Anna Nilsson | Founder, Emerald HR Studio
Anna Nilsson, SHRM-CP is a Human Resources leader with more than a decade of experience helping creative, tech, and media-driven organizations grow with clarity, confidence, and heart.
As the founder of Emerald HR Studio, Anna provides fractional HR leadership to small and mid-sized companies that want big-company expertise without big-company overhead. She partners with founders and leadership teams to build the people infrastructure that supports real business momentum — from compliance and payroll to culture and performance.
Before launching Emerald HR Studio, Anna spent six years in partnership with Apple, where she served as HR Director for the AI Studio Production team working on Apple’s voice assistant software. She built and scaled HR operations across multiple locations, working closely with voice talent, creative teams, and leadership on everything from workforce planning to performance design. Her earlier career included senior HR and leadership roles in both Europe and the U.S., including at IDG Sweden, where she led the company’s largest business unit to record profitability.
Born in Sweden and now based in Los Angeles, Anna brings a blend of Scandinavian pragmatism and Silicon Valley execution to her work — calm under pressure, empathetic in approach, and results-oriented in practice.
Outside of work, you’ll find her in the kitchen (an avid chef), exploring California trails with her family, or planning her next international adventure. She’s lived in Sweden, the UK, Germany, Switzerland and Belgium, and believes that the best leaders — and workplaces — are built through curiosity, empathy, and connection.
Areas of Focus: Fractional HR Leadership · HR Operations · California Labor Law · Employee Relations · Compliance · Talent Strategy · Leadership Coaching · Change Management
CASE STUDY
“As my business grew from a small operation into a thriving team of 25 employees, I quickly realized how essential it was to have true HR expertise guiding us. Working with Anna at Emerald HR was one of the best decisions I’ve made for my company. Her deep knowledge of HR practices has been invaluable and I truly can’t imagine navigating this level of growth without Anna as one of my most trusted confidantes.
She has supported us through every stage of the employee lifecycle: from onboarding new team members to gracefully managing offboarding processes when needed. She also played a key role in helping us evaluate and implement the right healthcare options, streamline payroll, and maintain clear, consistent HR procedures that protect my business and as well set clear expectations for the team.
What I value most is how much trust has been built between us. I know I can come to Anna with any question or concern, and she will respond with clarity, confidence, and genuine care. Her guidance has had a direct, positive impact not only on our operations but also on employee morale and overall team health.
Emerald HR has been an exceptional partner, and I recommend her wholeheartedly to any business in need of reliable, knowledgeable HR support.”
Alison Goodwin, Owner, George Media
Contact Us
Interested in working together? Please fill out your info and we will be in touch shortly. We can’t wait to hear from you!