Darlene Harper

Darlene is a seasoned Global HR Executive with 20 years of Silicon Valley leadership and a financial background as an Account Executive in major brokerage and mutual fund firms. She supports high-growth startups through critical stages—building infrastructure, scaling teams, driving engagement, preserving culture, managing costs, and anticipating challenges. Known for a collaborative approach, she develops managers, leadership pipelines, and succession plans. Achievements include reducing benefit costs by 25%, boosting employee morale by 25%, and opening global facilities. As a fractional CHRO, she offers tailored solutions including IPO prep, with notable results like 30% headcount growth at a biotherapeutics firm and 50% cost savings at a software platform. Past roles include Global VP HR at Dark Horse Consulting Group, where she standardized global compensation and saved 11%, and CHRO at Edison Pharmaceuticals, driving recruitment cost savings. She also held leadership roles at Alexza Pharmaceuticals and founded HR at Avocet Medical. She holds a B.S. in Organizational Behavior, advanced HR certifications, serves on two boards, and volunteers as a Court Appointed Special Advocate. She enjoys outdoor activities such as paddleboarding and hiking.