April O'Hair, 34, is balancing a full schedule as vice president of human resources at Spokane Valley-based Numerica Credit Union, along with graduate school studies, family time, friends, and volunteering. 

O'Hair considers herself an HR nerd, although her colleagues know her as a patient and supportive leader who is quick to laugh. Her leadership and professionalism have created an environment of accountability for herself and her team, says Lindsey Skinfill, senior vice president of people potential at Numerica.

O'Hair says, "HR people are my people."

It took Skinfill years to convince O'Hair to join Numerica while O'Hair was still with Wagstaff Inc., a Spokane Valley-based manufacturer of aluminum casting equipment, when the two were volunteer board members for the Inland Northwest Society of Human Resource Management.

Since joining Numerica, the credit union's human resources department has grown from six employees to 10. In her current role, O'Hair also manages a four-person administrative support team at Numerica's headquarters. In all, O'Hair is responsible for meeting the HR needs of the credit union's total workforce of 650 employees.

"We have a couple hundred more employees than when I started, and my team has also grown," she says. "When my boss hired me, she was trying to build this future, and it's been really cool to be on the front end and helping to see the growth."

Currently, O'Hair also is the project leader guiding Numerica employees through a transition to a new HR software program, where her approach both supports Numerica's HR team and sets realistic expectations for the organization's employees, says Skinfill.

"April's leadership style comes with a high level of trust and care, and also high expectations," says Skinfill. "Whenever there's an opportunity to elevate April to put her in front of our senior leadership, I don't even have to think about it. I always know she's going to nail it."

In addition to her work at the credit union, O'Hair expects to complete her master's degree in business administration from Gonzaga University in October. 

She still volunteers on the board of directors INSHRM, where has served for 10 years. 

Skinfill says O'Hair's optimistic personality encourages others to help her fulfill her goals. O'Hair's presence at Numerica has felt like a partnership with someone who "feels really good to be around," she says.

O'Hair was born in San Diego, and moved to the Spokane area at age 6. In California, her mother was active duty in the Navy, and after they moved to the Inland Northwest, she remarried and became a stay-at-home mom who raised O'Hair with family support. 

"I'm from a modern American family," O'Hair says. "I have lots of half and step siblings ... a very blended family."

O'Hair met her husband, Mitchell O'Hair, owner of Black Goat Fitness, while attending Eastern Washington University. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in business administration, with a focus on human resources management in 2012. 

The couple married in 2014 and have a daughter, Kassidee, born in 2021.

O'Hair credits her spouse for providing invaluable support as she completes the last leg of her master's program. O'Hair also recognizes her mother for instilling resiliency to push through difficult situations.

"I have two classes left in this fall term, then I will be done," says O'Hair. "I'm excited to have some of that time back for my family and for my hobbies."

O'Hair is athletic, hosts fantasy football drafts, and is a known Star Trek fan who attends comic-cons, notes Skinfill.

And if that wasn't enough responsibility for one person, there's more. 

"I'm also a part of a book club," O'Hair adds, laughing.

For now, O'Hair says she's laser focused on her short-term goal of finishing graduate school. She says she'd be open to teaching at a university where she could engage, inform, and mentor students interested in following a similar path.

"(HR is) not for everyone, but it's something I respect," she says. "Maybe I can make it more exciting."