Meet Our Leadership Team
Alexandra Bowden helps growth-minded companies build elite hiring, onboarding, and retention systems rooted in culture. With over a decade of experience leading talent strategy, people operations, and leadership development, she’s known for transforming the way organizations attract and keep great people.
A two-time best-selling author and career coach, Alex has also guided hundreds of professionals through career transitions, helping them clarify their purpose, position their strengths, and land roles they love. Her dual perspective as both a hiring architect and career strategist gives her a rare advantage: she understands what great companies need and how great candidates stand out. Applying this methodology to the CareerCatalyst program has granted job seekers an accessible method for top tier coaching.
Through PEOPLEfirst, she’s changing the way the world works—one workplace at a time.
Will Kruer helps organizations attract, hire, and retain exceptional talent through clear strategy and strong employer branding. With deep experience as a recruiter and talent systems architect, Will has built end-to-end hiring infrastructures that connect culture, candidate experience, and business outcomes.
He understands what draws great people in—compelling brand, authentic message, defined candidate persona—and what keeps them engaged once they’re on board.
Having coached countless professionals through career transitions, he brings a practical, human approach to every conversation, offering actionable insight into how candidates can navigate growth and stand out.
His expertise in what gets people hired contributed to the CareerCatalyst program, designed to help professionals land meaningful roles in today’s market.
We provide the foundation for growth
At PEOPLEfirst, we believe great companies and great careers are built from the same foundation, people.
That’s why we offer both fractional HR services for growing businesses and career coaching programs for professionals, connecting the employer and employee experience like no one else in the industry.
Our team of experts spans every area of People Operations—HR Generalists, Workplace Investigation Consultants, Leadership Coaches, Culture & Engagement Specialists, and Recruiting Professionals— bringing together over a century of experience designing systems that attract, develop, and retain top talent.
When you work with us, you get the power of an entire HR department and strategic advisory team for less than the cost of one internal hire.
Growth only happens sustainably with the right people and the right systems. We design it to scale with you, driving faster growth and fewer costly mistakes.
Why Choose Us
Experienced
Our team brings decades of experience in helping businesses grow and succeed.
Human Specialists
From culture to HR expertise to recruiting and onboarding, we are your guide and partner.
Innovative
We draw from the best industry practices as well as our own unique, proprietary solutions to find the right answers for you.
Holistic Solutions
We look at the entire business and find answers that support you for the long term.
What Sets Us Apart
We treat every business as if it's our own. We develop holistic, efficient, and effective solutions that are simple, scalable, and cost-effective. This is achieved by partnering with your team and becoming totally integrated to let us think and function as part of your team. We don't replace your HR department...we enhance them! And if you don't have a HR team? That's okay too as we can help as a fractional solution! Whatever describes your company today, count on us coaching you through getting the necessary processes in place no matter where you are in your talent journey.
And when we say "partnership" we truly mean it. Other companies might just strategize and dash, leaving you with a hefty bill and uncertain about your next steps. At PEOPLEfirst, we start with the strategy but then we roll up our sleeves and do the hard work as well, providing ongoing support and enabling your internal team to focus on other critical aspects of their role. AND we do this in a fraction of the time because we have a whole team of experts standing with you.
See what other
clients have had to say about their choice to work with our team.
