Geralda Larkins: Serving Her Community at the Point of Impact

Geralda Larkins’ career in public service started with one of the largest employers in U.S. federal government.

Larkins is currently the human resources director with the City of North Miami, and founder and principal of Geralda Larkins Consulting, where she serves as an executive advisor for businesses and non-profit organizations navigating complex employee and labor relations challenges.

Before joining the City of North Miami, however, Larkins spent nearly 25 years in a number of roles with the Internal Revenue Service, including human resources specialist, management program analyst and senior human resources consultant, followed by progressively responsible leadership roles such as section chief, branch chief, associate director, and director.

Her initial decision to pursue a career in public sector HR out of college “was rooted in a commitment to service and a belief that strong organizations are built through people, accountability and trust,” says Larkins, who holds a bachelor’s degree in public administration from Florida International University.

“What led me to this field was a desire to influence not just policies, but people—ensuring fair, consistent and compliant practices that support both employees and the mission of public service.”

With the IRS, Larkins gained experience in virtually every aspect of HR, leading labor and employee relations, workforce strategy and HR operations at an enterprise level.

When she left the federal government’s revenue service for the City of North Miami in November 2025, Larkins was looking “to move closer to the point of impact,” she says.

“While federal service allowed me to influence strategy on a broad scale, I wanted to apply that experience in a more agile environment where decisions translate more directly into outcomes for employees and the community.”

As HR director for the City of North Miami and its 680-plus employees, Larkins now leads end-to-end HR operations, including recruitment and hiring, classification and compensation, employee and labor relations, benefit administration and organizational development.

Shifting to a more local level of government, she says, “has allowed me to drive meaningful improvements while seeing the direct results of that work.”

Larkins joined PSHRA less than two months after taking over her role with the City of North Miami, to “stay connected to a network of professionals who understand the unique challenges of public sector HR,” she says.

“The ability to exchange ideas, benchmark practices and stay informed on emerging trends is critical in a field that is constantly evolving.”

Larkins credits the best practices, thought leadership and community of peers that she’s found through PSHRA with helping to strengthen her approach to leadership and decision making. She hopes to continue making meaningful contributions to the PSHRA community and advancing her profession as a strategic partner in government.

“I am particularly focused on modernizing HR systems, improving the employee experience and building resilient, high-performing organizations,” says Larkins.

“Public service is more than a career. It’s a responsibility. HR plays a critical role in ensuring that responsibility is carried out with integrity, effectiveness and purpose.”