Meet the team

Nicci Birley brings over 20 years of HR experience across national and global businesses, alongside 7 years as a charity trustee. Together with her husband Rob, she cofounded Cornerstone Resources, driven by a shared calling to help leaders become great employers who value their people and treat them fairly.

Nicci is passionate about encouraging and developing others, and helping leaders continually improve how they recruit, retain, manage and motivate their people.

She is married to Rob and has two teenagers at home, alongside two very affectionate labradors.

Rob cofounded Cornerstone Resources in 2018 alongside Nicci. His role encompasses a range of back office functions including Finance and Business Development, as well as supporting client work across the commercial and faith-based sectors.

He specialises in Employee Relations and Reward and Benefits. During 2026, he is transitioning away from day-to-day client delivery to focus on business growth and team development.

Julie is a Senior HR Consultant with over 30 years of experience in HR across hospitality, retail, FMCG, SMEs, and charities. Holding a degree in Business & Financial Economics and a postgraduate diploma in Human Resources Management, Julie is also a Chartered Member of the CIPD.

She brings significant expertise in supporting SMEs and charities with operational and strategic HR solutions, compliance, and people development.

Outside of work, Julie loves long walks with her Cockerpoo Tilly and is a passionate Everton supporter, holding a season ticket and attending matches with her dad and eldest daughter.

Saz is an HR Consultant, supporting churches and Christian charities with people-related needs in a way that is practical and values-led. She has a CIPD Associate with a degree in Applied Theology with Church Leadership, along with many years of serving in the local church in the UK & abroad, which gives her great insight into the unique challenges faith-based organisations navigate. Saz counts it a real privilege to champion healthy people practices, helping teams thrive so that both the mission and individuals can succeed. 

Outside of work, Saz enjoys lovingly looking after her 40+ houseplants, much to her wonderful husband’s dismay. And very soon, Saz and her husband are planting a church in the Peak District – and the plants will definitely all be going along too!

Heather supports employers in people management and risk reduction by providing expert advice and solutions on all aspects of HR. Her role involves helping businesses optimise their workforce, ensure compliance with UK employment laws and improve overall HR processes, with people at the centre of everything she does.

She is an "all-rounder HR professional" with a skill set spanning the entire spectrum of human resource functions, supporting both strategic and operational aspects of HR.

Her favourite part of the role is people engagement and employee wellbeing which are areas that align closely with her personal values of doing the right thing, following best practice, and treating all people with respect and fairness.

Andrea is a HR professional and accredited mediator with over 30 years’ HR experience working with fast-growing SMEs in the UK and internationally. She has led strategic and operational HR across specialist marketing agencies, legal firms and distribution businesses, with a track record of navigating complex ER cases, acquisitions and organisational change. Andrea combines commercial pragmatism with a people-centred approach to help leaders build healthy, high-performing cultures.

Joe is an award-shortlisted Learning and Development Consultant with experience spanning multiple industries. He designs and delivers high impact training programmes, develops effective talent strategies, and leads consultancy projects that drive measurable performance and growth.

With a particular specialism in leadership and management development, Joe supports organisations to upskill their people in the essential human skills needed to lead effective teams. He has managed teams, partnered closely with stakeholders, and worked with learners at all levels to create bespoke solutions that meet the unique needs of each client.

Cassie is an HR Consultant with over 15 years' experience supporting hospitality, care, and other fast-paced service-led businesses through people challenges, operational pressure, and complex workplace issues.

Her background is rooted in hospitality and operations, where she has held senior management and director-level roles, managed venues, and led frontline teams. This experience gives her a strong commercial and operational perspective. She understands the realities of running a business, balancing people, performance, customer experience and cost, often in environments where decisions need to be made quickly and with confidence.

Her approach to HR is always practical, commercially grounded, and focused on what will work in the real world. She doesn't just advise on policy; she works with clients to find solutions that are realistic, proportionate, and aligned to their business needs.

Cassie supports managers, directors, and trustees across a wide range of people matters, including employee relations, investigations, restructures, safeguarding concerns, and high-risk or sensitive situations requiring clear, careful handling. She brings extensive experience in GDPR, data protection, and safeguarding within an HR context, helping organisations manage personal data and people risk lawfully, ethically, and proportionately—including advising on investigations, CCTV, subject access requests, and safeguarding frameworks.

Hannah spent eight years in Tunisia working in HR and administration supporting an INGO that ran transformational development projects across the country. Before that, she was based in London working in staffing and event management. The reflex to adjust tablecloths and cutlery settings is deeply engrained!

She holds a BA in Arabic and International Relations, and in 2025 completed an MSc in People and Organisational Development. The focus of her final research was on the responsibility of love and care during organisational endings.

Hannah is a big fan of healthy rhythms, and occasionally a good practitioner of them as well. She enjoys a host of crafts, with knitting being her current favourite - handy in adjusting to the colder climate. She will devour murder mysteries in any form; the more twists and turns, the better.

Shannon brings experience from BioScience and Technology firms and is passionate about supporting clients with their HR, Recruitment and Talent needs. A natural problem solver with a curious mindset, Shannon enjoys researching and implementing solutions.

Mollie is the HR and Office Administrator and currently developing into a HR Advisor role. She supports the team with queries and projects and is the go-to person for all things Breathe HR, serving as a friendly guide through system-related queries.

She is currently working towards her Level 5 CIPD qualification and is passionate about developing her confidence and skills within the HR world.

Outside the office, Mollie is usually lost in a book - she has set herself a 150-book challenge this year and is likely already halfway through her next read!

Ben works alongside Rob and Nicci to grow the business and develop the L&D service provision alongside Joe. He started his working life running his own business in digital media, which led him into sales and marketing. His previous employed experience spans both agency-side and in-house marketing, as well as working with software product teams.

Outside of work, Ben and his wife are kept busy with their two young boys and spending time together with friends and family.