Built by operators. For operators.
"The Wilkinson Firm exists for one reason. To give health and human services organizations the workforce infrastructure they deserve but were never built to create on their own."
Daryan Wilkinson
Former workforce operations leader who ran HR and staffing across behavioral health and IDD service organizations. He saw firsthand how clinical founders, brilliant at treating people, struggled without proper workforce infrastructure.
That gap became the mission. TWF was built to deliver enterprise-grade HR systems to the organizations that need them most, and to stay until the systems hold.
The Founder's Story
Daryan Wilkinson sat down with The Growth Switch Podcast to share how The Wilkinson Firm was born, what drives its mission, and why the work is personal.
Healing the People That Heal the People
Daryan Wilkinson spent years working inside behavioral health and IDD service organizations. He watched clinical founders do extraordinary work with patients, only to struggle with the operational side of running a business. These were providers who could handle complex trauma cases but had never been trained to build HR infrastructure, manage compliance frameworks, or develop their supervisors into leaders.
The economics made it worse. Behavioral health providers operate on Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement rates set by the state. There is no room in those margins for a Fortune 500 HR department. Daryan saw the gap clearly: these organizations needed enterprise-grade HR, but they needed it built for their reality, not priced out of reach.
"We said, you know what, we're going to build the Ferrari for you. We're going to price it like a Volvo. And we're going to drive it into every garage of the clinicians and providers that we can find and actually try to help. This is healing the people that heal the people."
Nobody Else Is Doing This
Before building anything, Daryan spent years studying the competitive landscape. He looked at every HR consulting firm, every staffing agency, every workforce advisory that touched behavioral health. The finding was striking: nobody was providing dedicated, full-service HR infrastructure specifically for health and human services providers.
That gap was not an accident. Behavioral health is complex. The regulatory environment is layered. The reimbursement structures are unique. The workforce challenges are different from any other industry. Most HR firms steer clear because the margins are tight and the learning curve is steep. Daryan saw it differently. He saw a space where the need was urgent, the mission aligned with his values, and the opportunity to build something lasting was wide open.
"We found after two, three years of research that there's no one else servicing this industry from that standpoint. It just so happened to be something that we care about, aligned with something that no one else is doing, which aligned with something that could potentially be a growth stage for us. Those three things made a perfect trifecta."
Outwork the Room, Every Single Day
Building The Wilkinson Firm was not a smooth ride from day one. Daryan came from a background where nothing was given. Every client, every relationship, every ounce of trust was earned through consistent execution and relentless presence. His philosophy is simple: if you want to 10x your company, 10x your execution. Do ten times more than what you are getting paid for. Never run from the opportunity to add value.
That mindset is not just a personal philosophy. It is embedded in how TWF operates. The firm does not disappear after delivering a handbook. It stays. It trains. It runs the systems alongside its clients for 90 days post-delivery because the work only counts if it holds. The same discipline that Daryan used to build his network from zero is now the standard for how every engagement is executed.
"Most people get stuck on the first thing. But trust me, the gold is the second and third thing. We cannot get hung up on the entry level stuff. From zero to one, yes, it is hard. But go out every single day, have three meaningful conversations a day. You do that every day for months on end. You will be a household figure."
Watch the Full Interview
Daryan sat down with Jules Fox on The Growth Switch Podcast to share the full story behind The Wilkinson Firm.
Featured on The Growth Switch Podcast by Ariz Media · April 2025
Why We Only Serve Health and Human Services
Every HR consulting firm says they understand your industry. We built ours inside of it. Our team includes a former EEOC Administrative Law Judge, employment attorneys, licensed clinical professionals, SHRM-CP and PHR-certified specialists, and compliance advisors who have spent their careers in behavioral health, substance use treatment, IDD services, and community health organizations.
We do not serve restaurants. We do not serve tech companies. We do not serve retail. We serve HHS organizations because the stakes are different here. When your workforce fails, vulnerable people lose access to care. That is why we built every tool, every program, and every process specifically for this sector.
Why we exist
Behavioral health organizations are built by clinicians. These founders know how to treat people. They understand trauma. They can handle complex cases. They have the clinical judgment to lead their teams.
But they were never trained to build HR systems. They were never taught to design compensation structures, create compliance frameworks, or develop supervisors. HR was learned on the job. Usually the hard way.
The result: Organizations with outstanding clinical leadership operating with outdated, disconnected HR practices. Turnover rates exceeding 60%. Compliance risks. Supervisors struggling to manage teams. Burned out leaders trying to do jobs they were never trained for.
That is what we fix. We bring enterprise-grade HR practice to organizations that were built by clinicians. We do the work that allows clinical leaders to focus on what they do best. We build the infrastructure that lets your organization scale.
We do this because workforce is the most expensive line item in your budget. It is also your biggest competitive advantage. When done right, it transforms everything.
What Makes Us Different
SCAN. BUILD. STAY.™
Nine proprietary frameworks and tools. One integrated system. No other HR firm serving health and human services has built anything like it.
SCAN
The Workup™ assesses your workforce across 8 dimensions. You get a score, a risk map, and a clear starting point.
BUILD
Your Workup™ results map to 1-4 Signature Programs. Defined deliverables, defined timelines, defined outcomes.
STAY
We run the system with you. Ongoing partnership, not a handoff.
The People Behind Your Transformation
Daryan Wilkinson
Former workforce operations leader who ran HR and staffing across behavioral health and IDD service organizations. Saw firsthand how clinical founders struggle without proper workforce infrastructure. Built TWF to deliver enterprise-grade HR systems to the organizations that need them most.
Allison Adams
Oversees firm operations, client delivery timelines, and quality control across all active engagements. Manages the systems that keep deliverables on schedule and clients informed at every milestone.
Mike Kipphorn, PHR
PHR-certified professional leading revenue strategy, client acquisition, and strategic partnerships. Drives TWF growth across the HHS sector with a focus on enterprise and multi-site organizations.
We were built on four pillars
Legal Expertise
Our team includes a former EEOC Administrative Law Judge and employment attorneys with decades of experience. We understand discrimination law, wage and hour requirements, multi-state compliance, and regulatory frameworks. When your organization faces legal risk, we have the expertise to protect you.
Clinical Insight
We have run behavioral health operations. We have managed clinicians. We understand what therapists need to be successful. We know what payers demand. We know how burnout happens and how to prevent it. This is not generic HR. This is HR built for your sector.
Certified HR Professionals
Our team includes SHRM-CP, PHR, and licensed clinical professionals. We bring professional-grade HR practice to organizations of all sizes. We follow best practices. We stay current on trends. We know what works in our sector.
Sector Focused
We work exclusively in health and human services. We know CARF standards. We understand Medicaid operations. We speak HIPAA and compliance language. We focus on the sectors that matter. We do not dilute our expertise across multiple industries. You get specialists who understand your world.
Our Team
Operators, attorneys, clinicians, and specialists with real-world experience in health and human services.
James Lewis, Esq.
Senior Advisor, Employment Law / Former EEOC ALJ
Former Administrative Law Judge, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Advises TWF on employment disputes, compliance risk, and regulatory strategy.
Dion Beatty, JD, MBA
Employment Attorney / Legal Counsel
Employment law attorney supporting TWF clients on worker classification, termination risk, and regulatory compliance across HHS settings.
Michael Berger
Industry Operations Specialist
32 years of operational leadership at Nissan. Brings enterprise-scale workforce systems thinking to HHS organizations building durable infrastructure.
Beverly King, LCMHCS
Clinical Workforce Advisor
Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Supervisor. Former UnitedHealth Group. Advises on clinical team development, supervision structures, and burnout prevention.
Amy Ford, LCMHC
Medicaid Workforce Advisor
Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor with deep Medicaid operations expertise. Supports program delivery for organizations navigating complex payer requirements.
Gillian Utesch
VP, Sales and Marketing
Leads TWF market positioning, content strategy, and brand presence. Drives sector awareness through thought leadership, digital strategy, and targeted HHS outreach campaigns.
Annise Bradley
Director of Community Partnerships / WPE Lead
Leads the Workforce Partnership Exchange program. Builds and maintains the peer network that connects HHS organizations for shared learning.
Tanisha, SHRM-CP
HR Operations
SHRM-CP certified HR professional. Executes program delivery, manages compliance documentation, and supports client engagements from onboarding through 90-day post-delivery support.
By the numbers
See what we can do for your organization
20 minutes. No obligation. No pitch. Just a conversation.
