Greg Brenner

University of Miami

What I do: As the Associate Vice President of Talent and Organizational Development within Human Resources I sit on the HR Leadership Team reporting to the CHRO/VP of Human Resources for the University of Miami. In addition to that team, I sit on the Executive HR Leadership team for UHealth & the Miller School of Medicine (the only academic medical center in the region) reporting the CHRO/VP of HR.  

I have the honor to lead the Talent & Organizational Development team as we get to partner with leadership and staff across "the U" and our academic healthcare system to conduct strategic planning sessions, design and run employee experiences such as I am the U and We Care which is our first-day orientation programs, executive coaching, team-building and intervention facilitation, change management/leadership, organizational design, conflict resolution, along with leadership and staff development programs. My team and I also administer our talent management and engagement program.

I have a wonderful and dedicated team who make this work come alive, every day at the highest levels. They truly make a difference and do their part together to transform lives at the U!

Associate Vice President Human Resources - Talent & Organizational Development 

As the Assistant Vice President of Talent and Organizational Development within HR I sit on the HR Leadership Team reporting to the Vice President of Human Resources. 

This wonderful group of people I am lucky to lead is fortunate to partner with leadership across "the U" and our academic healthcare system to conduct strategic planning sessions, design and run employee experiences such as I am the U which is our first-day orientation program, executive coaching, team-building and intervention facilitation, change management and leadership, organizational design, conflict resolution, along with leadership and staff development programs. We also administer our engagement survey among other duties as assigned.

I am so lucky to have a very dedicated team who make this work come alive, every day at the highest levels, they make a difference and do their part together and transform lives at the U!

Assistant Vice President,                            Human Resources - Talent and Org. Development

Talent and Organizational Development (TOD) serves the University community on all things cultural, setting the stage and enabling leaders to create the right work environment in making the University a great place to work, learn, and grow. A part of engagement is talent management, which is creating structure around succession planning and career paths in addition to  interpreting employee surveys that can bring about positive change. Another large part of TOD is diversity and inclusion. Understanding that diversity of thought and backgrounds is what makes UM s special place to be is in the fabric of this organization. 

Organizational Development (OD) also serves the entire University community, largely working with leaders and their teams from strategic planning, team building, change management, team interventions, and one-on-one executive coaching. OD gets to the heart of issues and helps teams work through their differences in a proactive and professional manner. Confidentiality and trust, when working with leaders, is the staple of OD.

I am fortunate to be surrounded by truly talented professionals who are the fuel to the success of Talent and Organizational Development. These same people find their passion in training, development, and diversity with the only focus being on how to help others succeed and grow.

Executive Director of Talent & Organizational Development - Human Resources

Organizational Development is part of Workforce Engagement and Development at the University of Miami. OD at the University assists leaders, faculty and staff through change initiatives, strategic planning, and coaching. The OD team is committed to being an internal consultant and strategic partner.

Director of Organizational Development - Human Resources

Today's organizations operate in a rapidly changing environment. Consequently, the long term viability of any organization is its ability to effectively manage these changes, and the impact of these changes on its most important asset…its people. Organizational Development (OD) strategies assist leadership in building team strengths that improves and sustains organizational performance and efficiency.

Organizational Development Specialist - Human Resources

Everyday People by The HR Dad

Everyday People Podcast - By The HR Dad is about Everyday People and their Real Stories! Listen to the podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. For more information thehrdad.com.

Extraordinary things happen all around us, all the time, with everyday people just like you and me. We are all Smack Dab in the Middle of Life and this is where the magic happens. Behind every individual, there is a great big story. My podcast is dedicated to telling your big story.

Podcaster - Everyday People Podcast - By The HR Dad

The HR Dad

You know how people struggle with their personal lives at the intersection of navigating their professional career? We all know people who have this struggle. If this is you, you must know you are never alone. 

Many times people feel fractured, invisible and undervalued at home and or at work. I use the power of storytelling, humor, and authenticity to help people grow and believe. From my experience as a Dad, and as an HR leader, I give practical advice to begin to fill up the fractured cup of fulfillment. 

I love to write, think, speak and coach about the lessons learned from home and work. Leaders matter, people matter and you certainly matter!

Applebee's / Applesauce Inc.

As Regional HR Manager, I was responsible for the HR functions of an area of over 900 employees. I reported directly to the COO and VP of HR, and had a close working relationship with the Director of Operations for our area in South Florida.

My responsibilities included handling sensitive information investigations, recruiting, leadership and  compliance training.

Regional HR Manager

Gables Restaurant Management

I was the operating partner in this business venture.  I ran the day to day operations that included financials, hiring, training, marketing, quality assurance, and team building.

President

Applebee's

As the Training General Manager, I was responsible for the day to day operations of this business while managing a staff of over 60 employees. In this role, I was also charged with the training of new managers.

Training General Manager

Recognized as one of the 2021 TOP 50 Most Impactful People of LinkedIn by Ahmad Iman. I am also known as The HR Dad and a thought leader whose mission is to Serve & Inspire Others So That People can Grow. I am a good kind of obsessed with building great work environments so that people can succeed in all facets of their life.   

I am the author of the Smack Dab in the Middle of Life series. My passions are with all things people. In collaboration with my incredible wife, I have two wonderful kids, a nineteen-year-old son and a sixteen-year-old daughter who make me distinctly qualified to be the Dad. 

At work, I support a wonderful team who has taught me to learn, inspire and grow as the Associate Vice President of Human Resources, Talent and Organizational Development at the fantastic University of Miami and Health System – UHealth. 

I cherish the time to write about HR, leadership, daily life. Thanks to my team, colleagues, network, and family, I always have plenty of material. Writer’s block is never a problem. Some say I can be very funny, sometimes serious but always authentic. 

👀 Specialties: 
Executive coaching • organizational development • listening • strategic planning/thinking • fun • the employee experience • culture transformation • human resources • recruiting • hiring • compensation negotiations • employee relations • conflict resolution & interventions • operations • leadership training and team building.🌞

Children's Museum of Manhattan

Responsible for the day-to-day operations of Building Facilities, Custodial, Human Resources, Security, Technology, and the Visitor Experience. 

Founded in 1973 as a neighborhood organization, CMOM has grown over the years into a beloved destination and resource for children, families, and educators from across the five boroughs and from around the world. 

The museum welcomes nearly 250,000 visitors each year to its Upper West Side location and engages hundreds of thousands more through its outreach programs in partnership with schools, libraries, shelters, and Head Start centers throughout New York City; its touring exhibitions; and its online tools and curricula.

Through our programs on-site, online, and around the five boroughs, CMOM nurtures the next generation of creative global citizens as they learn through exploration and play. CMOM encourages empathy across difference by elevating and providing insight into diverse perspectives and inviting visitors of all backgrounds to join our intentionally welcoming community and create and learn alongside each other. 

The museum’s program reflects the rich cultural diversity, energy, and resilience of New York City itself and has a special focus on ensuring that its program is available to those families who might not otherwise have access.

The position reports to the Chief Operating Officer/Chief Financial Officer

Director of Operations

In this role at the Children's Museum of Manhattan, I focused on enhancing guest experiences while navigating operational changes. I assessed existing practices to identify immediate improvements and collaborated closely with the COO/CFO to implement strategic solutions. My efforts contributed to a more efficient front of house operation, improved staff morale, and iincreased visitor satisfaction.

Guest Experience Advisor

aspiring better human™️

With a passion for transforming workplace culture, I founded aspiring better human™️ to empower leaders and teams. My extensive experience in the arts & culture realm has equipped me to foster environments where employees feel valued and supported, ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction and team performance.

Today I only work with individuals and organization who truly embrace and understand a people-first culture

Founder

Podcast Host and Producer

The Frick Collection

My role was to advise the organization on all visitor experience logistics for the reopening on April 17, 2025

Visitor Experience Consultant

community of SEVEN

Founding Core Member
community of SEVEN Core is an invite-only membership for leaders looking to change the world. community of SEVEN is an exclusive, invite-only membership for purpose-driven leaders. Our members are leaders in their industry, activists looking to change the world, founders, in the C-suite, or rapidly approaching it. Their decision to align purpose and growth will shape the future of their organizations, their industries, and society. Through the community of SEVEN program, members thrive as individuals and grow as leaders.

Founding Core Member

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Direct all aspects of the visitor experience which includes front of house logistics and hospitality as well as back of house operations for ticketing, audio guide rentals, customer service, onsite membership sales & service, information and wayfinding all in strategic partnership with Buildings, Design, Digital, Education, Exhibitions, Membership, Security, and the Volunteer organization. Back of house responsibilities include group bookings, advance ticket sales, and box office for Met Live Arts. Key member on the operations/revenue team. Position reports directly to the CEO. 

Responsible for all hiring, training, and staff development in order to build strong public facing teams.  

Highlights of major accomplishments:

- Change Agent - brought my years of front of house experience to help transform the area from transactional to service-minded
- Admissions Policy Changes - part of the original implementation team to charge fixed admission price in 2018 and continue to make systemic improvements to simplify the ticketing process  
- Great Hall Refresh - an initiative to streamline operations and returned most of the space back to the public
- Departmental Restructure - introduced role clarity by clearly defining areas of responsibility and added structure to support the team
- Team Building - reduced the turnover and steadied the department while improving hiring practices and providing training
- Converted many traditional part-time roles into full-time positions to retain talent and paid for this by managing costs
- In partnership with IT, upgraded systems and implemented paperless ticketing
- Member of the NYC Museums Reopening Task Force as well as an internal group to help re-open NYC cultural institutions after COVID-19 shutdown.

Head of Visitor Experience

Led the team responsible for the front of house experience across all three Met locations welcoming over 7 million visitors each year. This includes Admissions, Audio Guides, Groups, Information, Membership, and Reception with a team of over 500 people; 150 staff members and 400 volunteers. In 2018 we revised our Admissions Policy and was part of the bridge implementation team prior to officially joining the department. Position reported to Head of Visitor Experience.

General Manager of Visitor Experience

Directed the Customer Experience, Inventory & Logistics, and staffing for all stores. Managed six direct reports who ultimately managed 250 people - both Museum staff and contractual. Partnered daily with all frontline departments on the overall visitor experience for the 7 million visitors annually to the Museum. Position reported to Vice President of Merchandising and Retail.

General Manager, Retail Operations

Appointed to fully manage all domestic retail stores in addition to the Main Building shops. Directed  all bottomline results, sales planning and analysis, recruiting, hiring and developing of staff as well as expense management for Main Building, Rockefeller Center, Cloisters, Macy’s, JFK Airport, LGA Airport, and Newark Airport. Directly managed 10 direct reports with a total of 250 staff members.

General Manager, Stores (Domestic)

Promoted to manage the entire sales team of over 150 staff members; both operations and sales. Product lines includes Books, Jewelry, Textiles, Accessories, Gifts, and Children's. Accountable for the full running of the museum shops including budgeting, hiring, recruiting, training, and bottom line P&L results.

Senior Manager, Museum Shops

Recognized for streamlining systems behind the scenes and developing a large receiving department team then promoted to manage overall store operations throughout the museum. Managed over 100 staff members responsible for replenishing over 10,000 SKUs.

Operations Manager, Museum Shops

Hired to review and update policies and procedures of the replenishment model and to directly manage staff of 30 stock associates responsible for receiving merchandise into the building to support multiple sales locations within the museum.

Manager, Stock Services (Logistics)

Lord & Taylor

Worked in Merchandise Information Organization and oversaw automated Quick Replenishment for Men's Shoes leased department as well as Cosmetics for over 40 stores.

Replenishment Manager

Charles Jourdan

Recruited to lead the team opening leased shoe department at Henri Bendel at a time when they were expanding and opening stores in malls across the USA. Eventually moved into central office where key responsibilities were budgeting and planning sales and stock for both Charles Jourdan stores and Henri Bendel leased departments.

Manager, Retail Operations

Macy's

Hired as Assistant Buyer in Moderate Women's Shoes and assisted with planning, buying, analyzing, and distributing shoes across the Northeast region. Traveled to tri-state stores regularly to ensure shop standards.

Assistant Buyer, Women’s Shoes

B Altman & Co.

Started in Retail Training Program as an Assistant Buyer and eventually promoted to Women's Shoes Floor Manager at flagship Fifth Avenue store and accountable for sales and service; managed 20 commission sales professionals.

Manager, Women's Shoes

NYC’s Arts & Culture Guest Experience Advisor • Top LinkedIn Voice • Leadership Coach • Host of Aspiring Better Human🎙️Podcast • Kindness Advocate

With more than 30 years in the arts and culture world, I’m deeply committed to creating environments where people come first, operations run smoothly, and visitors leave inspired. As Director of Operations at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan, I have the privilege of overseeing Human Resources, Visitor Experience, Technology, and Facilities — making sure every team is empowered to deliver results that truly align with our mission. Every year, our work touches nearly 250,000 visitors, and I take pride in fostering collaboration and efficiency behind the scenes so those experiences are seamless and memorable.

Through aspiring better human™️, the initiative I founded, I work closely with leaders and organizations to cultivate workplace cultures rooted in empathy, trust, and empowerment. I also consult on visitor experience strategies and team-building programs, helping organizations bring people-centered approaches to life. Passionate about connecting with both audiences and teams, I strive to create meaningful experiences that put humans at the heart of every interaction — in museums, nonprofits, and beyond.


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