Meet the team

I'm Nicci Birley, after over 20 years in a variety of HR roles for national and global businesses, as well as 7 years as a charity trustee, my husband Rob and I felt a calling to start a business of our own, one that encouraged leaders to be great employers, value their people and treat them fairly.  

So, in 2018, Cornerstone Resources Ltd was born, providing professional and pragmatic HR advice and support to charities, churches and small businesses throughout the UK.

I'm passionate about encouraging and developing others, as well as helping leaders to continually improve how they recruit, retain, manage and motivate their people.

I'm married to Rob and have two teenagers at home, alongside two very affectionate labradors!

I'm Rob and together with Nicci I cofounded Cornerstone in 2018. My role covers a lot of the back office functions such as Finance and Business Development as well as supporting client work across our business and faith sectors. 

I specialise in Employee Relations and Reward and Benefits and over 2026 am transitioning away from day to day client delivery to focus on large projects and team development.

Julie Welling 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!

As a HR Consultant my role is to support employers in people management and reducing risks by providing expert advice and solutions to organisations on all aspects of HR. In this role is it my job to help businesses optimise workforce, ensure compliance with UK employment laws and improve overall HR process putting the people first in everything I do. I am what you call an “all-rounder HR professional”. I have a skill set across the entire spectrum of the human resource functions supporting with both strategic and operational aspects of HR. I would have to say my favourite part of HR is people engagement and the wellbeing of employees this is a huge part that aligns with my personal values – doing the right thing and best practise, 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.

Hi, I’m Shannon and I joined Cornerstone in July having previously worked in BioScience and Technology firms. I love supporting clients with their HR, Recruitment and Talent needs. I’m a natural problem solver and am naturally curious and love researching solutions. 

I’m Cassie, an experienced HR professional with over 15 years’ experience working across hospitality, operations, leadership, and people management. I joined Cornerstone on a fixed-term contract to cover maternity leave and was delighted to be offered a permanent role after six months, having built strong relationships with clients and really enjoyed working as part of the Cornerstone team.

Hospitality is a core part of my professional background. I have held senior management and director-level roles, managed venues, led frontline teams, and worked in fast-paced, customer-facing environments where people issues often need to be handled quickly and carefully. Having also run my own business, I understand the realities of leading teams, managing risk, and making sound decisions under pressure.

Alongside my hospitality experience, I have worked both in-house and as an HR consultant across a range of organisations, including SMEs, professional services, and charities. I work closely with managers, directors, and trustees to support them through a wide range of people matters, including complex employee relations cases, investigations, restructures, and situations that require careful crisis management.

I also have extensive experience in GDPR and data protection within an HR context, as well as safeguarding. I support organisations to handle personal data and sensitive people issues lawfully, ethically, and proportionately, including advising on investigations, CCTV, subject access requests, and safeguarding frameworks.

I joined the team in early 2026 as a Senior HR Administrator. I’m excited to be back in the UK after eight years in Tunisia, where I had been working in HR and administration supporting an INGO which ran transformational development projects across the country. Before that, I was based in London working in staffing and event management. The reflex to adjust tablecloths and cutlery settings is deeply engrained!

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

I am a big fan of healthy rhythms, and occasionally a good practitioner of them as well. I enjoy a host of crafts. My current favourite is knitting – handy in adjusting to the colder climate. I will devour murder mysteries in any form; the more twists and turns, the better. 

Hi, I’m Mollie and I’ve just started my HR career at Cornerstone in the position of HR & Office Administrator. I’m looking forward to getting involved in all areas of HR admin including recruitment systems and managing Breathe HR for our customers. I’ll also be helping out on Cornerstone’s social media pages so look forward to engaging with you there!

Hi, I'm Ben and I joined in autumn 2025 to work alongside the team to grow our client base and continually improve our brand position in the market. I started working life running my own business which led me down a path of sales and marketing. My previous employed experience has been working in both agency side and in-house marketing and software product teams.

Outside of work, my wife and I are kept very busy with our two young boys and spending time together with friends and family.