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McDonald’s names new executive HR team with departure of Chief People Officer Melissa KerseyMcDonald’s names new executive HR team with departure of Chief People Officer Melissa Kersey

Melanie Steinbach and Shammara Howell, both human resources executives, are promoted at the quick-service brand

Nancy Luna, Senior editor, Nation's Restaurant News

June 17, 2020

1 Min Read
A McDonald's drive-thru
McDonald's

Melissa Kersey, chief people officer at McDonald’s Corp., is leaving the company, triggering a few leadership changes among the company’s human resources team. 

MelanieHero_Desktop_MS_1260x560.pngWith the exit of Kersey, Melanie Steinbach, left, currently vice president and global chief talent officer, will take on the role of senior vice pesident and chief people officer for McDonald’s USA.

McDonald’s has promoted Shammara Howell to the role of vice president and global chief talent officer.

“For the past three years, Melanie’s focus has been on redesigning the company’s approach to talent management and deploying those changes worldwide,” McDonald's said.

shammara.pngHowell, left, is responsible for talent attraction, performance management, leadership development and organizational effectiveness, the chain said.

She has worked at McDonald’s since 2017. Her most recent position was senior director of corporate human resources.   

“Shammara is an accomplished human resources professional who draws on her varied experience and passion for talent and diversity to create high-impact people strategies,” the company said in a statement. 

In her previous role, she led initiatives aimed at giving leaders support and advice for cultivating high-performing, agile teams. She has been instrumental in evolving the HR team from being a service model division to one that is “embedded in the overarching business strategy” of the company, McDonald’s said.

Related:McDonald’s names new executive marketing team with departure of global chief

Over the last few years, McDonald’s said her “team has ensured the successful implementation of critical business initiatives by partnering with leaders to put the right talent in place.”

Prior to joining McDonald’s, Shammara worked in human resources positions at PetSmart and Walmart. 

Contact Nancy Luna at [email protected]

Follow her on Twitter: @FastFoodMaven

About the Author

Nancy Luna

Senior editor, Nation's Restaurant News

Nancy Luna is a senior editor at Nation's Restaurant News and a contributing editor at Supermarket News. She covers the industry's largest and most talked about fast-food brands including McDonald's, Starbucks, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, KFC and Subway. She is an award-winning journalist with more than 25 years reporting experience. As a veteran business reporter based in Southern California, Nancy has covered some of the country's most beloved food and retail brands including In-N-Out, Taco Bell, Trader Joe's, Aldi, Whole Foods Market, Target and Costco. Luna is a graduate of Cal State Fullerton. When she's not digging for news on her beat, you can find Nancy regaling her fans about her latest dining adventures on her Fast Food Maven social media channels. Contact [email protected]  or follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/fastfoodmaven

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