KRYSTYNA VARNADO, SHRM-SCP, SPHR
Associate Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer
The University of Southern Mississippi
Ms. Varnado has a 20-year career of progressive human resources management experience in multiple industries and diverse environments, including manufacturing plants, unionized facilities, corporate offices, hospitals, and currently higher education. At USM, Ms. Varnado is the Chief Human Resources Officer for all USM campuses serving approximately 5,000 employees. Previous to USM, Ms. Varnado spent the greater part of her HR career in healthcare, most significantly as the HR Director at Garden Park Medical Center in Gulfport, an entity of HCA Healthcare. Her experience has encompassed all facets of HR including employment, employee relations, compensation, benefits, and talent management.
Ms. Varnado is a native of the Gulf Coast and attended The University of Southern Mississippi receiving both a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and an MBA. She also has a graduate certificate in Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation from Abilene Christian University. She has both a SHRM-SCP and SPHR certification and is a national member of the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) and College & University Professional Association- Human Resources (CUPA-HR).