Building Roots
Rebecca grew up in Oak Harbor, Washington, where her father was a Navy A-6 pilot stationed at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. She developed an early interest in computers and data and pursued an associate degree in computer information systems at Skagit Valley Community College. While in school and after graduating, she worked on the college’s help desk information technology (IT) team. During that time, she furthered her education and earned a bachelor’s degree in management information systems from Western Washington University.
After eight years at Skagit Valley College, Rebecca relocated to Seattle and began shifting from IT into information systems (IS) as she pursued her goal of becoming a systems analyst. She quickly found a passion for the role’s highly detail-oriented, data-driven work. In this position, she was introduced to human capital management software platforms, which later sparked her interest in human resources information systems (HRIS).
Growth and Change
In 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic changed daily life, Rebecca and her family relocated to Tampa, Florida. She transitioned into real estate and built a successful career as an agent. The move offered a new pace and the opportunity to develop new skills. With two young daughters and a desire to be closer to family, she returned to Washington in 2024.
Rebecca discovered Janicki while searching for information systems roles in the Northwest region. While living in Florida, she attended several rocket launches along the “space coast” and developed a growing interest in the space industry, and as the daughter of a military pilot, she also had an interest in aerospace. Janicki stood out as the right fit, combining her interests in technology, aerospace and data. When she saw an opening for an HRIS analyst, she applied and soon joined the team.
Bringing It All Together
HRIS roles focus on managing, maintaining and improving the software used to store employee data, process payroll, administer benefits and streamline human resources (HR) processes. Rebecca serves as the technical subject-matter expert for HR systems such as UKG, Trakstar and AutoTime. She spends about 25% of her time on reactive support tasks, including answering questions and resolving system issues. The remaining 75% is dedicated to larger projects, such as creating reports, building dashboards and analyzing data. Her work supports insights into employee demographics, compensation, turnover and more.
“I love data, and it is super interesting to take a large database and shape it into insights that help leadership make informed decisions about how to move the company forward,” says Rebecca.
Rebecca’s favorite part of her job is process improvement. She enjoys evaluating existing workflows and building solutions that automate or simplify them. One of her most impactful projects has been revamping the HR team’s onboarding process by assessing the current approach and implementing automation to improve compliance and efficiency.
“It helped automate a lot of manual, repetitive tasks,” Rebecca said. “Not only did I get to learn more about the HR team, what each person does and their processes, but I also had the opportunity to make everyone’s jobs easier and help tasks take less time. Everyone loves that!”
Looking ahead, Rebecca is focused on expanding the use of artificial intelligence in her role. She has been researching and using AI to automate tasks and support integrations within HR systems. The goal is to make reporting faster and more user-friendly for employees outside HR, while maintaining security and compliance standards. She is excited about how these tools will continue to shape her work and improve project timelines.
Life Outside of Work
Outside of work, Rebecca enjoys spending time with her daughters, Haven and Nova, and their dog, Mila. Her daughters participate in theater and gymnastics, and she values time with her sister and father, who live on Whidbey Island. She also enjoys hiking in the Pacific Northwest, reading thrillers and mysteries, solving puzzles, and playing board games.
Join Janicki’s growing HRIS team! Visit our Job Openings page to learn more about available roles and how to apply.