 

Susan Doughty-Smith

In today’s competitive talent market employers need help creating engaging workplaces that resonate with multiple generations and a variety of skill and education levels.  The best environments are ones that provide opportunity to learn and grow. As a seasoned professional with experience in human resources and management both working on the floor and at the strategic level, I am ready to help you align your talent strategy with your business strategy through a customized path that aligns with your company culture.

A Record of Excellence

  • Led the talent strategy across nine manufacturing plants resulting in a $16 million improvement in EBIT and ROCC at each site ranging from 17% to 59%

  • Developed and facilitated, “Team Culture Building,” for internal and external partners coming together from across the globe focused on a global change in process and culture for capital projects over $500 million. External partners included engineering firms, paper machine OEMs, converting equipment OEMs, corporate and site employees, as well as construction contractors.

  • Conducted project site visits to assess application of culture building. Developed a project culture maturity model and assessment survey to measure project success with regards to a culture supporting virtuous cycles of mutual benefit.

  • Led a Talent Acquisition team to reduce the number of open requisitions from 800 to 400 in one year through strategic sourcing and aligning the right talent to the right work resulting in cost savings of $1 million in contingent labor.

Education and Certifications

  • Master of Science Degree: Management & Organizational Behavior

  • Bachelor of Science Degree: Communication Processes

  • Global Career Development Facilitator - Center for Credentialing and Education

  • DISC & Driving Forces  

  • DDI Facilitator - Development Dimensions International

  • Trained in the fundamentals of the Co-Active Coaching Model

Endorsements

  • "She brings everyone along on a journey to complete work focused on one aligned vision."

    I’ve witnessed Susan transform a room full of engineers, construction leaders and operations folks. She brings everyone along on a journey to complete work focused on one aligned vision. Not only did she transform each of us in the room, she also gave us the tools to carry out the transformation in the field.

    -Ty Amble Director, Asset Strategy

  • "She helped me build my confidence as a manufacturing supervisor and gave me tools to have difficult conversations."

    I highly recommend Susan's leadership coaching and development. When I was first promoted to a supervisor role, I struggled at times, due to lack of experience and soft skills. Through Susan's interactive coaching sessions, she helped me build my confidence as a manufacturing supervisor and gave me tools so that I could have difficult conversations. Her approach to coaching is fun and non-judgmental. She uses real life examples, and her advice sticks with you.

    -Julie Hoppe Manufacturing Supervisor, Georgia-Pacific

  • "Susan has what it takes to help any business experience talent success."

    I have been Susan’s coach since she began her education at UWGB. She impressed me right away with her tenacity in her pursuit to accomplish goals. I’ve had the pleasure of helping her navigate her career and I worked with her on projects in her higher-ed and private sector roles. Along the way I’ve watched her gain alignment with superintendents and higher ed professionals as well as evoke culture change across a manufacturing division. She has literally gone from business suits to safety shoes and back again. Susan has what it takes to help any business experience talent success preparing them to serve the needs of tomorrow’s customers.

    -Tim Meyer Professor Emeritus, University of Wisconsin – Green Bay

  • "Susan had a passion for building great cultures in our plants, which was the real key to our success."

    Susan and I led the talent efforts across 7 manufacturing plants. Together we improved turnover, reduced waste, and increased EBITA through a comprehensive talent strategy. Susan understands the work, the skills needed, and how to place the right people in the right roles with individual development plans that set people up for success.

    Early on, Susan earned my respect through her dedication to quickly understand our challenges. Her experience walking in the shoes of hourly employees is as valuable as her education in her field. Building great cultures in our plants was the real key to our success, and it was something that Susan had a passion for. I have total respect for her and her unquestionable integrity.

    -Jamie West Regional Manufacturing Leader, Georgia-Pacific