About Kaya HR

Anthony is the Founder and President of Kaya HR. He has 30+ years of experience in the PEO industry and is responsible for the financial health and direction of the company. He understands that Kaya would not exist without its amazing client base, nor without the support and dedication of its outstanding staff. He is a Portland native and enjoys music (so much music), movies (so many movies), and directing plays. Anthony’s Corgi is named Tilly and she has really short legs.

Michelle is the HR Manager at Kaya HR. She has been working in the HR industry since 1997 and more than 20 years in the PEO industry. She consults with clients on performance management, policy development, and compliance issues and administers benefit plans from health insurance to 401(k) retirement savings plans. She knows the decision to hire employees is huge for a new business and values the trust our clients—new and longstanding alike—place in us to walk alongside ensuring that decision is a profitable one. Her dog Molly is a beagle-ish rescue from Texas who never met a walk long enough and loves to chase squirrels in the backyard.

Jen is the Director of Payroll of Kaya HR. She has over 20 years of experience in the PEO industry, over 25 years of payroll experience and is responsible for ensuring our employees’ paychecks are accurate, taxes are filed properly, and assisting our clients with questions and concerns. She loves our awesome clients, her amazing coworkers, and the flexibility of her job. She is from the Chicago area and enjoys reading ALL THE BOOKS as well as traveling the world. Jen’s adorable rescue dog’s name is Ernie and he also goes by Foxy McFoxface.

Kate is the Accounting Manager for Kaya HR. She has worked for Kaya since 2008 and has 20 years of experience in accounting and bookkeeping. Kate manages all aspects of Kaya’s finances and accounting, including financial reporting, maintaining GL and AR accounts, bank reconciliation, and cash management. Kate brings humor to the office, as well as a level-headedness to her position. She enjoys outdoor concerts and loves running. Kate’s dog is named Kreasy and he likes to lay in the sun, sleep, and steal food from the kitchen.

Nico is the Business Development Manager at Kaya HR, where he has worked since 2018. He enjoys customizing our technologies to fit seamlessly into our clients’ daily operations and feels lucky to work alongside a genuine group of co-workers. Nico has two dogs (Dudley and Dalton) who have endless energy and a deep love for people, especially when treats are involved. In their spare time, they enjoy exploring the Pacific Northwest in search of hikes, swimming, and camping adventures.

Heidi is the Payroll/HR Assistant. She has been working at Kaya HR since 2022. She enjoys working with, and supporting our clients and is always learning and taking on more responsibility. She appreciates the kind, supportive and cooperative work environment. She has lived in Portland for over 23 years and enjoys biking, nature walks, cooking and yoga. Heidi has 2 dogs: a lab mix (Maka) and a german shepard mix (Lani) who love snuggles, walks and road trips.

Makana is the Regional Representative in our Creswell office. He has more than 30 years of experience in the PEO profession.  Makana oversees customer service-related items including but not limited to new client onboarding, workplace safety, workers compensation claims and general support.  Problem-solving with the input of clients and staff keeps him motivated and dedicated to providing the best customer experience.  Makana is a native to Eugene and enjoys the food and music scene.

Barbara Burch is a Payroll Specialist of Kaya HR. She has 9 years experience in the PEO Industry and is responsible for processing payroll. She loves the personal attention given to clients and working with such outstanding and compassionate co-workers. She was born, raised and lives in Cottage Grove. She enjoys DIY projects with her husband, at her home her grandfather built in the 50’s. Copper is Barbara’s Border Collie and he loves to play,  play, play, and Luna is a Border Collie, Australian Shepherd, Catahoula mix who loves to move rocks in the yard and is the house protector.