Brantley Fry is a Fractional Executive and Strategic Advisor specializing in human capital strategy for startups and mid-market companies. A force multiplier, she drives competitive advantage through innovative people operations, culture transformation, and strategic policy alignment.

A trusted advisor who blends legal expertise with broad business acumen, Brantley has a proven track record of building high-performance cultures, fostering impactful partnerships, and driving organizational change and policy. Her leadership spans public and private sectors, aligning people, ideas, and policies to achieve mission-driven outcomes. She’s led transformation initiatives across fast-scaling startups and complex organizations, advising executive teams on workforce strategy, organizational design, and change management to ensure HR functions operate as strategic enablers. Highlights include:

• Reduced employee attrition by 25% in under two years while serving as Vice President of People and Community at Southern Research, implementing data-informed people strategies that strengthened retention and engagement.
• Served as State Director for U.S. Senator Doug Jones, where she championed key business and community interests, deepening her expertise in stakeholder alignment and policy impact.
• Recognized civic leader and board chair with a strong record of nonprofit governance, currently serving as Board Chair for BirminghamCorps and previously in leadership roles at The Women’s Foundation of Alabama and The Altamont School.
• Selected as a Harvard Business School Young American Leaders Program (YALP) fellow (Class of 2022), and alum of Leadership Birmingham, reflecting a continued commitment to leadership development and community impact.

Vice President of People and Community; Secretary, Board of Directors, Southern Research

As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, Brantley led all people operations for Southern Research. She crafted and implemented workforce strategies that reduced employee attrition by 25% in under 24 months, significantly improving employee engagement and reducing recruitment time-to-hire. Her portfolio included designing and implementing workforce learning and development programs, safety process improvement initiatives, and STEM education outreach. She also led key community engagement efforts, aligning organizational values with broader impact.

Chief of Staff and General Counsel, Pack Health

At Pack Health, Brantley led the company’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategies, while also managing legal risk and driving process improvement initiatives. She played a key role in acquisition diligence efforts that culminated in the company’s successful exit to Quest Diagnostics, demonstrating her ability to bridge legal, operational, and strategic imperatives.

State Director – Office of U.S. Senator Doug Jones, United States Senate

As State Director, Brantley served as the liaison between the Senator’s Washington, D.C. office and his six offices across Alabama. She developed and executed policy objectives, strategies, and operational plans for the State offices, while also representing the Senator in meetings with elected officials, business leaders, and community stakeholders. Her tenure was marked by high constituent praise for the state office’s responsiveness and effectiveness.

Vice President of Business Development, Chalker Group

In this role, Brantley designed and implemented custom recruitment strategies for clients across healthcare, academic, and corporate sectors. She led efforts that successfully filled more than 20 senior leadership roles at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and managed the deployment of CRM and project management systems. Her approach combined strategic planning with hands-on execution to deliver high-impact talent solutions.

Principal, Brantley Fry & Associates, LLC

As founder and principal of her civil law practice, Brantley focused on complex toxic tort litigation, environmental policy, and Clean Water Act compliance, demonstrating a strong commitment to public interest law and an ability to navigate highly technical regulatory challenges. From 2009 to 2014, she also served as Of Counsel with Beasley Allen, where she represented state and local governments, banks, and private clients in landmark environmental claims—including those stemming from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the 2008 TVA coal ash spill. Her work in the TVA litigation, which resulted in a $27.8 million settlement, earned her recognition from senior co-counsel as “extremely organized and one of the most respected lawyers” on the trial team.

Brantley was also a Senior Associate at ICF, providing professional consulting services specializing in regulatory support to Federal agencies, including environmental impact statements and Federal Register notices. She holds a J.D. from Vermont Law School and a B.A. in Sociology from Hollins College. Admitted to practice in Alabama and North Carolina, she is deeply engaged in civic leadership, serving as Board Chair for BirminghamCorps and an active member of the Rotary Club of Birmingham.

Testimonials

“As an Executive Leadership Team member, Brantley drove transformative strategies that significantly reduced employee attrition by 25% in under two years. Her focus on fostering a culture of excellence was evident in every initiative she led, from improving employee engagement to streamlining recruitment processes and reducing time-to-hire. Brantley excels at balancing big-picture strategy with the ability to execute actionable solutions. Her commitment to creating a thriving workplace environment is reflected in her innovative approach to talent development, community engagement, and workforce development.”

Courtney McArthur, CSM, CMC Career Consultants

“While serving as State Director, Brantley provided steady and cohesive leadership for a team of colleagues from various backgrounds and experiences. Her ability to navigate difficult circumstances and situations and work with a myriad of personality types was extraordinary. As State Director, Brantley provided guidance when developing strategies needed to accomplish articulated goals of Senator Jones’ office, goals determined by interaction with Alabama citizenry throughout the state.”

Sandra J. Jackson, B.S., J.D., LL.M., Attorney

“Her leadership style was a blend of strategic vision and genuine care for individuals, which created an environment where everyone felt valued and motivated to do their best work. Brantley consistently spearheaded initiatives that improved our organizational culture and enhanced our team’s overall performance.”

Rhonda Anderson, Ph.D., The Talent Architect

“Brantley is an exceptional leader, with strong organizational skills, who thinks strategically and is calm under pressure. In what was often a charged political environment, Brantley always put people at ease, was never flustered, and consistently delivered results. This was especially the case during the COVID pandemic, when tensions were high and information uncertain. She successfully led the state team through that tumultuous time and ensured that the DC team had a clear understanding of the needs of our constituents in the state.”

Dana Gresham, Principal, Mindset