Our Team
Kirnjot Singh, MD
President
Dr. Singh is a retired Spine Surgeon and entrepreneur who has been involved in various startups, developments, partnerships, acquisitions and turnarounds. Dr. Singh brings strong leadership. He can adapt to changes in business promptly, allowing for continuous, uninterrupted growth. He has practiced medicine for over 20 years and led several successful entrepreneurial endeavors over that time. Dr. Singh has been actively involved in all facets of healthcare, from surgery centers, imaging centers, physical therapy, hospital operations inclusive of planning and building a new facility, clinical laboratory operations, behavioral health and related services. He brings a core strength in galvanizing and enhancing the medical staff and hospital strategic initiatives. His focus always remains on patient care and employee relationships, believing that happy employees are the key to good, quality patient care. Dr. Singh completed his residency at Hospital for Joint Diseases Orthopedic Institute in N.Y. and graduated from medical school in 1996 from the University of Texas Medical Branch At Galveston. Subsequently, he completed an Orthopedic Surgery Residency at Indiana University in Indianapolis, IN. Later, Dr. Kirnjot Singh completed a combined Orthopedic and Neurosurgery Fellowship in Spine Surgery at New York University/Hospital for Joint Diseases, N.Y.
David Bell
COO Zynergia
David Bell is a Staffing and PEO industry executive leader recognized for implementing large-scale change management initiatives in multi-site, employee-intensive environments. Mr. Bell has significant expertise in M&A, turnaround, rapid growth and realignment situations for Staffing and PEO companies of $10M to $2B in size. He is also recognized for possessing a profound business acumen and an understanding of operations that positively impact the profitability and performance of Fortune 500 and middle-market companies. David excels in Enterprise Risk Management (ERM), Human Capital Management (HCM), Workers’ Compensation, Safety Management and Organizational Development. His skill set also includes effectively addressing the competing needs of several stakeholders, including shareholders, senior and field management and associates in environments with several hundred revenue-generating clients. Mr. Bell is consistently tapped to enhance enterprise value by addressing corporate infrastructure issues to drive down costs, improve return on assets, manage risks and develop processes to create best practices in Risk, HR and Administration functions. In addition, he has sourced, negotiated, implemented and managed many enterprise software and payroll system conversions and broker, vendor, insurance carrier and health benefit plan conversions.
Mr. Bell has served as a CRO, CCO, COO and CHRO, among other executive roles, for many Staffing and PEOs during the turnaround or scaling processes. Some of these roles were served within Kelly Services, ABM Industries, Vincam (precursor to ADP TotalSource), and many other $100 to $1B revenue-sized Staffing and PEOs. David has 30 years of executive experience in the Staffing and PEO industries.
James Terris
Senior Vice President, Operations
James Terris is a seasoned leader with over 20 years of experience in the Professional Employer Organization (PEO) industry. Throughout his career, he has worked with both boutique and large regional PEOs, managing payroll operations exceeding $1 billion annually.
James has a proven track record of collaborating with operations teams to create value for small and mid-sized businesses, helping them manage human capital needs while focusing on their core operations. He excels at delivering tailored services that build lasting client relationships.
His expertise spans human resources, client services, account management, payroll, implementation, and sales support. In recent leadership roles, James has driven organizational growth, enhanced operational efficiencies, and cultivated a positive team culture with a focus on delivering exceptional service.
Lingyi Zeng
Vice President of Accounting
Lingyi Zeng has almost 30 years of finance and accounting experience before he joined Zynergia in 2023 as the Director of Accounting. He started his professional career as a loan officer and then as a bank manager in the largest commercial bank in China. After receiving his MBA in Finance from the University of Houston, Mr. Zeng worked as a Financial Consultant with the Houston Minority Business Enterprise Center, providing business consulting services to local minority firms.
Mr. Zeng gained extensive knowledge and expertise in various areas of accounting, including monthly closing, tax reporting, audit compliance, and budgeting, over 14 years in the PEO industry. As a Senior Accountant, he performed financial analysis, provided insights into financial performance and identified areas for improvement for the management. His peers have recognized his leadership abilities and dedication on many occasions. Mr. Zeng also holds an MS Accountancy degree from the University of Houston.
Gretchen Steelman
Director, Underwriting, Sales, and Marketing
With over 23 years in the insurance industry, Gretchen specializes in Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs) and holds a BA in Psychology from The State University of New York at Binghamton. She earned her Certified Insurance Service Representative Elite Designation in 2019. Previously the Director of Underwriting at a leading PEO, Gretchen brings 15 years of underwriting expertise. She develops and implements underwriting guidelines, analyzes industry trends, and evaluates insurance applications to determine risk and set premiums. Gretchen excels at building strong relationships with agents and brokers, ensuring accurate application processing, and maintaining regulatory compliance. She also trains and mentors junior underwriters, preparing detailed reports on underwriting activities. Her passion for risk research drives her commitment to innovation and excellence in the insurance sector.
Outside of work, Gretchen is a fitness and health fanatic who loves working out. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and their two pugs, Milo and Sophie. She also loves reading, traveling, and savoring lattes.
Mark Hicks
Associate Director of Risk Management
Mark Hicks is an experienced claim professional with over 35 years in the industry, specializing in worker’s compensation. With his hands-on approach to managing worker’s compensation programs, Mark is best known for effective litigation negotiation, cost containment, effective return-to-work strategies, and building lasting relationships with clients and vendors.
Many in the industry will attest that Mark is a hard-nosed negotiator behind his laid-back demeanor. Colleagues know him as a friendly expert, always willing to help those new to the industry. Mark believes this industry is all about relationships; building those helps us become better professionals.
For roughly ten years, Mr. Hicks stood as a mediator certified by the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission. His education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte/B.A. Business Administration preceded his career as a PEO professional. He also obtained the Associate in Claims and the Associate in Management designations from The Institutes.
Mark served as a Founding Board Member of Kid’s Chance of North Carolina for over ten years. He has previously served as a Big Brother in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization and mentored and tutored third through fifth graders at Windings Springs Elementary School in Charlotte, NC, for over seven years.
Stacy Tillman
Director, Payroll
Stacy Tillman has extensive experience within the PEO industry. Charged with overseeing the payroll operations and ensuring client satisfaction in her current role, she has been a part of large-scale PEOs and assisted with several startups over 20 years.
Ms. Tillman has held many positions focused on Payroll. Starting her career as a specialist and quickly advanced to supervisor, then moved to manager and director. She has gained insights into different industries and their needs while remaining dynamically self-sufficient and client-focused with high accolades. Stacy fostered relationships with all department leaders to create a partnership to anticipate client needs. Stacy has received awards like Employee of the Quarter from both peer and executive teams and Employee of the Year.
Sarah Bjork
Director of Implementation, Client Experience, and Special Projects
With over 20 years of experience in the payroll industry, Sarah Bjork serves as the Director of Implementation, Client Experience, and Special Projects here at Zynergia. A seasoned professional, Sarah specializes in Project Management and brings a wealth of expertise in process improvement, client-focused solutions, and team leadership.
Sarah holds several certifications, including a Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt, which features her commitment to driving operational excellence and delivering measurable results. Known for her strong mentoring and leadership skills, she takes pride in cultivating high-performing teams and empowering professionals to achieve their full potential.
In her role, Sarah oversees strategic initiatives, enhances client experiences, and leads special projects that drive innovation and long-term success. Her dedication to continuous improvement and client satisfaction makes her a key contributor to Zynergia’s ongoing growth and success.