About DANA CLAY

Dana Clay is a Senior Talent Strategist and accomplished Human Resources leader with 30+ years of experience designing and leading talent strategies that improve readiness, performance, and retention across the military, government, and corporate sectors. She holds a Master of Arts in Human Resources Development and a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration, with certifications in Strategic Workforce Planning, Mediation, and Career Development.

A retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel in the Adjutant General Corps, Dana served in senior HR leadership roles supporting high-impact missions at the National Security Agency, the Pentagon, and the Defense Intelligence Agency, including multiple overseas deployments. Across these assignments, she was repeatedly trusted to advise senior leaders, build agile and mission-ready teams, and implement people-first policies in complex, high-pressure environments—often where decisions carried operational and enterprise-wide implications.

After retiring from active duty, Dana continued her service as an Army Civilian, where she became a go-to leader for workforce planning and civilian talent development. She helped organizations anticipate future skill needs, strengthen leadership pipelines, and build development pathways that translated strategy into execution. In the private sector, she led enterprise-level talent initiatives spanning recruitment, performance management, leadership development, and organizational effectiveness—ensuring talent systems aligned with business goals and drove measurable outcomes.

Today, as a Senior Talent Strategist at Culture Advisors, Dana partners with organizations to deliver tailored, data-informed solutions that strengthen workforce effectiveness, support compliance, and enable sustainable growth. She is especially valued for turning ambiguity into action—connecting talent insights to clear priorities, practical programs, and results leaders can see and sustain.

In addition to her role at Culture Advisors, Dana is the founder of DIALWG®—built on the belief that progress is accelerated through ongoing, structured dialogue. Through a forum-style, collective approach, she creates spaces for leaders and teams to continue the conversation, surface shared insight, and convert learning into aligned talent and culture strategies—bringing a disciplined, outcomes-driven style that blends military precision with modern talent innovation.