Kick Start Your PSHRA Certification Journey

Melanie Ault brings a depth of knowledge and experience to the HR Technical Assistance Program, where she supports HR Directors and County Administrators on behalf of the Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC). As the employee relations senior advisor for Carver County, Minn., she combines her extensive public sector background—spanning state, regional, city, and county levels—with a strong academic foundation in public administration (JD, MAPA, CAPA, and DPA work).

Kathy Baker serves as the Human Resources Director for the City of Columbia, Missouri. She has been a member of the Public Sector HR Association (PSHRA) since 2001 and has dedicated her entire professional career to public service.

Kathy has more than 30 years of experience in municipal government, including 29 years with the City of Columbia and two years with the City of Marshall, Missouri. She has advanced through the ranks in a full-service city, gaining extensive experience in executive leadership, operations, classification and compensation, employee relations, recruitment and retention, labor relations, strategic planning, wellness, and training. Throughout her public service career, she has been committed to teamwork and to fostering a learning culture grounded in honesty, trust, and the development and implementation of effective human resources practices.

Education and Professional Certifications

• Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, Columbia College
• PSHRA Senior Certified Professional (PSHRA-SCP)
• Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR)
• SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP)

Professional Affiliations and Service

• Human Resources Association of Central Missouri — Served in various leadership roles
• Job Point Business Advisory Council — Member
• Missouri Public Employer Labor Relations Association (MOPELRA) - Member
• National Public Employer Labor Relations Association (NPELRA) – Member
• PSHRA — Certification Advisory Board Member; Former Fellowship Committee Member
• Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) — Member

Emma House is the PSHRA Washington State Chapter President-Elect and a seasoned Human Resources executive with over two decades of experience leading innovative people strategies across healthcare, education, private industry, and local government. As Director of Human Resources for the City of Oak Harbor, Washington, she oversees all HR operations—including labor relations, workforce planning, performance management, and employee engagement.

Emma is nationally recognized for her expertise in labor relations, HR technology implementation, and organizational development. She has successfully led multiple HRIS deployments, Lean/Kaizen process improvements, and collective bargaining negotiations, achieving measurable results in efficiency, cost savings, and employee satisfaction.

A certified senior professional with credentials from SHRM, PSHRA, CPHR BC & Yukon, and NPELRA, Emma is also a published author in the National Public Employers Labor Relations Association Journal for her work on collective bargaining and the use of comparable data. She is a sought-after speaker and facilitator known for her collaborative leadership style, practical insights, and passion for building healthy, high-performing workplaces.

Emma earned her PSHRA certification in 2014, and most recently participated on the PSHA Certification Advisory Board.  

David is a resident of Edmond, Oklahoma and currently serves as Vice President of the Oklahoma Chapter of PSHRA. He currently serves PSHRA at the national level as a member of the Veterans Committee and Certification Advisory Board. He has been a member of PSHRA since 2021.

He is a vision and solutions-driven human resource executive specializing in full-service human resource services such as talent retention and recruiting, employee relations, organizational operations, executive leadership, strategic planning, data management, budgeting, and employee compensation plans. He enjoys communicating ideas to others and bringing functional groups together for a common goal. He is dedicated to professionalism and producing measurable results. His most recent public sector experience was serving as the Director of Human Resources & Open Records for the Office of the Oklahoma State Treasurer.

He holds a Master of Science in Human Resource Management, Bachelor of Science in Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness, and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He is an Oklahoma Supreme Court and nationally certified Civil Mediator, a Master Training Specialist, PSHRA Senior Certified Professional, and is a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Navy.