Florida, United States, January 2026 — SyAqua has appointed Heather (Noftall) Coppinger as Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO). In this role, she will lead SyAqua’s people strategy and HR agenda as the organization continues advancing its growth and sustainability ambitions across global aquaculture and shrimp technology markets.
In her new chapter at SyAqua, Heather (Noftall) Coppinger steps into the role of Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) after contributing to the organization through multiple leadership assignments. Most recently, she served as Associate Director, HR (Strategic Alignment and System Implementation), following her tenure as Country HR Leader, supporting HR leadership, strategic alignment, and system-focused initiatives.
Prior to this progression at SyAqua, she has also been building independent capability as Managing Member at Sunshine Wellbeing LLC, providing freelance HR and talent consulting services alongside her corporate leadership responsibilities.
Earlier, Heather (Noftall) Coppinger held a senior leadership role at Booz Allen Hamilton as Director, Enterprise Development and Employee Experience, where she owned global onboarding and led learning and development initiatives. Her work included co-leading the implementation of Workday Learning LMS, integrating learning technology with talent management to strengthen data, insights, and employee experience outcomes.
Before Booz Allen, she spent several years at 3M in HR leadership roles—most notably as Business HR Manager, providing HR leadership to global business groups and driving performance management improvements, capability building, leadership development, and employee engagement through change and inclusion. She earlier led enterprise capability initiatives as Strategic Capabilities, Competency & eLearning Leader, focused on competency-based development and global eLearning solutions.
In the earlier phase of her career, she built strong consulting and foundational HR expertise through roles including Senior Managing Consultant at IBM (leading HR and workforce strategy work for U.S. Government clients), HR Advisor at ExxonMobil, and an early leadership development role as Educational Leadership Consultant with Alpha Xi Delta—creating a blend of enterprise HR, consulting, and people-development depth. She also took a purposeful professional break as a global traveler before returning to senior leadership roles.
About SyAqua
SyAqua, founded in 2001, is an emerging player in the commercial shrimp genetics market and has strengthened its market presence through key ownership milestones, including its acquisition by Gold Coin in 2011 and a majority investment by Ocean 14 Capital in 2022. SyAqua’s Genetics division serves major markets including the USA, China, India, Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia, and is known for its Balanced Line genetics designed for robustness, higher survival rates, and strong growth performance across diverse production environments. The company has also expanded its nutrition capabilities through a state-of-the-art hatchery feed plant, aiming to broaden its feed range and strengthen its presence in pivotal markets. SyAqua positions its long-term customer relationships, service orientation, and deep aquaculture expertise as central to supporting hatcheries and farms globally, while pursuing sustainable shrimp technologies and food security outcomes.
Read Also : When HR “Produces Nothing”: A Response to Jennifer Sey’s Anti-HR Vision
The Fine Balance: Navigating Work, Life, and Mental Wellbeing
Mind the Leadership Gap – From Learning to Real-World Impact
How the Adecco Group is empowering its employees for the future of work
