Rising Stars: Meet Tina-Marie Wohlfield of Metro Detroit (Fraser)

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tina-Marie Wohlfield.

Hi Tina-Marie, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I am a firm believer that the more we connect and share our story with others, the better we are as stewards of people.

I am a human resources professional, working in a field where we are people, supporting people. We are blessed to be of service to others in the organizations and communities we serve as an advocate, ally and door opener of opportunities. Every interaction we have with others, is the opportunity to make an impact on someone’s day or life if we treat others as humans with empathy and understanding.

Sometimes we need reminders that the work we do matters. That as people serving people, being connected to others for the sake of nurturing and developing impactful connections and relationships is mutually beneficial; not for our own agenda, but that as a community, we are better together. “HR supporting HR”, “HR sharing with HR”, “HR learning from HR” are the key pillars of what has become the HRUnite! community. There is no cost to belong, as the community belongs to all of us, where all are welcome regardless of your title, industry or education level. My goal has been to create spaces for sharing and learning that break down barriers allowing access to professional development in our profession with no agenda but the ability to challenge and inspire positive change. I have worked towards that goal in various forms, whether that be in my work with organizations as an HR consultant, the HR community or serving on a career technical education (CTE) advisory board at a local high school, working with students on workforce readiness skills to prepare them for careers and life after high school.

Creating spaces for needed conversations to challenge and disrupt the way we approach all things people has been a gift. The opportunity to be in a room, whether at a HRUnite! HR Coffee Talkie group, HR Leaders on Leadership or our annual conference in Frankenmuth, where everyone is part of the conversation, nurturing that need for connection, conversation and community. Providing opportunities for fellow HR professionals to share their story, their journey and lessons learned provides authentic connections as all of us have stumbled and many fell into our profession by a door opening or closing, a nudge or chance.

If I can help others, by empowering them with support, advice or knowledge to better themselves as people, I am a better person because of it. There is no hidden agenda, box checked or motive behind my actions, just genuine caring and a belief that being of service and supporting others is my purpose.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
In business and in life, there are always people who are takers and place monetary value on the power of connections or try to dim your excitement and passion. Unfortunately over the course of my transition from a corporate role to consultant (which is also around the time HRUnite! began to take off) you learn the hard way that there are people that are driven not by being of service, but by monetary gains and self-agendas who are quick to try derail you, take pride in your failures or simply view you as a transactional opportunity. You will often be the person in the room that others talk about because you are challenging the status quo, the cliques and social norms because being authentic makes people uncomfortable. I had to learn to take chances with the belief that if “I build it, they will come” and that others believe in the power of connections and that creating spaces for needed conversations matter. I began to align myself with people I could learn from, who challenged me to continue to lean into that belief.

Every time I faced a barrier, setback or hard lesson stumble, I attempt to redirect that setback into something positive.. I am not driven by awards, accolades or the spotlight but the joy in seeing others succeed, find their voice and am grateful to celebrate those moments with others.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My community service work is just one part of my career story.

After almost 25 years in HR, I left my corporate HR role in 2018 and founded TIMAWO, LLC, an HR and People Strategy Consulting firm. I left to have the ability to impact more than one organization in our business community.

My goal is to elevate HR from behind closed doors to connect directly to the people and leaders we serve. When we put people first, we connect the people doing the work, to the work they do which better support the organizations mission and goals.

Throughout my career I have helped organizations take a “negative HR” brand to a “valued partnership”. My approach is helping HR (and the organization) create a world class “People Experience” (PX) from every HR interaction. It is not “what can’t we do” but “how can we do this together” that has allowed me to create credibility and an understanding of how HR and our activities can have a direct impact for our employees and the organization, creating successes together. My goal continues to be simple: to help stakeholders (leaders and employees) to approach interactions, challenges or opportunities that impact people differently.

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I have a music degree and studied voice (MezzoSoprano) in college prior to pursuing studies in business. This was prior to American Idol and MTV was not calling so I wound up getting my bachelors in business and eventually landed in HR as a career. This is likely how I overcame my fear of public speaking allowing me to share my story with others.

Pricing:

• HRUnite! 2026 Conference July 14 – 16,, 2026 Cost to Attend $459.00 www.hrunitemichigan.com

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.hrunitemichigan.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-marie-wohlfield-sphr-shrm-scp/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@hrunite
• Other: https://www.timawo.com

Image Credits
Shawn Lee Studios