Concierge human resources support for small businesses
Practical, compassionate HR support, from compliance to culture, so you can focus on running your business. Leading with strength, resilience, flexibility, and 20+ years of experience. SHRM-SCP certified and based in Santa Barbara County.
HR support that meets you
where you are
From day-to-day compliance to building a genuinely healthy organization,
here's how I take HR off your plate.
Organizational Health & Engagement
Build a culture where people and performance thrive together.
Strategic Planning
Align your team around clear goals and a real path to growth.
Compliance, Policies & Procedures
Stay compliant with federal and state law, and audit-ready year-round.
Sourcing, Hiring & Onboarding
Attract the right people and set them up to succeed from day one.
Payroll & Benefits Management
Accurate, on-time payroll and benefits your team can count on.
Bookkeeping
Keep your books clean and your financials clear.
Founder and Principal Consultant
With over 20 years in human resources, I turn complex HR challenges into simple, practical solutions. My approach blends deep technical expertise with genuine care for people and culture, because thriving workplaces start with trust, clarity, and compassion.
The Willow Tree name and logo were created by my 14-year-old daughter, a symbol of strength, resilience, and flexibility.
Learn more about KachinaKachina Heil, SHRM-SCP
With over 20 years in human resources, I am passionate about helping people and organizations grow in healthy, meaningful ways. I love turning complex HR challenges into simple, practical solutions that make work easier and more streamlined.
My approach blends deep technical expertise with genuine care for people and culture, because I believe thriving workplaces start with trust, clarity, and compassion. Whether you need project-based support or a long-term HR partner, I will meet you where you are and help you move forward with confidence.
A name and logo close to my heart
The Willow Tree name and logo were inspired and created by my 14-year-old daughter. The willow is a symbol of strength, resilience, and flexibility, and in some cultures represents compassion. It is exactly the spirit I want to bring to every business I work with.
Expertise you can trust
SHRM-SCP Certified
The senior-level certification from the Society for Human Resource Management.
B.A. in Psychology
University of Puget Sound, the foundation for a people-first approach to HR.
Board Member
Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation, supporting local families when they need it most.
Three values in everything I do
Honest guidance you can rely on, even when the answers are not easy.
Complex HR made simple, with clear steps and no jargon.
Real care for your people, because culture and performance grow together.
Ready to bring people-first HR to your team?
A relaxed, no-pressure conversation about where you are and how I can help. The first consultation is always free.
Building healthier,
stronger organizations
Whether you need a single project handled or a long-term HR partner, my focus is the same: helping your business become a healthier place to work, where compliance, culture, and performance all pull in the same direction. I take the HR weight off your plate so you can get back to leading.
Organizational health
is where I do my best work
After 20+ years in HR, I've learned the healthiest organizations aren't just compliant, they're clear. People know their roles, leaders and teams actually trust each other, and the whole business is rowing in one direction. Using proven frameworks like EOS, Myers-Briggs, and the work of Patrick Lencioni, I help you get the right people in the right seats, build a culture where wellbeing and performance grow together, and turn HR from a source of stress into a source of strength.
See how we can work togetherA clear path,
wherever you're starting from
Most clients work with me through one of three packages, a path from getting solid and compliant to building a genuinely healthy organization.
HR Foundation
Get compliant, organized, and audit-ready, with a clear plan for what's next.
HR Systems & Talent Support
Put the hiring, onboarding, and performance systems in place to grow with confidence.
Strategic HR Partnership
Ongoing leadership coaching and organizational development, the deep org-health work.
Prefer a one-off project? I also take on defined engagements: a handbook build, a compliance audit, a hiring push, all billed hourly.
Organizational Health & Employee Engagement
Build a culture of happy, healthy, productive teams with clear roles, vision, and mission, using EOS, Myers-Briggs, and Patrick Lencioni frameworks to get the right people in the right seats. Includes wellness and volunteer activities, employee engagement surveys, and clear expectations through a performance management system.
Strategic Planning
Work with your executive team to define future goals, build and manage a performance management system, implement a strategic growth plan and development path, and keep organizational communication clear.
The essentials, handled
So you can focus on the bigger picture, I also take care of the day-to-day.
Compliance, Policies & Procedures
Oversee compliance strategy so you stay aligned with all federal and state employment laws. Review employee handbook and employee forms (I-9, W-4, and more), and assist with leave policies (sick, vacation, maternity and paternity, and others).
Payroll & Benefits Management
Assist with payroll processing and benefits management so your team is paid accurately and on time.
Sourcing, Hiring & Onboarding
Identify strategic hiring goals, create job descriptions and postings for sourcing sites (Indeed, Glassdoor, college job boards), manage applicant tracking, and oversee recruiting and onboarding.
Bookkeeping
Reconcile bank accounts, review monthly financials, and assist with accounts payable and accounts receivable.
Clear, upfront fees, no surprises
See exactly how engagements and rates work in the full fee schedule.
Let's talk about what your business needs.
A relaxed, no-pressure conversation about where you are and how I can help. The first consultation is always free.
Simple, transparent pricing
Thank you for considering Willow Tree HR. Below is our service pricing, designed to support organizations at different stages of growth. Every package can be customized to meet your organization's specific needs.
Packages
A path from getting compliant to building a genuinely healthy organization.HR Foundation
Best for small businesses needing foundational HR support.
- HR audit and compliance review
- Review of current HR policies
- Identification of HR risk areas
- Compliance recommendations
- Summary report with improvement plan
HR Systems & Talent Support
Designed for growing organizations that need structured HR processes.
- Recruitment strategy and hiring support
- Employee onboarding process development
- Performance management system setup
- HR documentation and templates
- Monthly HR advisory support
Strategic HR Partnership
Comprehensive HR leadership and ongoing support for established organizations.
- Custom HR strategy development
- Leadership and management coaching
- Employee training programs
- Workforce planning and organizational development
- Ongoing HR advisory support
À la carte, by the hour
Flexible, project-based support when you need a specific thing handled.Advanced HR consulting
For advanced custom projects or specialized HR support.
- Workers comp or 401k audits
- Compliance assessments
- Leadership or employee training
- Organizational development consulting
Core HR projects
For basic HR custom projects or specialized HR support.
- Employee handbook creation, annual review and updates
- HR policy development (Workplace Violence Prevention Plan, Injury and Illness Prevention Plan)
- Benefits management
- Payroll processing support
Bookkeeping & operations
Often bundled in for retained clients who want their books and HR under one roof.
- Bookkeeping (AR, AP, bank reconciliations)
- Event planning
Good to know
- HR guidance, not legal advice.
- Pricing may vary depending on organization size, project complexity, and scope of work.
- Long-term engagements may qualify for custom pricing or bundled service discounts.
- A detailed service agreement and scope of work will be provided before any project begins.
Not sure which option fits?
Let's talk it through. A free consultation is the easiest way to find the right level of support for your business.
Your information, handled with care
The same trust, clarity, and compassion I bring to my clients applies to your personal information. Here's what I collect, why, and what I do with it.
Last updated: September 22, 2026
The short version
I only collect what you choose to send me through the contact form, I use it only to reply to you and work with you, and I never sell or share it for marketing. This site doesn't use tracking cookies or advertising tools.
What I collect
When you fill out the contact form, I receive the information you enter:
- Your name and company
- Your email address and phone number
- The services you're interested in and your message
If you email or call me directly, I receive whatever you share in that email or call. Please don't send sensitive personal information, such as Social Security numbers, medical details, or employee records, through the contact form. We can find a secure way to share those if we work together.
How I use it
- To reply to your inquiry and schedule a consultation
- To provide the services you hire me for
- To keep basic records of our communication
I won't add you to a mailing list or send you marketing messages without your permission.
Who else is involved
Like most small businesses, I rely on a few trusted services to run this website. They only receive what they need to do their job:
- Web3Forms delivers contact form messages to my email inbox.
- Google Firebase Hosting hosts this website. Like any web host, it may log basic technical details such as your IP address and browser type.
- Google Fonts provides the typefaces used on this site, so your browser requests them from Google's servers.
I don't sell, rent, or trade your personal information to anyone. I would only share it if required by law.
How long I keep it
I keep inquiry messages for as long as they're useful for our conversation or working relationship, and as needed for normal business records. You can ask me to delete them at any time.
Your choices
You can ask me to show you, correct, or delete the personal information I have about you. Just email or call me using the details below, and I'll take care of it promptly. California residents may have additional rights under state privacy law, and I'm happy to help with any request.
Children's privacy
This site is meant for businesses and is not directed to children under 13. I don't knowingly collect information from children.
Changes to this policy
If I update this policy, I'll post the new version here and change the "Last updated" date above.
Questions?
I'm always glad to talk. Reach me at kachina@willowtree-hr.com or (805) 403-1094.
Kachina Heil, SHRM-SCP
Willow Tree HR Consulting
California