About Us
TogetHR our mission is to empower people, using customized solutions, with our expertise, that creates successful outcomes!
Meet The TogetHR Consulting Team
We rejoice when we see business owners succeed and thrive! We are passionate about guiding employers and employees to do the next right thing by providing the best possible solution and adding in some kindness to these relationships!
Kari Gras, Founder & Owner - SHRM-CP & PHR
Montana is where I call home and has been since I moved here in July of 1999. Passionate about all the outdoor adventures Montana has to offer, I decided to stay and find a career I was equally passionate about.
I began my career in Payroll, working with Denise Tuohy in 2005, while employed by the Yellowstone Club. Later, I began working in the HR and Payroll Department which was a fast-pace, and evolving department. With seasonal employees keeping the constant flow of paperwork a necessity, I was challenged to continually find better ways of getting procedures refined and streamlined. I began consulting with small businesses in August 2013, following my entrepreneur dream and making it a reality!
I have gained experience in all the different fields of HR & Payroll which include:
Recruiting | Background Checks | On-Boarding | Orientations | New Hire Paperwork |
Employee Handbooks | Policies | Procedures | Manuals | Benefits Administration
Coaching | Mentoring | Performance Improvement Plans | Promotions |
Job Descriptions | Job Performance Evaluations | Annual & Seasonal Reviews |
Progressive Discipline | Investigations | Grievances | Conflict Resolution | Separations |
Professional Development – employees, supervisors, managers, directors, executives |
Payroll | Time & Attendance | Paid Time Off | Deductions | Employment Taxes |
Worker’s Compensation reporting | OSHA logs & Compliance | Annual Audits |
Human Resource Employment & Payroll Law Knowledge
Kim Keene, HR Consultant - SPHR
As John Steinbeck said, “I’m in love with Montana, for other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection. But with Montana, it is love…” and those are my sentiments, exactly! My career in Human Resources began about 20 years ago in Gardiner, Montana (while working for the concessionaire in Yellowstone National Park) and, as most good things do, it has come full circle, right back home to Montana. Having a career in Human Resources has enabled me to travel the world, and to live in some absolutely amazing places, from the left coast to the right coast and places in-between. I have worked primarily in the hospitality industry with a few others thrown in for fun.
My husband and fur babies in tow, we left coastal Virginia in September of 2020 and headed back to the mountains! I am so excited to be back and to be able to do the things I love- hike, walk, camp, ski and, mostly, I am excited to be close to our daughter, who lives in Bozeman!
I am passionate about HR and so excited to join the like-minded TogetHR Consulting Team. I am thrilled to join them on their journey of serving the business community and continued success in this crazy HR/Payroll World.
John Wright, Operations Manager - SHRM-CP
While the majority of my experience is centered on Human Resources, I bring with me a vast amount of operational and management experiences in a broad array of organizations. Those organizations range in size, in structure, and in their relative life-cycle stage. I’ve worked in almost every state in the continental US, several outlying US territories, as well as in the United Kingdom.
More than anything else, I consider myself a teacher and guide to organizations I support. Be it simply designing a stand-alone policy, building an employee wellness program from scratch, working on an overall HR strategy, puzzling through broader organizational development plans, or anything in between, I aim for ways forward that align with an organization's mission, vision and values statements.
Growing up in a military family I lived in a number of different states on both the East and West coasts as well as Hawaii during my childhood. New England has been my stomping ground since the mid-1980s and I’m now based in Portland, Maine. I share my home with my two dogs and spend my free time out in the garden or whipping up something in the kitchen.
I am absolutely thrilled to be a part of the TogetHR team and look forward to partnering with you for any and all of your Human Resources needs.
Alison Bruns, HR & Payroll Consultant
Originally from Wyoming, I have made Montana my home for the past 15 years. I began my Human Resources career in early 2010, leaning on my prior experience and education in business, operations, and finance. I was fortunate to work with extraordinary leaders, dynamic companies, and competitive industries across the country.
Due to the breadth of my experience and my natural affinity for people and numbers, I offer a well-rounded perspective and expert guidance in human resources and payroll management. My HR experience spans the full employee cycle from recruiting, retention strategies, and on-boarding, all the way through performance, employee relations, and coaching/mentoring, to off-boarding & legal separations. Additionally, creating compliant policies & procedures, total compensation statements, benefit administration, and leadership development training are all in my wheelhouse.
My payroll experience includes setting up new software, making a transition and mergers or acquisitions. I understand the importance of accurate and timely processing, including time off, employee reimbursements, and deduction management.
I am excited to be part of the TogetHR Consulting team and support our clients in achieving their goals.
Dan Rodriguez, Bookkeeping & Payroll Account Manager
I am a Texan, born and raised in the Rio Grande Valley. My favorite pastime is spending time with my wife and three beautiful daughters at the beach enjoying all the activities and cuisine our tropical climate has to offer.
With over 20 years of bookkeeping, tax, and accounting experience in the private and public sector, I have devoted much of my time to helping others manage their financial needs. While working at CPA’s firms I have been able to gain a great deal of experience in a variety of different industries including retail, non-profit, construction, and the service industry just to name a few. In my time as an accountant, I have also had the opportunity to manage individual companies allowing me the opportunity to create and implement standard operating procedures and processes to improve efficiency.
I am excited to be working with such a great group of individuals at TogetHR Consulting and continue my work of helping others manage their financial needs.
Joan Klopfer - HR & Payroll Consultant - SHRM-CP, PHR
Originally from Illinois, as a former Air Force spouse I spent 25 years living across the country and overseas before settling in Montana. Montana is now where my husband and I embrace the great outdoors through hiking, kayaking, and camping. We share our home with a lovable dog, Lucy, and a prickly (but dearly loved) cat, Wes. I am incredibly proud of my two adult children: a daughter living in Illinois and a son pursuing an advanced degree in Economics.
With over a decade of HR experience, I have developed expertise in recruitment, onboarding, organizational development, training, process improvement, and employee relations.
I am thrilled to be part of the dedicated team at TogetHR, supporting our clients with their HR needs.
What You Can Expect
Solutions
It is our desire to offer real, practical solutions that will truly work in your business. These solutions will better serve your employees, which in turn contributes to better customer service to grow productivity and profits. We are here to implement the solutions that will make this process a reality.
Excellence
We all enjoy the outdoors, an adventurous lifestyle, and we believe in having fun! We don’t believe that excellence has to come with a time sacrifice or be stuffy and boring. That said, our professional attitude and vision of excellence is portrayed in all that we do. You can expect to receive honest and open communication, professional and respectful behavior, our applied knowledge and expertise.
Support
We understand the greatest way that we can grow this business is by meeting and exceeding the expectations of clients. Our primary focus is to provide your employees an ear for listening, a voice to be heard and a keen eye for understanding. The support they want and certainly deserve, creates a great value in your business and to your team!
