Practitioners Corner
Unlock the world of work with 'Practitioners Corner'! Delve into practitioners' triumphs, setbacks, and late-night musings. Join us for a captivating exploration of professional journeys." Proudly brought to you by WRKdefined with hosts William Tincup and Ryan Leary.
Episodes
April 23, 2026 • 46 mins
From pulling weapons at Six Flags to scaling a global HR org, this is what happens when you chase people, not titles.
Most careers don’t break. They drift. Jessica Kozak didn’t drift. She pivoted fast, learned what she hated early, and kept saying yes when it counted. From high-volume recruiting chaos to enterprise HR strategy, this is about ownership, risk, and building real leverage through people, not process.
In this episode,...
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December 20, 2024 • 40 mins
Global payroll isn’t just cutting checks—it’s a minefield of compliance, cultural nuances, and ever-changing regulations. Mariah Hantis, Senior Director of Global People Operations at Deel, unpacks her journey from aspiring FBI agent to HR leader. From payroll anxiety to AI-driven solutions, she shares the realities of managing 5,000 employees across 110 countries.
In this episode, we look at HR, global payroll, compliance, people ...
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November 27, 2024 • 45 mins
Jill Larsen, Chief People Officer at Synopsys, shares her inspiring career journey from Division I athlete to HR leadership, emphasizing the power of mentorship, self-awareness, and building innovative talent strategies. She dives into navigating family and executive roles, the evolving workforce, and how technology and AI are reshaping talent acquisition.
In this episode, we look at Jill’s approach to recruiting, leadership, workf...
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November 13, 2024 • 44 mins
Neil Lenane walks us through a remarkable 37-year career, from managing claims to shaping HR strategy at Progressive Insurance. In his journey, he emphasizes influence, adaptability, and empathy as essential skills for creating a unified employee experience. Neil’s insights into offboarding, technology in HR, and career resilience redefine what it means to build intentional employee and customer experiences.
In this episode, we loo...
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September 25, 2024 • 25 mins
Craig Lutz, Director of Learning and Development at Gannett, explores the future of learning and development, emphasizing the transformative power of digital tools and AI. He highlights the shift from traditional classroom training to personalized, technology-driven learning strategies, underscoring the need for organizations to foster curiosity and adaptability among employees.
In this episode, we look at Learning and Development,...
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September 18, 2024 • 45 mins
Gabrielle’s career journey highlights the balance between confidence and humility as she oversees multiple HR functions at 1Password. From cultural insights and the power of coffee to navigating remote work security, Gabrielle reflects on leadership development, parental support, and the critical role of asking questions in team success.
In this episode, we look at cultural insights, HR, leadership, career journey, security, remote...
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September 11, 2024 • 43 mins
Melissa Thompson, Head of Global TA at Ford Motor Company, shares her no-nonsense approach to improving the hiring process. From coaching hiring managers on interviewing to aligning decisions with business strategy, she gives actionable insights to reshape your talent acquisition process and boost team collaboration.
In this episode, we look at Melissa Thompson, Ford Motor Company, hiring process, communication, feedback, recruiter...
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September 4, 2024 • 49 mins
In this episode, we look at Southwest Airlines, talent acquisition, company culture, candidate experience, internships, career guidance, and employee engagement. Greg Muccio highlights the importance of a people-first strategy, innovative ideas from employees, and creating awareness for career opportunities that ensure staffing success.
Key Takeaways:
Southwest Airlines prioritizes a people-first approach to talent acquisition, fo...
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August 21, 2024 • 44 mins
Carina Cortez, Chief People Officer at Cornerstone On Demand, shares her HR career journey from an entry-level role at Visa to leading strategic initiatives at PayPal. Mentorship, continuous learning, and passion drive her success. Cortez emphasizes the importance of HR business partners focusing on strategic initiatives and creating positive employee experiences.
In this episode:
We look at the HR landscape, focusing on Carina Cor...
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July 31, 2024 • 47 mins
We talk with Rachel Dalboth from The Talent Labs. Rachel shares her 25-year journey in talent acquisition, discussing her experiences at Nokia, Unilever, and now leading TA excellence at The Talent Labs.
In this episode, we look at the evolving landscape of talent acquisition, remote work strategies, HR tech innovations, talent management, rebranding efforts, and career growth. Rachel dishes on practical advice for HR professionals...
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July 17, 2024 • 46 mins
We look Richa Gupta's career journey, exploring her humble beginnings and rise in HR. We discuss parenting, personal reflections, and HR leadership. We talk about the importance of treating employees uniquely, finding CEOs with intellectual humility, and fostering cross-functional communication in manufacturing.
We examine personal reflections, parenting, HR profession, treating employees differently, challenges of HR leadership, c...
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We talk with Mandy Mekhail, Director of People and Chief of Staff at ClickUp about determination, family, and impact. Her story is inspiring (not cheesy) - a story that you can learn from. She opens up about her family, immigration, her role at ClickUp and self awareness.
Here's what we discuss:
How empathy directly impacts career
Growing with intention
How her father built 1 gas station and turned that into 13
How she built h...
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June 26, 2024 • 48 mins
In this episode we speak with Maggie Smith SVP, HR at Traliant on how she navigates company culture in the midst of multiple and ongoing acquisitions. We talk deeply about the challenges she has faced and the strategies that she has deployed covering the integrating compensation strategies, managing benefits, and soliciting employee feedback.
Takeaways
The importance of understanding and integrating different company cultures dur...
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June 19, 2024 • 50 mins
In this episode we speak with Jeri Hawthorne, SVP and CHRO at Aflac about the global HR challenges and strategies she is confronted with as she leads the worlds #1 provider of supplemental health insurance products. We learn about her career journey and her insights on the impact of technology, employee wellness, AI's impact on HR and how to ensure continuity with human touch.
Takeaways
Insights into Jeri Hawthorne's career journ...
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"Corporate trust is low and employees are more focused on their own skill growth and career advancement" - This is what we dissect today in our conversation with @RealestRecruiter, Joel Lalgee. Nothing is off limits - we talk culture, loyalty, skill growth, the fractional mindset, compensation, why employers hate side hustles, toxic work environments...
We cover it all.
Takeaways
Corporate trust is low and employees are more foc...
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In this episode we speak with Jean Bays, Head of People at Neat to explore the critical role of internships, effective communication, and global experience in attracting and retaining top talent. We look at fair treatment of employees, and strategies for fostering an inclusive workplace.
We answer the question: How do these elements combined create a thriving, innovative company culture?
Here's what we cover:
Internships
Communic...
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In this conversation, Tiffani Martinez from Otter PR discusses her career journey and her role as the Head of HR. We discuss overcrowded applicant pools, the lack of empathy, and what role emotional intelligence plays in today's version of HR.
The role of HR has evolved to become a driver of business, impacting revenue and employee well-being. Where does your company fall on this spectrum?
Takeaways
The role of HR involves variou...
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Tara Fournier, Chief People Officer tackles change management and employee retention, communication, access, and caring. We ask hard the hard questions to understand where HR should fall as it relates to support. Should HR be an advocate for the employee or should they be an advocate for the betterment of the company?
It's a fine line. Here's the story.
Takeaways
The role of a Chief People Officer is to oversee HR operations, man...
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In this episode, we speak with industry veteran Amy Miller who shares her thoughts about what keeps her up at night. We get into it all - staffing vs. corporate, agency hustle vs. navigating corporate politics, being your candidates advocate, and knowing when to say enough is enough when the hiring manager oversteps.
Here's what we covered:
Recruiting is challenging and unpredictable
Humor and personal anecdotes engage candidate...
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In this episode Katie Breault, Chief Delivery Officer at YUPRO shares her story of mentorship and her work as a skills-first placement firm connecting nonprofit workforce development training program graduates with corporate partners. We explore how investing in peoples potential from internships to mentorships changes how employees connect with their employer.
Takeaways
YUPRO is a skills-first placement firm that connects nonpro...
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