Rhea C. Norwood

Rhea Norwood (she/her/hers) is Sr. Director and Head of HR for Emerging Merchant Businesses at Capital One. She serves as a strategic thought partner to the leadership team and translates key business objectives to human capital strategies. Rhea oversees and directs the prioritization and delivery of HR solutions to the business, including: people strategy, culture and belonging, organizational efficiency, workforce planning, and succession management for a $20BN channel with a fully-stacked diverse workforce of analysts, sales and operations leaders, data scientists, product, tech, and design team. 

Rhea joined Capital One in August 2016 and has led people strategies for Branch Transformation, Cafe & Branch Marketing, Analytics, Design teams, Chief of Staff/Communications teams, and the Small Business Bank & Card teams where she was was instrumental in the successful customer-facing response for small businesses in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Prior to Capital One, Rhea held roles in HR for Starbucks Coffee Company and Lowe’s Companies, Inc. where she led the roll-out of a corporate-wide professional development program, and leading collaboration, diversity and inclusion strategies that embrace all aspects of the business. In her early career, Rhea held five influential management positions over 14 years with Kelly Services, Inc., a global leader in workforce management solutions. Leveraging skills in workforce planning, networking and partnering, P&L management, strategy and program development, Rhea was the driving force behind numerous corporate initiatives. She took the helm in implementing a new business model that increased profits and improved efficiency in all U.S. operations; led a team that delivered an innovative staffing solution for a U.K. company’s North American expansion, solidifying Kelly’s business partnership with its fourth largest account; and opened the door for providing staffing solutions in the federal business sector. 

Rhea’s leadership and professional development expertise has had considerable impact in building high-performing teams and shaping future leaders in corporate, professional association, and civic organizations. Her consultative approach to human capital and workforce planning challenges is valued among small businesses, non-profits, and academic institutions alike having served on numerous civic boards and advisory committees and has actively participated in several professional associations for more than 20 years. She serves on Compass Pro Bono Greater Washington Board, Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business Minority Alumni Board, Washington DC’s Dance Place, and is an alumnus of Boardroom Bound® BoardologyTM. A 15-year member of the Human Capital Institute, and in her 201st year of membership in the Society of Human Resource Management, Rhea is always sharpening her professional skills to better understand workforce and talent trends. 

Rhea holds an MBA from The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University and a BBA from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. Currently residing in Maryland, Rhea spends her free time enjoying African dance art forms, reading fantasy, practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and exploring the world (physically and virtually) with her partner, Clive, and loveable pup, Keiko.

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