Trusted Workplace Culture Experts Helping Organizations Thrive

At The Respectful Employer, we are dedicated to helping organizations build workplaces where respect, accountability, and professionalism are at the core of everyday interactions. Our team of workplace culture experts works closely with employers, leaders, and HR professionals to create environments where employees feel valued, supported, and empowered to succeed. By focusing on practical strategies and measurable outcomes, we help businesses strengthen their workplace culture and improve overall organizational performance.

With years of experience in workplace consulting, our professionals understand the challenges companies face when addressing team member relations, leadership development, and workplace behavior. We provide guidance that helps organizations foster respectful communication, improve engagement, and develop policies that support a healthy work environment. Our approach combines proven best practices with customized solutions designed to meet the unique needs of each organization we work with.

As trusted workplace culture experts, we believe that a respectful workplace is the foundation of a successful business. When employees feel heard and appreciated, productivity increases and collaboration thrives. Our mission is to help employers build cultures rooted in respect, transparency, and trust.

Whether you are looking to strengthen leadership, enhance workplace policies, or create a more positive environment for your team, The Respectful Employer is here to help guide your organization toward lasting cultural success.

Meet Our Leadership Team

Jane Howard-Martin, JD

Co-Founder & Managing Principal

Over her 42-year career as an employment lawyer, Jane has counseled dozens of employers navigating a full range of critical employee relations matters, including corporate transformations and human capital optimization efforts; high stakes litigation; compliance activities; sensitive investigations; training initiatives; and employment-related crisis management involving reputational challenges or pressures from changes in the external environment. Known for her out-of-the-box thinking and her collaborative leadership, she leverages her deep knowledge of employment law and extensive experience as a trusted senior leader to help C-suite executives and HR professionals realize their vision of becoming — and remaining — an Employer of Choice.

Jane is a cum laude graduate of Harvard College where she majored in Government and received her law degree from Harvard Law School. Recently retired, she worked for the government of the United States Virgin Islands, was an equity partner at Kirkpatrick & Lockhart (now KL Gates) and Morgan Lewis and, for the last 21 years, was a Vice President responsible for labor & employment law matters at Toyota Motor North America, Inc. She has served on the boards of numerous professional associations, including the American Arbitration Association, the American Employment Law Council, and the National Conflict Resolution Center, and is a Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers. She recently received the American Bar Association’s Bernice B. Donald Award, which recognizes leadership and commitment to inclusion in the legal profession.

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Olesja Cormney, JD/MBA

CO-FOUNDER

With a strong foundation in leading workplace transformation, Olesja brings a wealth of knowledge in fostering inclusive workplace cultures. Her expertise as a business executive and a corporate attorney focusing on innovative approaches to employee engagement and development ensures our programs and solutions are practical, impactful, and aligned with operational objectives.

Olesja’s thought leadership on organizational effectiveness, inclusion, and various employment law topics is regularly featured by the ACC Docket and ABA publications. Olesja’s experience as General Counsel of U.S. Manufacturing for Canadian Solar, Managing Counsel with Toyota Motor North America, and a public servant dedicated to impacting change make her an invaluable asset. Recently, Olesja served as a Co-Chair of the Dallas Bar Association’s Equal Access to Justice Campaign Committee, fundraising record-breaking amounts for free civil legal services. Olesja is currently serving on several public boards advancing the interests of women and first-generation students. Olesja has been named to the National Association of Women Lawyers Rising List and received the Association of Corporate Counsel’s Top 10 30-Somethings Award. Olesja holds a B.A. in Economics and Accounting from Transylvania University, where she graduated first in her class. She earned her M.B.A. from Sullivan University and J.D. from Salmon P. Chase College of Law, graduating with honors.

Olesja is passionate about strategic leadership development, using data to drive change, and proactive approaches to personnel engagement and retention. Hailing from Latvia, Olesja has a global worldview that has enabled her to work effectively with clients across borders.

Meet Our Advisory Board

GIL CASELLAS

Gil Casellas brings unmatched experience across law, business, and public service. He currently serves on the boards of Prudential Financial, Toyota Motor North America, Comcast Corporation, and Columbia Law School’s Millstein Center.

His public service includes roles as Chair of the EEOC, General Counsel of the Air Force, and Co-Chair of the Census Monitoring Board. At Dell, he built a global diversity and corporate responsibility function.

A Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, Gil co-edits Bloomberg Law’s Workplace Harassment. He’s received top honors from the ABA and LatinoJustice and was named one of NACD’s 100 most influential boardroom leaders.

Gil holds a B.A. from Yale University and a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

CHERYL HUGHES

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Cheryl Hughes is a transformative HR and business strategy leader with over two decades of experience. As CHRO and Group VP at Toyota North America, she led HR for 40,000+ employees and helped guide the company’s evolution into a mobility enterprise.

Her data-driven, people-first approach delivered industry-leading retention and engagement. Cheryl now advises nonprofits and universities on culture, transformation, and employee experience.

She’s widely recognized for elevating HR as a strategic lever and brings deep expertise in compensation, governance, and culture.

Cheryl earned her degree in business management from Moorhead State University.

DR. MARY STACK KOHN

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Mary Kohn leads learning and development at Raytheon, shaping programs that foster growth, leadership, and emotional intelligence across the enterprise.

With 15+ years at Raytheon and a background in education, she’s designed initiatives from onboarding to executive development and facilitated programs for both corporate and military audiences.

A Fulbright Scholar and Flinn Foundation honoree, Mary holds a BA in Secondary English Literature Education, an MA in Comparative Literatures, and a PhD in Post-Secondary and Adult Education and has taught at multiple universities nationwide.

VICTORIA LIPNIC

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Victoria Lipnic is a Partner at Resolution Economics where she leads the Human Capital Strategy Group. She advises organizations on EEO compliance, AI in employment, and workplace best practices.

She served two terms as EEOC Commissioner, including as Acting Chair, and led landmark initiatives on pay data, big data, and harassment.

Victoria also served as Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment Standards and held counsel roles in Congress and the U.S. Postal Service.

She earned her J.D. from George Mason University and her B.A. from Allegheny College.

CHRISSY WILLIS

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Chrissy Willis is the founder and CEO of Altura Leadership Consulting Group which empowers leaders to build inclusive, high-performing cultures.

She previously led global HR functions at Roku and Sony Pictures, overseeing employee relations, compliance, and talent acquisition. A former employment litigator, she brings legal rigor to workplace strategy.

Chrissy teaches HR Compliance at USC Gould School of Law and holds degrees from Georgetown and USC, plus executive credentials from Wharton and Loyola Marymount.