Chelsea White builds a people-first career across retail, hospitality and HR

Chelsea White, an operations and human resources professional in Topeka, Kansas, is being featured by Influential Women for a career shaped by leadership, adaptability and community involvement. Her path spans more than 20 years in retail, a move into hospitality with Oak View Group in 2023, and active work with Pride and diversity organizations.

Why it matters: - Chelsea White’s career shows how leadership skills can transfer across industries, from retail to hospitality and human resources. - Her work reflects a people-first approach in a fast-moving live events environment where staffing, communication and execution matter. - Her community roles add a public-facing example of inclusion and professional development in Topeka, Kansas.

What happened: - Influential Women featured Chelsea White, an operations and human resources professional based in Topeka, Kansas. - White now works in hospitality management with Oak View Group. - White built more than 20 years of leadership experience in retail before moving into hospitality. - In 2023, White left retail to focus on her family and consider her next career step. - Later in 2023, Oak View Group offered White an Office Manager role.

The details: - White’s early career centered on team supervision, training, hiring, employee development and daily operations in retail. - Her Oak View Group role expanded her work into hospitality, finance, human resources and live event operations. - Her current responsibilities include accounts receivable, accounts payable, invoicing, billing and reporting. - White also supports human resources work in her department, including corrective coaching, staffing support and operational coordination. - She steps into event operations when needed to help keep events on track. - White has completed more than 40 certifications and trainings. - Her listed credentials include the OVG Human Resources Certification Program, the Human Resources Consulting Certificate from IAP Career College, and a Hospitality Management Certification. - Her training also includes Workplace Violence Prevention Plan 2026, OVG Anti-Trust Training 2026, Preventing Workplace Harassment – Fundamentals Office, Feedback Training for Leaders at OVG, OVG’s Performance Management Systems for Leaders, SMART Goal Training for Leaders at OVG, Creating a Positive Work Environment and Whistleblowing: The Importance of a Speak Up Culture. - White serves on the OVG Pride Board as Professional Development Committee Lead. - She also serves on the Topeka Pride Board and participates in the OVG Hispanic Latin Alliance Employee Resource Group. - White said her family, God, her children and husband are her biggest motivation. - In 2023, while seven months pregnant with her daughter, White lost her father. - White’s father, Anthony, served the city of Topeka through the Topeka Police Department and the United States Marshals Service. - White’s mother, Kimberly, built a career in hospitality. - White said early-career advice from district manager Gwen stayed with her: she could go as far as she wanted and should never let others limit her. - White enjoys reading, cooking, baking, Adult Catholic Education Classes and volunteering.

Between the lines: - White’s move from retail into hospitality shows a deliberate career reset, not a step back. - Her emphasis on learning from difficult assignments mirrors the demands of operations work, where adaptability often matters as much as experience. - Her involvement in Pride and Latinx-focused employee groups suggests she sees workplace leadership as tied to belonging, not just performance. - The loss of her father appears to have sharpened her focus on modeling resilience and ambition for her children.

What's next: - White continues to grow in hospitality operations, human resources, workforce development and organizational support. - Her profile suggests she will keep combining workplace leadership with community involvement and mentorship-minded leadership. - More information is available through Chelsea White’s Influential Women profile.

The bottom line: - Chelsea White’s story is about steady advancement through change, with family, service and inclusion at the center of her leadership style.