The Hennessy Report

From Legal Eagle to Culture Champion: The Planet Group's HR Revolution In this lively episode, Dave Hennessy chats with Marni Helfand about her fascinating journey from courtroom litigator (inspired by her dad's dinner table practice arguments!) to leading both legal and HR at Planet Group. WHAT YOU'LL DISCOVER: - How Planet Group placed a staggering 80,000 people in jobs while expanding globally - The secret sauce behind their "One Planet" culture integration (hint: they let everyone BUT executives lead it!) - Why Gen Z wants feedback every two weeks while Boomers clutch their annual reviews - Marni's love for Kim Scott's Radical Candor approach to leadership: "compassion = empathy + action" - The "career lattice" that lets people zigzag between departments based on passion Perfect for HR leaders navigating acquisition integration, generational workplace dynamics, and the tricky balance between legal compliance and people-first strategies.

Building a Relationship-Centered Banking Culture Episode #102 of The Hennessy Report features Maria Harris, EVP & CHRO at Rockland Trust speaking with host Dave Hennessy. Maria explains how focusing on a culture "Where Each Relationship Matters" drives both customer experience and employee engagement across 2,000 employees and over 100 locations. STANDOUT STORIES: - Taking artwork off the wall for customers with ancestral connections - An employee who personally helped a customer download the mobile banking app during COVID - How their Hispanic/Latino employee resource group "Unite Us" was formed LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS: - Valuing potential over past experience when hiring talent - Operationalizing culture through leadership development programs - Using data and spreadsheets to understand employee experiences at scale - Creating career development opportunities through their "Rising Stars" program The Hennessy Report - Where HR leaders learn from HR leaders. The Hennessy Report is produced in partnership with NEHRA.

EVERY MANAGER INTERACTION IS A MAKE-OR-BREAK MOMENT Boston Beer's CPO reveals why those quick hallway chats and casual feedback sessions matter more than you think. Episode #101 of The Hennessy Report features Carolyn O'Boyle, CPO at The Boston Beer Company speaking with host Dave Hennessy and Keystone Partners' colleague Brenda Stanton. Carolyn shares how she's transforming manager-employee interactions at the makers of Sam Adams, Truly, and Twisted Tea. Why? Because she's tired of seeing promotions announced via text and performance reviews done in airport lounges. Learn how The Boston Beer Company is: - Training managers to nail the moments that matter - Replacing outdated retention strategies with real engagement - Moving talent across the business (not just up) - Managing burnout before it starts The Hennessy Report - Where HR leaders learn from HR leaders.

7 Years & 100 Episodes: A Milestone HR Leadership Conversation The Hennessy Report celebrates its 100th episode by bringing back its first two guests - Dave is joined by Tracy Burns (CEO of NERA) and Beth Grous (CPO at Generate Biomedicines) - for an insightful discussion on how HR has evolved and where it's heading. Key Highlights: * How HR has transformed from an administrative function to a strategic business driver * The evolution of workplace transparency, with younger generations expecting more open dialogue about compensation and company decisions * The future of work: Breaking down traditional hierarchical structures and embracing skills-based organizational design * The critical importance of leading with empathy in today's workplace "I hope if we're sitting here 10 years from now, we'll be looking around saying 'wow, people got really innovative and creative about how they build organizational structures to drive a differentiated set of outcomes.'" - Beth Grous Looking Ahead: Tracy and Beth both emphasized the need to "fix work" by creating more flexible, human-centric organizational structures that better support both business objectives and employee wellbeing. In memory of Paul McKinlay.

Is your organization still sitting on the AI sidelines while 80% of employees are already using it? On this episode of The Hennessy Report by Keystone Partners, Dave is joined by Bucky Dodd, a pioneering voice in the AI and learning development space who's helping HR leaders navigate the AI revolution without losing sight of what matters most - people. WHY LISTEN: * Learn the "people-first" approach to AI adoption * Discover what's actually working in corporate learning * Avoid costly AI implementation mistakes * See how HR leaders are managing AI risks KEY INSIGHTS: * Latest shifts in AI adoption * Real performance evaluation successes * Knowledge management breakthroughs * Practical implementation strategies From performance evaluations to knowledge management, learn how leading HR teams are thoughtfully integrating AI to enhance human potential rather than replace it. Whether you're an AI skeptic or enthusiast, Bucky's practical, people-first approach will help you chart a course through the AI revolution that's already transforming our workplaces.

On the 98th episode of The Hennessy Report by Keystone Partners, Dave is joined by Gary Ware, founder and corporate facilitator of "Breakthrough Play," author of "Playful Rebellion," and frequent Keynote speaker. His mission? To help creative professionals in sales and marketing use the power of play to be more creative, confident, and develop deeper relationships with their team and clients. Are you struggling with workplace stress and declining creativity? Listen in to discover how strategic play can revolutionize your organization's performance. In this episode you will learn about: The science of play and productivity MAP Framework for workplace transformation Evidence-based strategies for reducing stress Real success stories from transformed organizations Learn why leading companies are embracing purposeful play to boost innovation, enhance team collaboration, and drive sustainable growth.

Want to know how a regional bank is winning the talent war? Don't miss this conversation with Josh Varone, SVP of Centreville Bank, who's team is revolutionizing their employer brand through innovative people-first strategies. Key takeaways from our discussion: - Fostering a workplace culture that attracts top talent as an employer of choice - Developing managers into inspiring leaders - Creating meaningful connections across multiple locations Plus, we're excited to announce our upcoming 100th episode featuring HR legends and THR alumni Beth Grous and Tracy Burns!

On this episode of The Hennessy Report, Dave is joined by Erik Zotter, the VP of People, Organization, and Communications at Ellab. (Happy 75th anniversary to Ellab!) Erik shares their mission statement, "together we provide confidence in consumer safety" for the denmark-based organization that makes highly precise temperature sensing equipment for biotech, pharma, and even food/beverage manufacturing industries. Are your new and emerging leaders built for the challenges of tomorrow? Erik describes how onboarding is a key moment that matters inside Ellab. He explains the importance of building out a career path with employees and making sure they hold agency over their career. In that vein, he also discusses their strong training program. At Keystone Partners we are committed to leadership development. This Thursday, 9/12/24, we are hosting a webinar on "Unlocking a Learning Culture" for emerging leaders. Register here! https://keystonepartners.zoom.us/webinar/register/3617258949845/WN_js4zroVeTbiv8EJV-y3Pmw Erik is proud of Ellab's transparent communication structure with training procedures in each department and unique interview process where they use predictive indexes to rank fit. You won't want to miss Erik's episode and his unique journey to HR and IT!

On this episode of The Hennessy Report podcast, Dave is joined by Amanda Bailey, the VP for HR at Boston University. With 140 HR liaisons supporting over 10,000 students and staff and programs across 20+ countries, Amanda has a lot to share! She describes how BU's employee engagement begins even before onboarding. It begins at an individual's first interaction with someone within the BU community. They believe how they treat each other spreads beyond the campus borders and effects the perception of future employee and student applicants. Amanda also discusses how they track success in leadership and check in with individual contributors, the future of work, and social activism as they continue to advance learning outside campuses, where free exchanges of ideas happen. Amanda is an engaging, inspiring speaker with a lot to share, so tune in today!

On this episode of The Hennessy Report, Dave is joined by Kim Hazen, CPO at Fulcrum Therapeutics. Kim speaks with Dave about her unique career path from financial services to life sciences, the way employees are treated on their way in and out of biotech, and how they are developed while there, and being a new mom while taking on the role of CHRO at the same time. Kim speaks passionately about making sure all employees know the impact their work has on patients' lives. Tune in today!

Dave is joined by Nancy Folan, the CHRO at Amundi Asset Management US on this episode of The Hennessy Report by Keystone Partners. Nancy shares her journey as a first generation Italian working for a European owned organization, initially taking the opportunity to work as a liaison at the Italian parent company to aid in sourcing talent. Having headed HR for over 20 years, Nancy shares the challenges and bridge building that come with a global organization and how to build skilled teams. Nancy also describes her leadership development philosophy and her strategy behind using external coaches to create a coaching culture. This episode's NEHRA question of the podcast covers how to identify key moments for leadership development for organizations with lean budgets, and the pitfalls of promoting technical leaders without providing coaching. She is very proud of her team's work in identifying unconscious bias and their evolving DEI journey. To build an inclusive organization Nancy discusses partnering with the NeuroLeadership Institute, whose work is scientifically based and difficult to dispute. Nancy is a captivating speaker with deep expertise in global HR. She is so known for attracting and developing HR leaders that our next guest, Kim Hazen - CPO at Fulcrum Therapeutics, was previously a member of Nancy's team.

Dave is joined by long-time friend, going all the way back to the start of the podcast, Ann Hargraves. Ann is the SVP at TScan Therapeutics and an amazingly eloquent speaker, passionate about the work and mission of TScan that she feels so connected to. As a cancer survivor herself, Ann speaks to the impact she feels working at a company whose mission is focused on life changing therapies for patients and their families. She also discusses how they choose not to publicize values to outside world, to encourage candidates to focus on who they are and what they are looking for first. Ann believes learning development should be offered equally across the company, and provides that across the company. Next up on the podcast is Nancy Folan, the CHRO of Amundi Asset Management US.

Dave is joined by Jen Nash, strategist and author of "The Big Power of Tiny Connections: How Small Interactions Spark Awesome Outcomes." This episode of The Hennessy Report was recorded live at NEHRA's annual conference after Jen's appearance as the keynote speaker. Through her research for her book, she has found that "highly engaged workforces are 21% more profitable and 17% more productive" and that "companies with connected workforces are 4 times more productive." In this episode Jen describes why and how you should engage your teams and urges companies who don't see a link between dollars spent and productivity and profitability to take the leap into coaching, assessments, and more, noting "it costs us money to have disconnected staff." She also explains where her belief in connections came from as a child, and calls networks "the rockstar foundations of our world." Jen is upbeat and an amazing speaker you won't want to miss!

On this holiday edition of The Hennessy Report, Dave is joined by Erin Lovering, the CHRO at Edelman Financial Engines. Erin discusses her start in clinical psychology, juggling strong legacy cultures after a merger, as well as their mission statement: everyone deserves to move their financial lives forward. She believes HR's job is to get the best out of organizations and the best out of leaders, and describes her role to her children as, "helping bosses be better bosses." At one point, Erin shares her beliefs on the importance of investing in new managers' skill sets and examining the end-to-end employee experience to identify how to pulse sentiment during those moments that matter. This holistic way of thinking is growing in popularity, mirrored in Keystone's own research and evolving messaging around preparing for the defining moments organizations and employees alike consistently face, from coaching to transitions. You'll enjoy this fast-paced, engaging conversation! Best wishes for a happy and healthy new year!

Dave is joined by Keystone colleague Shawna Simcik in this special edition of The Hennessy Report. Shawna and her team from ICC, the company Shawna co-founded with Susan Ruhl, recently joined the Keystone Partners community, bringing some amazing expertise and passion for leadership development. Together we will continue to support organizations and leaders at all levels through defining moments. One of the key offerings Shawna's team brings to Keystone Partners is the Accelerator program, a technology-based, holistically threaded development program teaching through micro-learning, practical application, cohort sessions, and accountability for front-line leaders and first-time managers who are often overlooked. She explains how Accelerator can impact critical pain points such as high turnover, low employee engagement, and retention issues within 30 days. Shawna also explains part of the research that influenced Accelerator - the Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve, a study on when and how we memorize material. Two weeks from now, how much will you remember from this episode? A self-proclaimed "geek" for research, Shawna is excited for Keystone Partners upcoming research study on creating a resilient workforce - stay tuned for more! Shawna has an electric personality and some wonderful analogies you won't want to miss!

Dave is joined by Ajit Vakharia, President and CEO at Flare Education. Dave first met Ajit three years ago, at the start of Flare's creation, and has remained inspired by the mission ever since. Ajit shares that mission of providing high school students, often from generationally poor backgrounds, with work-based learning experiences. Flare is redefining the way internships can and should be done. Ajit describes the best practices employers must follow in order to consistently cultivate culturally significant internship programs that benefit the students, supervisors, and overall business goals. Tune in to this truly invigorating discussion and join us in supporting Ajit's mission of unlocking the potential of young learners and shaping a brighter future for all.

Dave is joined by Bob Selle, CPO at Ocean State Job Lot, in this episode of The Hennessy Report. From a memorable presentation at NEHRA, to sitting on NEHRA's board with Dave, to the podcast, we've been fans of Bob for years and are excited to share his unique expertise with our audience! Bob shares the origin story for Ocean State and how they've maintained their humble, family culture through the continued leadership of Marc and Alan Perlman. He also speaks to the importance of listening sessions to deliver on the benefits and ideas that will keep their associates "from hire to retire" and achieve greater business success. Bob discusses their fail fast, entrepreneurial spirit, hiring "athletes" for his HR team, and his belief that we are at an inflection point for workplace culture. Bob is an amazingly thoughtful speaker with so many great stories to share. You won't want to miss this episode! Next up on The Hennessy Report: Ajit Vakharia, founder and CEO of Flare Education.

Dave is joined by colleague Kim Littlefield and guest Paul Francisco, the first Chief Diversity Officer for State Street. On that topic, Paul speaks about a mindset change he experienced, no longer believing the goal is to work himself out of a job. Paul shares what it was like growing up in Honduras and his unexpected move to the US, which prompted his passion for DEIB. He also discusses the importance of employee networks, which they manage through the Four C's model: building community, culture, commerce, and creation and who the burden of allyship falls on. Dave and Paul share a connection to NEHRA, which Paul praises, along with Tracy Burns, for their dedication to spreading Frank McCarthy's memory, the godfather of diversity and recruiting in Paul's eyes. Next up on the podcast is Bob Selle, CPO at Ocean State Job Lot.

Dave interviews Josh Bersin, Founder and CEO of The Josh Bersin Company and author of "Irresistible." Josh describes his unique path to become an industry analyst, researcher, educator, and technology analyst covering all aspects of corporate HR, training, talent management, recruiting, leadership, and workplace technology. An innovative thinker, Josh shares his insight on the future of AI in HR, best practices during layoffs, upskilling, the danger of job descriptions, new models of performance management, people sustainability, and why companies should focus on purpose to remain productive. This is an insightful episode of The Hennessy Report you won't want to miss!

Dave is reunited with Lisa Reilly, the CPO at PTC, having known each other for more than 20 years. Rob Byron, Dave's colleague from Keystone Partners, also joins this episode of The Hennessy Report. Lisa shares her journey from falling into HR and moving from a global HR business partner role to leading the function as a CPO. She even reminisces on her time working as a consultant for us, where she says she learned the ultimate measure of success comes from seeing your work through your customer's eyes. PTC is a global software company that enables industrial companies to "use the digital to transform the physical." She describes the "play together" culture at PTC and their "Power to Create" mentality, all guided by their 5 core values. This is a lively, engaging episode you won't want to miss!

Dave is joined by colleague Brenda Stanton and Paul McKinlay, VP of Communications & Remote Working at Cimpress & Vista. Paul discusses their revolutionary rise to remote work and how they encourage employees to "live their best possible experience while working and achieving their best possible work" and how they began this ongoing transition. He also covers their dedication to small businesses, managing equity between remote and manufacturing employees, and the inefficiencies that arise from companies who are resisting or only committing halfway to remote work. Paul melds his passion for genuine employee experience with his expertise and professional advice in this not-to-be-missed episode!

Dave is joined by Kelly Schick, the CPO at C4 Therapeutics, Inc. on this episode of The Hennessy Report. Kelly is an empathetic, business-minded speaker excited to share C4's mission as a clinical stage biotech creating a new generation of medicine they hope will transform patients' lives. There are so many innovative methods and programs Kelly and her team have implemented to gain employees' trust and promote wellness, a passion of hers. She also describes the benefits Kim Scott's radical candor has had on her professional life, and how she is incorporating it into C4's culture. You won't want to miss this episode!

Dave and Mara Neufeld Rivera, CHRO, CPO, and Head of People & Culture at Chroma Technology Corp., recorded this episode of The Hennessy Report in front of a live audience at ADP's HR Conference in late 2022. There are few company structures as unique as Chroma, being 100% employee owned with even distributed profit sharing. Hear Mara describe the inspiring story on how Chroma was founded, and how they have stayed true to their ideals. Mara also shares the distinct differences, successes, and questions that arise in such a rare environment. Who protects the culture between HR and their board comprised of employees? How do you decide on talent competencies when hiring in teams? Mara offers book recommendations such as: Brené Brown's "Atlas of the Heart," saying, "if you love language and communication, and emotion, you've got to read this book;" "Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow" on making predictions about the future by Yuval Noah Harari, the author of "Sapien's" and a professor in Israel; and "Immune" by Philipp Dettmer. You won't want to miss this episode of The Hennessy Report!

Dave was joined by Rich Sheridan, CEO and Chief Storyteller at Menlo Innovations, Speaker, and Author of "Chief Joy Officer" and "Joy, Inc." at the NEHRA 2022 Conference in this live edition of The Hennessy Report. Rich describes the truly unique culture at Menlo, with leaders traveling from around the world to tour their workspace and hear the team's stories. Whether it's working in teams of two on one computer, managing and conducting performance reviews with no "managers" but as a group, or pitting candidates towards each other rather than against - judged on how they support their rival - Rich paints a culture of true joy. You don't want to miss this unique episode of The Hennessy Report. Tune in now!

Dave is joined by Nakesha Lopez, CHRO and interim Chief Diversity Officer at Baylor Scott & White Health, the largest not for profit healthcare provider in Texas. Nakesha speaks passionately about their investment into mental health, wellbeing, coaching, and leadership development programs and the part they have played in letting employees know they are supported. She covers her recent focus on metrics to raise retention, vacancy rates, and engagement scores as well as her conviction that everyone is a DEIB leader, and thus must be integrated in our every day. Her team's DEIB priority hones in on active listening, creating a culture of inclusion, and closing gaps in care. Nakesha also goes into detail on how her team was able to tackle the industry agnostic talent acquisition crisis, with job openings climbing from 2,700 to 6,000 in a one year span. You will love this episode of The Hennessy Report.

Dave is joined by Fred Skinner, the CHRO at EVERSANA, for this episode of The Hennessy Report. He is also joined by Chad Brantner, a Keystone colleague and childhood friend of Fred from the small town of Sycamore, Illinois. Fred describes the "ridiculously awesome" culture at EVERSANA and their mission to revolutionize the pharmaceutical industry for both patients and providers. With 8,000+ employees, Fred says they've "cracked the code" on how to maintain culture while remaining inquisitive by leading with trust. He credits CEO Jim Lang for understanding the weight culture holds on a company and supporting HR initiatives. Listen now!

Dave is joined by the Head of Research, People + Performance at the ADP Research Institute, NYT Best-Selling Author, and Founder of the Strengths Revolution, Marcus Buckingham. Marcus shares his unique perspective on what's right and what's wrong with HR based on positive psychology — studying what's right with people. Listen to see if your perceptions will shift after Marcus' view on the immorality of high vs. low potentials, HR's bad data stemming from performance discussions/ratings, and rethinking why your company deserves the best people. Marcus also discusses the 15 question "thermometer" he and his team built that yielded insights into the necessity of HR on talent retention. Listen to the end to learn a surprising fact about Marcus' journey to becoming the accomplished speaker he is today.

Dave is joined by Darren Murph, Head of Remote at GitLab, a DevOps company and first all-remote organization to go public. Darren explains that his role sits at the nexus of people operations and strategic communications, but that it's such a new concept, it actually exists in different departments from company to company. CNBC has called Darren “the oracle of remote work” and we learn some of his predictions for the "future of work" such as "meeting hygiene," a focus on asynchronous work, and, of course, increased remote work. Darren is truly an expert in organizational design and shaping remote teams. You will truly take away actionable plans and thought provoking perspectives from this episode. As Darren says, the most dangerous words of business are, "we've always done it that way...”

In this special edition of The Hennessy Report, Dave is joined by Dr. Shanita Williams, SNHU, in front of a live audience at Strategic HR. Shanita's energy and passion draw you in as she shares personal and professional experiences that HR professionals will undoubtedly relate to, and draw inspiration from. She explains SNHU's mission to create access to higher education and how the university works with companies to invest in their talent. Shanita also goes into detail on programs her team has implemented, including: - training employees to carry out culture audits across the company - a university-wide recognition platform where 41% of their organization has received some form of recognition - developed communities, resulting in a 21 point increase in employees' perceptions of peer relationships Shanita has also released a book titled, "Feedback Mentality: The key to unlocking and unleashing your full potential" where she provides a unique perspective. You'll love this episode of The Hennessy Report. Next up on the podcast is Marcus Buckingham, Head of Research, People + Performance at ADP Research Institute and best-selling author.

Dave was joined by Carlos Echalar at NEHRA's first live conference in two years. Carlos is the CHRO at CDM Smith and the most recent president of the board of NEHRA. (Fun fact: Carlos is the 4th president of NEHRA's board to appear on the podcast!) Carlos discusses NEHRA's executive women's program, of which he was a mentor, CDM Smith's commitment not to layoff or furlough any of their employees due to the pandemic, and their mission to deliver water and infrastructure to all. He explains that they are involved in every water treatment plant around the US, and were brought in to aid Flint Michigan. NEHRA Events (March 2022): Tomorrow 3/10 - Talent Acquisition Summit: https://learn.nehra.com/nehras-talent-summit-march-10th-2022-needham-ma#product_tab_overview 3/31 - Annual Diversity & Inclusion Awards Gala with FIFA World Cup Champion, activist and best-selling author, Abby Wambach as the keynote speaker: https://www.gala.nehra.com/

Dave is joined by the Chief People Officer at AEW, Piper Sheer, in this episode of The Hennessy Report. Piper begins by sharing how her father's love for his work influenced why and what she does today. She joined AEW to be a part of shaping the next generation of leaders, and with employees all around the globe, Piper is focused on building and maintaining culture, especially through these hybrid times. There is a real diversity problem in the commercial real estate industry and Piper covers the different ways they have begun to address this, including a committee, affinity groups, and a speaker series. She also discusses their work with Project Destined, whose goal "is to transform minority youth into owners and stakeholders in the communities in which they live, work and play." Piper is a very engaging speaker and we are excited to share her story. Up next on The Hennessy Report, Carlos Echalar, the CHRO of CDM Smith and the President of the Board of Directors at NEHRA.

Dave is joined by his long-time friend, Amy Knapp, now SVP of People at Catalant after spending the last 13 years in the silicon valley area. Amy takes us through her "whirlwind," "wild" career journey, learning to take risks and building out a blend of HR, talent, and operational roles. She talks about being energized from meeting people and optimizing for team first, the importance of continuously re-recruiting employees, and her advice to create a strong network of peers. Amy also discusses how she approached rebuilding trust with employees after two reductions in force. Up next on the podcast is a friend to both Dave and Amy, Piper Sheer, CPO at AEW.

Dave was joined by Genein Letford, CEO of CAFFE Strategies and recent Keynote speaker at NEHRA's 2021 Annual Conference. Genein explains the pivotal realization that dealing with a stutter has had, and continues to have, a positive impact on her sense of self and understanding of resilience. In describing the work her company does around 'intercultural creative thinking,' she defines schemas and how they play into the development of curiosity, creativity, and stepping out of routines to positively impact business strategies and innovations. Genein has a touching perspective on Maya Angelou and the drive to leave all of her creative thinkings behind without regret. (Also keep an ear out towards the end for a surprising fact about Genein. Hint: what reality show would you expect her to have appeared on?)

Tune in to a special 2-part edition of The Hennessy Report, recorded live from the 2021 Maine HR Convention. Thanks to Bud Bernstein, President and CEO, for bringing everyone together. In part 2, Dave is joined by Gio Twigge, SVP & CHRO at IDEXX where their mission is to enhance the health and well-being of pets, people, and livestock. Gio begins with more than a moment that changed his life, but rather a formative period of his life - the 70s and 80s living in South Africa during the height, and fall, of Apartheid as a gay white male. He describes how this led him to the HR path to make an impact in an organization and make sure employees don't have a lonely experience at work. Gio also describes IDEXX's values for their 10,000+ workforce, their focus on driving innovation, the importance of a great culture in addition to a purpose and product, and a lack of hierarchy. If you missed part 1, episode 69, Dave was joined by Barry Gale, SVP/CHRO at Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston.

Tune in to a special 2-part edition of The Hennessy Report, recorded live from the 2021 Maine HR Convention. Thanks to Bud Bernstein, President and CEO, for bringing everyone together. In part 1, Dave is joined by Barry Gale, SVP/CHRO at Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston and on the Board of Directors at NEHRA alongside Dave. Barry discusses their work as a bank for banks as they support their members' housing finance, community development, economic growth, and affordable housing projects. He describes the process of developing their values through a cross functional group of employees, their current focus on mental health and well being by injecting some fun via trivia contests, gift boxes, and more, and a successful internal internship program. Listen to the end for a surprising tidbit you won't find on Barry's LinkedIn profile (but should definitely be added) in a conversation that carries on to Giovani Twigge's episode, SVP & CHRO at IDEXX Laboratories, coming up next.

The Dream Team: Lifespan and The Hennessy Report! Dave is joined by Lisa Abbott, renown for building great HR teams and Lifespan's SVP of HR and Community Affairs, where they believe in treating health care like a team sport. Lifespan is Rhode Islands' largest employer, and wishes to be the "jewel of the community" of which it serves. Lisa heralds the heroism of all caregivers throughout the pandemic, and discusses creative ways they've provided support to their most vulnerable employees, raising ~$150,000 in a couple of hours for their grocery, child care, and other concerns. She also covers their unique approach to the national nursing staffing crisis, a new EAP program, her change management approach, and ongoing cultural integration. You won't want to miss Lisa's episode of The Hennessy Report. Her passion and expertise shine through.

Dave and Omar were joined by Tracey Franklin, CHRO at Moderna, the Cambridge, MA based biotech to thank for one of the leading, FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines. As recipients and family of recipients, we want to thank the heroic employees of not only Moderna, but every organization that has strived to save so many lives and make such a huge difference in the world. Listening to Tracey describe the 24/7 dedication and tears of pride felt by all at Modera is indescribable. Please join us in celebrating them. Tracey takes us back to pre-pandemic times, through Moderna's unique process developing a non-traditional vaccine, and that defining moment when they realized they were successful. She explains how they were able to move at different pace and speed to traditional vaccines, ramping up from 800 employees by immediately onboarding hundreds who were able to share in a renewed sense of purpose and control in a time of such uncertainty around the world. Tracey attributes much of their success to Moderna's culture, which was built off of risk and belief in the science of mRNA.

Attention: Podcast coming in for landing! David Hennessy is joined by the CPO of Southwest Airlines, Julie Weber, and colleague Debbie Noschese on this week's episode of The Hennessy Report. As an industry hit particularly hard by COVID-19, Julie describes how the airline's people first philosophy and dedicated employees got them through the pandemic. Julie describes Southwest's founding, revolutionizing air travel, their vision, behavioral hiring tips, and stories of employees living the airline's values everyday. Debbie joins to ask a question on behalf of Dallas HR. The Hennessy Report is brought to you in cooperation with NEHRA, the New England chapter of SHRM. So sit back and relax listening to Julie's episode – it'll be smooth sailing!

Dave is joined by Alyssa Lahar, CHRO at ZoomInfo, on this episode of The Hennessy Report. Alyssa highlights some of her favorite client examples - Tent Craft, Arnold's Office Furniture, and Silk Home. ZoomInfo was able to help each pivot their business', targeting new contacts and setting Tent Craft up for their highest revenue month of all time. Alyssa covers ZoomInfo's 5 core values as well as how they utilize their employee resource groups to celebrate, empower, and educate their people on diversity and inclusion by providing training, resources, and hosting events like open mic nights and drag shows. You'll be able to hear Alyssa's passion for the HR function, the work her team has accomplished, and the rare culture she says exists in every facet of ZoomInfo.

From grocery store manager to SVP of HR at Iron Mountain, Jennifer Kartono joins Dave on this episode of The Hennessy Report. Iron Mountain is a global storage and information management company with over 20,000 employees, or "mountaineers," and 230,000 customers. Jennifer describes one of their core values as owning safety and security, two early moments that drover her to an "employee and customer centric approach," and the financial and resilience training Iron Mountain has offered to Mountaineers during COVID-19 per their requests. Jennifer also has a unique take on the future of office work.

Dave Hennessy and Traci Delgado share a moment with Yolanda Butler Stephens, Chief of People and Culture of the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois. Yolanda describes the museum's mission of inspiring the inventive genius in everyone in math, science and technology and connecting people who may have been on the outside of traditional education. She also discusses their work with IDEO to grow talent alongside the institution, partnerships with Google, the city of Chicago, and local schools, her insights for HR leaders on successfully handling talent reviews and the performance management process, as well as the acceptance of a lack of work/life balance.

On this episode of The Hennessy Report podcast, Dave speaks with Robin DiAngelo, author of "White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism." Michael Eric Dyson wrote the forward to Robin's latest book, stating it was a "vital, necessary, and beautiful book." Robin has been a tenured professor at Westfield State University, received her PhD in Multicultural Education from University of Washington where she is an associate professor today. During the podcast, Robin recommends the following authors and thinkers, along with their works, that have influenced and inspired her on this subject: Layla F. Saad - "Me and White Supremacy" Charles W. Mills - "The Racial Contract" Eddie Moore Jr - 21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge Reni Eddo-Lodge - "Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race" Carol Anderson - ex. "White Rage" Michael Eric Dyson - "Tears We Cannot Stop" Ijeoma Oluo - "So You Want to Talk About Race" Resmaa Menakem- "My Grandmother's Hands" Next up on the podcast is Yolanda Butler Stephens, Chief of People and Culture at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago

Dave is joined by Denise Vargas, Executive Director of El Hogar Projects – Honduras. After a long corporate career, starting in HR, Denise returned to her roots in Honduras to pursue a sense of true purpose through impactful work. Founded 41 years ago, El Hogar Projects provides education and boarding for children in the most vulnerable conditions through a curriculum of entrepreneurship and self-sustainability to build tomorrow's leaders. They were affected not only by COVID, but two hurricanes that swept through the area. Denise talks about their response, and all employees' dedication to fulfilling a lifelong dedication to the mission. All tuition is free for students, as El Hogar operates as an internationally funded organization. See ways that you or your organization can get involved here: https://elhogar.org/get-involved/ Also listen to the end of the podcast for two poetry readings Denise shared with us.

Rosemary Sheehan has been with Mass General Brigham, formerly Partners Healthcare, for 21 years. In this episode, she talks with Dave about the overwhelming onset of the COVID-19 pandemic for essential employees at each of their hospitals, and their resolution to work as one by sharing resources and communicating safety protocols. Rosemary shares HR's role in supporting employees so they can better care for patients. She also discusses launching a new name for their system of hospitals during a pandemic, as well as their future goal to role out their new United Against Racism Platform, beginning with leadership. This is an insightful, relevant discussion that listeners will be captivated with, both by way of topics as well as Rosemary's deep devotion to the mission of Mass Gen Brigham to develop the sciences that will cure a multitude of illnesses.

Dave was joined by the CPO of Toast, Annie Drapeau, in this episode of The Hennessy Report. Annie describes her unique career path to HR as a gravitational pull and how her very first management experience changed her understanding of the function. She describes the pivot Toast took at the onset of the pandemic and the dire predictions they had for the restaurant industry - their main client. Annie explains how Toast is the best partner to digitally enable restaurants, allowing them to thrive. Annie is a sincere, witty speaker and you're sure to enjoy listening to her in this episode.

In the second podcast recorded live from the 2020 virtual NEHRA Annual Conference, Dave was joined by Jason O. Harris. Jason spent over 7 years in the US Air Force Reserve. In his civilian life, he transferred those skills to American Airlines as a commercial pilot and to public speaking as an inspirational speaker and consultant on the concept of "No Fail Trust." Jason discusses the expectation of trust in the military vs. civilian entry-level jobs, unexpected skills and qualities veterans can bring to the workplace, and whether he has maintained his support for the Raiders after their move to Las Vegas.

Dave was joined live by Kelly Primus at the recently remote NEHRA Annual Conference. Kelly is the CEO & President for Leading Women, an organization focused on closing the leadership gender gap. Kelly discusses the 10 gender dynamics they have identified that create barriers for women, the impact of COVID on women in the workplace (865,000 having left their jobs in one month alone), and Leading Women's "reverse mentoring" program. Kelly is an amazing speaker and you'll enjoy listening to her passion and perspective.

Dave recently spoke with Anthony Williams, the CHRO at Akamai Technologies, leading global HR strategy across 40+ offices. Anthony had previously worked at Akamai as the VP of Global Talent Acquisition and Diversity. Anthony approaches everything from a global, cultural perspective, something he shares he developed through years living and working abroad. He also discusses one of his biggest accomplishments, launching the Akamai Technical Academy geared at developing diverse talent from those with no previous experience and joining 62 others in signing The Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council's Tech Compact for Social Justice. Keep an ear out towards the end for the three generations Anthony acknowledges in his answers!

Dave is joined by Lorraine Vargas Townsend, CPO at Mendix and self-proclaimed advocate for the underdog on this episode of The Hennessy Report. Lorraine is such an honest, educated, passionate powerhouse of a speaker. She focuses on how we can better HR, moving it away from policing people, support greater inclusion, finding allies to fight the system, and how those in positions of power ought to operate. Lorraine also covers her back to the office predictions and what life looks like for their Netherlands office. You'll get so much out of Lorraine's open dialogue with Dave.

Dave is joined by Toni Canada, CHRO of the AMA, to discuss their response to COVID-19 as they pursue their goal to improve the health of the nation. Toni discusses the implementation of "pulse surveys" to determine employee morale and makes predictions for the future of work and the new normal for the medical industry.