Liza Fawcett, PHR

MEET OUR PROGRAMS DIRECTOR: Liza Fawcett

Meet Liza Fawcett, PHR, Programs Director on the SHRM San Antonio Board of Directors and a strategic HR leader who thrives at the intersection of people, systems, and business growth.

Liza is known for her “process brain” and for elevating HR into a strategic business partner by improving what's not working and building what's missing. She brings clarity to complexity by assessing, refining, and optimizing workflows while modeling a culture of continuous improvement. Whether serving as architect or operator, she designs scalable, compliant, and technology-enabled people systems that support organizational effectiveness with integrity and precision.

In her last role at PayrollOrg, Liza reported directly to the COO and worked closely with the C‑suite and senior leadership team as Human Resources and Talent Management Director; she led the organization’s full HR ecosystem, including succession planning, talent acquisition, performance management, leave administration, compliance, and total rewards. After nearly a decade in that position, she paused her career to complete her BBA in Human Resources Management, graduating magna cum laude from Texas A&M University–Central Texas. Since earning her degree this past May, she has been exploring new opportunities while providing fractional HR expertise on a part‑time, flexible, or project basis.

As Programs Director for SHRM San Antonio, Liza leads the selection of speakers for the chapter's educational meetings and conferences and focuses on curating programs that deliver practical strategies that offer HR certification credits. 

In her free time, Liza enjoys cooking, exploring food and wine, listening to live music, and watching MM

Q: After nearly ten years leading HR and talent at PayrollOrg (plus executive operations and the annual conference), what made you decide tostep away and finish your degree full-time? 

Liza: After almost a decade in my last role, I realized I’d reached a natural stopping point. I’d built programs, teams, and processes I was really proud of, but finishing my degree was still sitting there as this personal milestone I hadn't checked off. I’d raised my boys, built a career, and realized it was finally the right moment to invest in myself. Life finally lined up in a way where I could step back and focus on it full‑time. It ended up being one of the best decisions I’ve made.

Q: As Programs Director, how do you decide which topics and speakers will actually help members move the needle in their workplaces—not just check the box for credits? 

Liza: I look at topics and speakers the same way our members do: will this actually help me solve a real problem at work? I want people to walk out of a session with something they can use the next morning, whether it be a tool, a strategy, a conversation starter, or something that genuinely moves the needle.

So, I pay close attention to what HR practitioners in San Antonio are dealing with right now. I talk to members, read the survey feedback our members submit, and I watch trends; from there, I then look for speakers who aren’t just knowledgeable but can translate that knowledge into practical, real‑world guidance. If a topic doesn’t help someone hire better, stay compliant, lead people more effectively, or navigate the messy parts of HR, it doesn’t make the cut.

At the end of the day, my job is to make sure our programs feel worth the time away from the office — not just another box to check.

Q: You’ve raised three sons while building a career and now finishing your degree. What has that taught you about resilience, priorities, or leadership that you bring into HR work?

Liza: Raising three sons while building my career and now finishing my degree has taught me more about resilience and priorities than any textbook ever could. When you’re juggling family, a career, and full-time school at the same time, you learn quickly what actually matters and what’s just noise. The journey has made me a more empathetic leader, and I have learned how to stay focused even when life is messy. You also get really good at meeting people where they are, because you’ve lived enough real life to know everyone is carrying something.

In terms of resilience, this journey has reinforced the importance of how to keep moving forward, even if it’s one small step at a time. That mindset shows up in my HR work by helping teams navigate change, supporting leaders, and keeping people grounded when things feel chaotic. It’s shaped me into the kind of HR leader who understands people as whole humans, not just employees, and I think that’s one of the most valuable things I bring to the table.

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