Austin, Texas, United States, January 2025 – Carmen Zayas has stepped into the role of Chief People Officer at LifeWorks Austin, a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing youth homelessness in Austin and surrounding areas. Carmen brings her extensive HR leadership experience and passion for community impact to this vital role, supporting the organization’s mission to create self-sufficient individuals and stable families.
Carmen’s professional journey spans over two decades of strategic HR leadership. Prior to joining LifeWorks Austin, she served as Senior Human Resources Consultant at Zayas Consulting, where she provided tailored HR solutions for organizations, emphasizing compliance, organizational learning, and strategic leadership.

Previously, Carmen held the role of Vice President of People at Merit Advisors, LLC, where she spearheaded strategic HR initiatives to enhance talent acquisition, employee benefits, and organizational culture. Her tenure at 8th Light as VP of People saw her design the company’s first comprehensive People Strategy and drive critical DE&I initiatives across a global workforce.
Carmen also made significant contributions as Director of HR at AllClear ID, where she successfully transitioned the organization to a remote workforce model, enhancing engagement and retention. Earlier, as VP of Organizational Development at Goodwill Industries of Central Texas, Carmen introduced an award-winning leadership development program that reduced attrition and increased internal promotions, earning her accolades for her contributions to organizational success.
About LifeWorks Austin
LifeWorks Austin is a nonprofit organization committed to helping youth and young adults overcome the challenges of abuse, neglect, homelessness, and instability. Through its 20+ programs, LifeWorks provides a comprehensive range of services, including emergency shelter, counseling, education, workforce training, and transitional living. By leveraging data-driven strategies and a results-based accountability model, LifeWorks ensures measurable, positive outcomes for the youth and families it serves. Accredited by the Council on Accreditation for Services to Children and Families, LifeWorks is dedicated to empowering better futures.
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