Pinnacle HR & Strategy

About Us

Unified Expertise.
Proven Impact.

At Pinnacle HR and Strategy, we believe an organization's ability to achieve its mission is dependent upon the people systems that support it.

We bring together seasoned executives with deep expertise in global workforce strategy, compliance, and organizational performance — working alongside leaders who cannot afford missteps. You get a partner who understands both risk and reality — and builds an ecosystem that holds up under both.

Meet Your Partners

The Minds Behind Pinnacle

DeShaun N. Wise Porter, Co-Founder & Principal Strategist

DeShaun N. Wise Porter

PHR, GHCS

Co-Founder & Principal Strategist

DeShaun N. Wise Porter, PHR, GHCS

DeShaun Wise Porter is an enterprise people strategist, board advisor, and former global HR executive with over 20 years of experience driving large-scale workforce and culture transformation. Known for helping organizations move beyond transactional HR, she specializes in positioning people strategy as a core driver of business performance and sustained growth.
As the former Vice President of HR Consulting, Engagement, and Global Head of Inclusion of a global hospitality company, DeShaun led enterprise-wide talent and culture strategies that contributed to the #1 ranking on the World's Best Workplace list across 60 countries. Her work has consistently centered on aligning leadership, culture, and capability to unlock organizational performance.
DeShaun currently serves on various non-profit boards bringing a deep understanding of governance, mission-driven leadership, and community impact. At Pinnacle HR & Strategy, she partners with executives to transform people systems into strategic assets that accelerate execution and elevate organizational outcomes.
PHRGHCSFormer VP HR — HiltonBoard Director — FAIR GirlsGlobal Inclusion
Dr. Antione D. Smith, Co-Founder & Principal Strategist

Dr. Antione D. Smith

SPHR, SHRM-SCP, ACC

Co-Founder & Principal Strategist

Dr. Antione D. Smith, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, ACC

Dr. Antione Smith is a strategic Human Resources executive, coach, and consultant with more than 25 years of experience helping organizations unlock their potential by investing in leadership. He believes that when companies dedicate the time, energy, and resources to developing current and future leaders — through coaching, succession planning, and professional growth — they create organizations that thrive, cultures that inspire, and workforces that deliver long-term impact. His career is distinguished by the ability to align talent, culture, and performance with long-term organizational goals while delivering measurable business impact.
Dr. Smith's career reflects a rare combination of executive HR leadership, people analytics, organizational culture expertise, and practical board governance experience. As Principal Coach and Consultant at Pinnacle HR & Strategy, LLC, Dr. Smith partners with nonprofits and corporate clients to strengthen HR strategy, workforce planning, and leadership capability. His work includes executive coaching, people analytics consulting, and customized leadership and compliance training. At the heart of his practice is a commitment to building HR capacity, empowering teams, and preparing organizations for the future of work.
In addition to his executive leadership roles, Dr. Smith served for more than five years as Board Chairman for a DC-based charter school, giving him firsthand insight into the governance, operational, talent, and leadership challenges facing school executives and nonprofit boards.
He holds a Ph.D. in Personality Psychology from the University of Michigan, a B.S. from Howard University, and is an ACC-Certified Coach with senior HR certifications including SPHR and SHRM-SCP.
Today, Dr. Smith partners with organizations to elevate leadership, harness workforce analytics, and transform culture — driven by his belief that investing in people is the surest path to extraordinary business results.
SPHRSHRM-SCPACCPh.D. Personality PsychologyHoward UniversityBoard Chairman

35+

Years Combined HR Executive Leadership Experience

20+

Years Zero EEOC Complaints

#1

World's Best Workplace — Hilton, 60 Countries

10+

Years Experience Working with and Leading Nonprofit Boards

What We Stand For

Our Guiding Principles

Precision Over Guesswork

We do not believe in guesswork. Every recommendation is grounded in data, validated assessments, and proven frameworks — not intuition alone.

Partnership, Not Consulting

We serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership and boards. We are not vendors — we are strategic partners invested in your long-term success.

Mission-Driven Focus

We believe an organization's ability to achieve its mission is dependent upon the people systems that support it. Your mission drives everything we build.

Risk and Reality

We understand both the legal landscape and the operational realities leaders face. We build ecosystems that hold up under both — without compromise.

Work With Us

We are not HR consultants — we are strategic partners in your organization's performance.

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