About Us

Rachel Trunkey, PHR, SHRM-CP, Principal & Founder

Rachel is a seasoned human resources leader with 20 years of HR experience distinguished by superior C-level client satisfaction, proven results and integrity.

Rachel works with clients to identify their individual HR needs to build a transformative and flexible set of HR programs and policies to meet the growing needs of today’s emerging organizations.

Prior to founding Core Rapport, Rachel was the Senior Consultant in the HR Services Division of HUB Carolinas, formerly RPG Solutions, a provider of tailored employee benefits solutions. In that role, Rachel worked with some of Raleigh-Durham’s fasting growing companies advising on all areas of employee development, including recruitment and retention, legal compliance and policy development, employee relations and conflict resolution, management training and development, new hire orientation, benefits administration, progressive discipline and coaching, termination and performance management.

Core Rapport was founded in 2019 on the principle that your employees are the core of your business and your relationship with them defines the success of your company. Core Rapport focuses on implementing HR structure to support your employees, providing clients the same personal, hands-on approach to meet the individual needs of every client.

Previously, as an HR consultant in Silicon Valley, Rachel worked with a diverse client base that had varying HR requirements. Clients included both start-up venture-backed companies looking to stay compliant and competitive, to training and development for larger companies seeking to develop and grow diverse management teams.

Prior to her HR career, Rachel spent several years in management and marketing roles, developing communications programs for some of Silicon Valley’s largest companies.

Rachel holds her PHR and SHRM-CP certifications and is certified in both Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and the Disc Behavioral Assessment. Rachel conducts trainings using these tools to enhance team communication and collaboration.

Rachel holds a B.A and M.A in Education from Boston College in Chestnut Hill, MA. She lives in Raleigh with her husband, Adam, and two sons, Matthew and Ryan. Rachel enjoys cooking and entertaining, spending time with family and friends, volunteering in the community and staying active.

Janet Gould, Senior HR Consultant

A Human Resources executive with over 25 years of diverse experience, Janet has a significant background in manufacturing, as well as with higher education and service companies. She has been heavily involved in mergers, acquisitions and divestitures and she has managed departments outside of Human Resources, including Finance and Information Technologies.

Janet has spent her career working in all areas of Human Resources, including payroll, benefits, employee discipline/discharge, employee handbooks, retirement plans, recruiting, safety and compliance. Janet values growth and innovation with the businesses she works with and their employees. She has been successful in making transformational changes to benefit plans, which were advantageous to employees and employers. Janet was also instrumental in the transition to the Workday HR platform, which resulted in streamlining processes, providing transparency, and making the employee experience more intuitive.

Janet holds a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Relations from UNC Chapel Hill and an MBA from UNC Greensboro. In her free time, she enjoys running, reading, gardening and traveling with her family and friends.

Erickia Elbert, Senior HR Consultant

Erickia Elbert is a seasoned HR executive with 30 years of experience driving workforce transformation across global corporate industries and higher education. A visionary leader and strategic partner to executive leadership, she provides coaching, guidance, and strategic direction to senior leaders, ensuring alignment between talent strategies and business objectives to drive sustainable success.

With a deep commitment to fostering inclusive, high-performing environments, Erickia is recognized for her ability to lead large-scale change management initiatives, optimize workforce planning, and enhance employee engagement. Her expertise spans state and federal regulation compliance, compensation strategy, benefits plan development and execution, talent acquisition, labor law compliance, strategic communication planning, and employee relations. She is a proven leader in driving efficiency, mitigating risk, and supporting long-term organizational growth.

As Vice President of Human Resources at Guilford College, Erickia has transformed HR operations by streamlining talent acquisition, policy development, workforce planning, and employee engagement initiatives. She successfully led the $2.5 million Workday HCM implementation, reduced Title IX grievances by 50%, and increased student campus employment by 50%, reinforcing her ability to drive impactful HR solutions.

Previously, as Vice Chancellor for Human Resources at North Carolina A&T State University, she played a pivotal role in aligning HR strategy with institutional goals, leading recruitment efforts, compensation strategy, diversity programs, and strategic workforce planning initiatives.

In the corporate sector, Erickia has demonstrated exceptional leadership in HR technology and operational transformation. At PPG Industries, she led a $5 million HRIS transformation project across 120 manufacturing sites in North America and Mexico, implementing process improvements, risk mitigation strategies, and change management initiatives that enhanced operational efficiency and workforce productivity. She also played a key role in compensation strategy, labor law compliance, and benefits administration, ensuring organizations remain competitive and compliant with evolving regulations.

Erickia holds an M.S. in HR Counseling and a B.S. in Psychology from North Carolina A&T State University. She is Six Sigma Green Belt Certified, a Workday HCM expert, and a Zenger Miller Certified Training Instructor. An advocate for professional and personal growth, she serves on various boards, including CUPA North Carolina and the Women’s Resource Center of Greensboro, and is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Dedicated to developing young professionals, Erickia empowers college students to successfully navigate their transition into the workforce.

A leader known for her strategic foresight, operational excellence, and people-first approach, Erickia continues to shape the future of HR through innovation, collaboration, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.