Servant leaders in sync: Ashantae Brooks and Tiana Houston on HR impact and talent moments

At the isolved booth at SHRM San Diego, William Tincup and Ryan Leary brought together two HR pros who had never met—Ashantae Brooks and Tiana Houston—and uncovered an instant connection. From their shared commitment to servant leadership to their passion for helping others thrive, the conversation quickly turned into a lively, heartfelt exchange. Ashantae, a Bronx-born talent whisperer now shaping purpose-driven careers, shared how empathy fuels her recruiting. Tiana, a Southern connector with a mission to uplift young professionals, reflected on the moment she helped a student land a dream job after months of mentorship. They both lit up when talking about superpowers—and both pointed to human connection as the key to lasting impact in HR. With jokes about Atlanta strip clubs, regional rivalries, and zodiac signs mixed in, the episode never loses its sense of realness. But beneath the laughs sits a core truth: the best HR leaders show up not just with skills, but with heart. Timestamps 00:00 — Two HR pros meet for the first time—instant vibes 00:44 — From Harlem to Atlanta—backgrounds, accents, and favorite local spots 02:21 — Strip club recommendations and airport celebrity sightings 03:34 — What makes a “people hero” in HR? 04:31 — Ashantae sees her role as servant leadership through talent conversations 05:25 — Tiana surprises everyone—servant leadership is in her bio 06:05 — SEC pride and southern hospitality decoded 07:40 — Bless your heart—Southern slang gets personal 08:00 — Tiana shares her proudest HR moment: an intern gets the job 08:35 — Ashantae almost passed on a candidate—until he blew her away 10:11 — Superpowers revealed: empathy, connection, and Olivia Pope energy 11:27 — Why talent acquisition means helping people find work they believe in 12:56 — No sugarcoating—honesty as a hiring asset 13:15 — Active vs passive candidates: does it matter if the fit and mission align? 14:16 — Would you turn down a dream job in the Caymans? Probably not. 15:19 — Final thoughts and big thanks to two new people heroes This episode was recorded live with isolved at the SHRM Annual Conference in San Diego. The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved. isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. Learn more about isolved: ⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠ Connect with Us: William Tincup LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/⁠ Ryan Leary LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/⁠ Connect with us on social: Site: ⁠http://www.wrkdefined.com⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/⁠ Twitter (X): ⁠https://twitter.com/WRKdefined⁠ Substack: ⁠https://wrkdefined.substack.com/