Barge Strengthens C-Suite, Names Veteran Human Resource Leader Karen Cosentino as First-Ever Chief People Officer

Nashville, Tenn. - Barge Design Solutions, a leading regional engineering and architecture firm, today announced the appointment of Karen Cosentino, SPHR, as its first-ever chief people officer (CPO). Cosentino, who brings over two decades of experience across multiple industries, will spearhead the firm’s employee experience strategy and serve as the cultural ambassador to Barge’s leadership team.

"Karen is a proven HR professional with a tremendous track record, particularly in organization development, making her an ideal fit for our new chief people officer role,”  said Bob Higgins, CEO and president of Barge Design Solutions. "Culture is everything at Barge. By adding Karen, we’re not only strengthening our senior leadership team, but we’re underscoring our continued commitment and investment in our people at a pivotal time as we continue to grow and expand our presence throughout the southeast.”

As CPO, Cosentino will focus on aligning human resource initiatives with Barge’s overall business goals during a significant phase of growth and expansion. Leveraging her extensive experience in organizational development, Cosentino will prioritize creating a learning-centered culture that nurtures internal employee growth, bolsters training and leadership development.

"I am thrilled to join Barge as Chief People Officer," said Cosentino. "This is a perfect opportunity to contribute to a company that is on the rise and truly values its employees and recognizes the crucial role of human resources in driving organizational success. I look forward to collaborating with the leadership team to foster a culture of continuous learning and development."

Prior to joining Barge, Cosentino held senior HR leadership positions at organizations such as Wellpath, ASLAN Training and Development and HCA Leadership Institute, among others. Cosentino earned her undergraduate degree from The University of Memphis.

Cosentino officially commenced her duties as Chief People Officer at Barge on July 10, 2023.

For the latest updates on Barge and its continued growth, please visit: https://www.bargedesign.com/

About Barge

Barge is an engineering and architecture firm with diverse in-house multi-disciplinary practice areas. The employee-owned company is 470+ people strong and serves clients nationwide from multiple U.S. locations. Barge is ranked No. 171 on Engineering News-Record’s (ENR) 2022 Top 500 Design Firms list, is No. 205 on Architectural News-Record’s Top 300 U.S. Architecture Firms list and is a certified Great Place to Work®. Learn more at bargedesign.com and stay connected with them on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.