LaSonya Berry has an exceptional track record of helping businesses and individuals achieve their full potential. A dynamic human resource professional, she has lent her expertise to a wide array of government agencies, nonprofit organizations and Fortune 500 companies such as IBM and General Electric for over 16 years. She founded McPherson, Berry & Associates (McPherson|Berry), a multifaceted consulting firm dedicated to providing first-class HR consulting, leadership development, performance and talent management solutions to diverse clientele. As president and CEO of McPherson|Berry, LaSonya draws on her broad-ranging experience to design effective, growth-producing organizational development strategies for companies of all sizes.
While an operations manager at IBM, she became known for her superior project management skills, as well as her unique ability to quickly diagnose and solve complex challenges. She led a team that generated over $50 million annually in revenue, and transformed countless new employees into knowledgeable, productive team members. Her propensity for achieving significant bottom-line results earned her IBM’s COM Award and the prestigious IBM Leadership Award. Since being at the helm of her firm, the company was recognized with the coveted Trailblazer Award by GWBC, a region of the Women Business Enterprise National Council. She has been awarded one of the 25 Most Powerful Minority Women in Business, one of the 2009 Charleston Business Journal’s Forty Under 40, one of WBENC’s 2010 Business Stars, and in 2013 featured in MBE magazine (national publication).
LaSonya possesses a distinctive blend of business acumen and social consciousness. She is as skilled at grooming the next generation for success as she is at managing multimillion dollar contracts. Inspired by her experiences as a Workforce Development Program trainer and her passion for working with youth, she established GET POISED, a nonprofit organization offering leadership and life skills training to adolescents and those in life transition.
A two-time Clemson University alumna, LaSonya holds a BS in Industrial Engineering, an MS in Human Resource Development, and currently pursuing a EdD in Educational Leadership. She is the author of "101 Power Tips for the Workplace". She is also co-author of the books “Becoming the Professional Woman,” “Customer Service and Professionalism”, the “Young Woman’s Guide”, and the “Young Man’s Guide”. LaSonya serves as a United Way’s Women Legacy Cabinet member, Advisory Board for Keller Graduate School HR Programs, International Advisory Board member of PWN, UW Lowcountry Women’s Leadership Council member, alumni of Furman University’s Diversity Leadership Initiative, a member of WBENC Leadership Forum, past board member for the Greater Women’s Business Council (WBENC), and past SHRM State Council Member.