Articles

Member Spotlight on Khianna Ward DeGarmo

Q: Were you born and raised in the St. Louis area?
A: I was born and raised in Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii, and my family and I relocated to Tampa, Florida, before moving back and forth a couple of times to and from Maui. I always approached life with a sense of adventure, and life tends to lead you to many places. My later relocations to both Little Rock, Arkansas, and Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam) are examples of this. I then came back to the USA and landed in St. Louis to be with my partner (now husband).

Q: What is your history with SHRM St. Louis?
A: I first began with SHRM St. Louis by serving on the Communications Team with gathering and editing articles under the leadership of Danielle Schroeder in 2020. Then I stepped into the role of Newsletter Lead in May 2021, before being asked to serve on the Board as VP of Communications to finish Danielle’s term. I’ve been nominated to serve in this capacity since.

Q: Why did you decide to focus on employment/human resources?
A:  To be honest, HR was not what I intended on my path - but I was happy to learn, especially legislation regarding government human resource management. When I came on as Deputy City Clerk of Jennings, the role also included a lot of HR functions.

Q: Please describe your job.
A: A City Clerk serves in many capacities and is one of the oldest, document professions in local government. Some of their roles include government administration, recording of public records, records management, liaison between the public and elected officials, human resource management, finance management, permitting, and many additional hats. The wealth of knowledge and community amongst City Clerks is astounding, and I’m so grateful!

Q: What is your favorite part of the job?
A: I enjoy making a change in the community I serve and impacting the lives of our staff.

Q: What is one example of a positive experience that you’ve had in this field?
A:  The community of City Clerks is one of great support, continued education, and camaraderie.

Q: Who introduced you to SHRM? How did you initially become involved?
A: When I returned from Vietnam, I began as the Deputy City Clerk of Jennings and met the City Clerk, Deletra Hudson. She was a great leader and encouraged me to become involved with SHRM. 

Q: What have you gained thus far through your SHRM St. Louis membership?
A: In working with others to support the general membership, I’ve served on the Communications Team and on the Board, which has connected me with quite a few HR professionals that take the needs of the membership to heart.

Q: What are your hopes for SHRM St. Louis for 2023?
A: I hope to continue to support the vision to empower others.

Q: What non-professional activities do you enjoy in your spare time?
A: I enjoy reading, writing fiction/poetry, rock climbing, hiking, camping, canoeing/kayaking and practicing yoga!

Q: What is a favorite quote of yours and why?
A: “You could rattle the stars - if only you dare.” Sarah J. Maas

Q:  Who would you consider to be your mentor and why?
A: Deletra Hudson, City Clerk of the City of Jennings. It was amazing to see a woman in leadership. She encouraged me to be a leader and to serve. I felt like she helped me to see that reaching for the stars could be my reality.