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Carla Ayer, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, Recognized by Influential Women, Leads Risk Management and HR Services
Atlanta, Georgia — Carla Ayer, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, is a seasoned Human Resources and Risk Management Professional whose career spans more than thirty years across the hospitality, retail, services, and transportation industries. As Director of Risk Management Services at Applied Risk Solutions LLC and Intrinsic HR Business Partners, Carla oversees comprehensive HR, safety, and risk management operations while guiding organizational leaders and supporting team development through strategic leadership and compliance expertise.
Throughout her career, Carla has built a reputation for creating safe, compliant, and high-performing workplaces through a combination of operational discipline, leadership development, and relationship-centered management. Her expertise includes employee relations, internal investigations, OSHA and DOT compliance, EEOC matters, leadership training, claims management, and safety program oversight. Known for her ability to work collaboratively across all levels of an organization, Carla consistently helps businesses reduce risk exposure, improve operational performance, and strengthen workplace culture.
In her leadership role, Carla manages initiatives focused on improving key organizational metrics, including Experience Modification Rates (EMR), OSHA performance, DOT compliance ratings, and claims frequency and severity. She has also led complex EEOC investigations, implemented leadership development programs, and created systems designed to enhance employee engagement and organizational accountability. Her ability to balance compliance requirements with people-focused leadership has earned her recognition as both a strategic advisor and a trusted leader.
Carla’s professional philosophy centers on continuous learning, adaptability, and the willingness to step forward when entrusted with responsibility. While her credentials and accomplishments reflect decades of expertise, she credits much of her success to curiosity, determination, and the belief that growth comes through experience and persistence.
She did not begin her career with a formal roadmap or extensive industry training. Instead, Carla entered the workforce willing to learn through hands-on experience, asking questions, making mistakes, and growing through every challenge she encountered. Starting from the ground up, she developed her expertise through consistent effort and a commitment to continuous improvement.
Over time, Carla pursued advanced certifications not only to advance her career but also to deepen her understanding and better support the people and organizations relying on her leadership. What began as on-the-job learning eventually evolved into leading two companies and becoming highly skilled in employee relations, loss control, safety oversight, and risk management strategy.
For Carla, success has never been defined solely by titles or promotions. Rather, she views her journey as a reflection of resilience, grit, and the determination to keep growing even when the path forward felt uncertain. She believes leadership is earned through action, consistency, and a willingness to continue learning regardless of experience level.
Her career has also reinforced her belief that women can create opportunities for themselves in any industry when they trust their instincts, invest in their abilities, and fully back themselves without apology. Carla believes that when women step confidently into leadership, they not only create success for themselves but also help open doors for future generations of women entering the workforce.
One of the most impactful pieces of career advice Carla has received is not to wait until she feels fully ready before pursuing opportunities. She believes that if someone recognizes potential in you, it is important to trust that belief and then commit to becoming the person capable of meeting the challenge. In her view, growth comes through action—not hesitation—and people become qualified by stepping forward, remaining humble, learning quickly, and continuing to show up consistently.
When speaking to young women entering the fields of HR, safety, and risk management, Carla encourages them to trust themselves enough to pursue opportunities even when uncertainty exists. She believes many of the most important opportunities arrive before people feel completely prepared, and she advises women to remain curious, work hard, embrace growth, and allow courage to lead during difficult moments.
Carla sees one of the greatest opportunities in her industry today as the ability to lead with courage and clarity during a period of rapid transformation. She recognizes that AI regulations, evolving safety standards, changing workforce expectations, and increasing compliance demands are reshaping organizations across nearly every sector. At the same time, she believes these changes are creating opportunities for bold, purpose-driven leadership.
Having built her own career through hands-on experience and persistence, Carla understands what it means to step into rooms where confidence must be developed in real time. She believes the current business landscape calls for leaders who can elevate compliance into strategic leadership, champion transparency, and strengthen organizational culture while balancing operational and human needs.
While she acknowledges that the challenges organizations face today are significant, Carla believes those challenges also represent the areas where leadership is needed most. In her view, leaders who combine expertise with empathy have the ability not only to navigate change, but to humanize it and create workplaces where both people and organizations can thrive together.
In addition to her professional leadership, Carla remains deeply committed to workforce development and community involvement. She volunteers with organizations focused on disaster relief, housing support, food security, and employment assistance, reflecting her ongoing dedication to helping others build stability and opportunity. She is also an active member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and SHRM Atlanta, where she serves as Chair of the Mentoring Committee. In addition, she participates in local business associations throughout Georgia and maintains connections within both regional and national professional organizations.
The values guiding Carla in both her personal and professional life are creativity, dedication, and family. Creativity keeps her inspired and open to new ideas and experiences, whether attending concerts, enjoying Broadway productions, or working on personal projects at home. Dedication reminds her to remain committed to growth and perseverance, particularly during difficult moments. Family serves as her foundation and a continual reminder that meaningful success is measured not only through accomplishments but through the relationships nurtured along the way.
Through decades of leadership, resilience, and service, Carla Ayer continues to shape safer workplaces, stronger organizations, and more empowered professionals while helping redefine what thoughtful, people-centered leadership looks like in today’s evolving workforce.
Learn More about Carla Ayer:
Through her Influential Women profile, https://influentialwomen.com/connect/carla-ayer
Influential Women
Influential Women provides a platform where women from all backgrounds can connect, share their perspectives, and create content that empowers themselves and others. Through storytelling, thought leadership, and creative expression, Influential Women amplifies voices that inspire change.
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Influential Women
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