Skilled

Misha Santa Barbara, VP of Technical Skills and Learning at Kyndryl, joins Skilled to talk about piloting AI-powered learning at scale. She breaks down Kyndryl's experiment with AI avatars for sales training, the hard lessons on cost and experience design, and why skills are the literal product at a 70,000-person tech services company. Plus: the three types of learners every L&D leader nee...

Cisco's Chief Learning Officer Marci Paino on building a skills intelligence engine for 86,000 employees, and why job titles can't keep up with how fast skills change. In this episode of The Skilled Podcast, Marci breaks down the data model powering personalized learning at Cisco, how the company cuts production time on new learning experiences from three months to about a week, and why sh...

What does it mean to lead HR like a business driver, not an order taker? Kelli Ezell of BMI breaks down the three-legged stool of HR execution, AI adoption done right, and the career advice she wishes she'd heard earlier.

Julie Stone, Chief Learning Officer at TTEC, leads AI-powered learning for 65,000+ employees across six continents. In this episode, she shares why she stopped a fully self-paced program from launching — and why it would have failed — and what that moment taught her about the role humans must play in AI-powered learning. She also breaks down why the most dangerous skill gap in organizations today...

What does it actually take to walk into an iconic American brand as a new CHRO and build culture, values, and an HR strategy from scratch? In this episode of the Skilled Podcast by ‪Growthspace, Omer Glass and Samantha Thomas sit down with Gena Smith, CHRO of J.Crew, to talk about what she learned in 14 years at LVMH, why values mean nothing without accountability, and how she's thinking about...

In this episode, Ron Storn, CHRO, Truckstop, shares what 20 years of building people-first HR actually looks like: why engagement scores are a symptom, not a strategy; what Mark Zuckerberg taught him about hiring; and the one quality that predicts whether someone will grow or plateau. Plus: how TruckStop is approaching AI adoption without mandates, and why

How Moody's measures whether learning actually sticks — and why most L&D teams are tracking the wrong thing. Paul Tiesler, SVP, Talent Development, joins Skilled to talk about his unconventional career path into HR from Broadway as a professional actor, why culture matters more than you think, and how Moody's created a new measurement system to report on the impact of L&D at scale.

Ben Putterman, VP of Learning & Talent Development at HubSpot, has a bold claim: leadership development has actually gotten worse over the last 20 years. In this episode, he breaks down why. Ben also shares the "explorer vs. map reader" framework HubSpot uses to build leaders who can thrive without a roadmap.

Jon Caldwell, CPO of Valvoline, on building "Vamily" culture through a massive corporate transformation, hypergrowth goals and the people strategy it'll take to get there, and why culture is the real competitive advantage in retail.

In this episode, we sit down with James Killian to explore the intersection of HR, learning, and performance. James shares practical insights on coaching, skills development, and building a growth mindset in the workplace. Whether you’re an HR leader, manager, or lifelong learner, you’ll discover actionable strategies to unlock potential and drive meaningful development across your team.

Irina Novoselsky presents a leadership model designed for speed, trust, and relevance. At Hootsuite, social intelligence informs decisions across marketing, customer experience, and HR. Talent decisions prioritize skills over experience, enabling internal mobility and adaptability. Leaders build credibility by listening first and showing up authentically. Culture is reinforced through action, not...

Liz Volk is the Chief Human Resources Officer at Longo Brothers Fruit Market (Longo’s), a Canadian grocery chain rooted in the Greater Toronto Area. With two decades inside the organization, she has shaped culture, learning, and people strategy. Her experience across retail and food service gives her a grounded view of how work really gets done on the floor and what teams need to thrive. In this e...

Greg Pryor explains why relationships are a decisive driver of performance and advancement. He shares the papal prediction story to illustrate how networks forecast outcomes, defines four network patterns: fast movers, shapers, scalers, and risers, and offers practical ways to build social agility. He urges HR and learning leaders to design for connection and to teach these human skills alongside...

 In this episode, we sit down with Steve Ransone, Vice President of Organizational Capability at White Lodging, to uncover how his extensive background in hotel operations has uniquely influenced his approach to HR leadership Steve shares his journey from the front lines of hospitality into organizational development, offering insights on talent development, career pathing, and change management....

In this episode, Bryan Allen shares how he tackled one of the most significant challenges for HR: improving retention and driving organizational success. Drawing from his experience, Bryan explains why retention should be the highest priority for any company. He discusses the importance of going beyond industry averages, setting ambitious goals, and investing in existing talent. Bryan also highlig...

Joshua Remerowski, VP of Learning & Development at SRS Distribution, shares how his unconventional career path—from truck driver to L&D executive—shaped his approach to leadership development.  He reveals the importance of understanding frontline roles, designing impactful training, and creating career growth opportunities for everyone that drive business success.

Douglas Stitt, former CHRO of the U.S. Army (Deputy Chief of Staff, G1), led HR for 1.1 million people in one of the world’s most complex organizations. In this episode, he shares what it takes to manage talent at scale, build a resilient workforce, and drive leadership development in high-stakes environments. From leading HR transformations to testifying before Congress (while accidentally on mut...

Quentin Misenheimer, Chief People Officer at Garlock Flexible, shares his journey from HR leadership at Newell Rubbermaid to transforming talent development at Rollins. In this episode, he dives into the power of succession planning, how he built a leadership pipeline that still thrives today, and the lessons learned from an HR initiative that didn’t go as planned. He also reflects on what makes a...

Charlie Ackerman, former Senior Vice President of HR at Bosch North America, shares how he led a large-scale HR transformation that supported the company’s rapid growth. With over 35 years of experience, Charlie discusses the challenges of driving organizational change, building a strong talent pipeline, and ensuring HR functions align with business strategy. He also reflects on key lessons in com...

Meet Sheryl Raphael Whitaker, learning and talent executive, as she recounts her journey in creating Claims University at AIG. From the challenges of shifting in-person training to digital to lessons learned about stakeholder engagement, Sheryl shares her journey in driving impactful digital transformations.

 Join Eric Wohl, former CHRO at Dish Network, as he reflects on building a nationally recognized L&D team and shares pivotal lessons from career challenges. Discover how Eric’s innovative approach transformed talent development and helped him navigate complex HR hurdles with resilience and impact.

Larry Ott, Senior Vice President and CHRO at Cooper Standard, shares how he transformed the company’s talent strategy from the ground up. With over 40 years of HR leadership experience in the automotive industry, Larry discusses the evolution of Cooper Standard University, his approach to performance management, and why business acumen is a non-negotiable skill for HR leaders. He also reflects on...

 Robert Rigby-Hall, Chief People Officer at Keplr Vision, draws on over 25 years of HR and leadership experience across industries and continents to share invaluable insights. From cultural missteps and successful engagement strategies at NXP Semiconductors to the importance of communication and executive buy-in, Robert offers a candid look at the triumphs, challenges, and lessons that have define...

Fabio Sacoman, VP of Learning & Development at Expedia Group, shares his corporate journey, emphasizing the power of feedback, personal growth, and authenticity. From pivotal lessons at GE to his leadership role at Expedia, Fabio discusses translating feedback into actionable skills, fostering a learning environment, and navigating cultural differences in global organizations.

Ann Lazarus-Barnes, Chief People Officer at Lionbridge, has dedicated over 35 years to creating more inclusive, effective workplaces. From pioneering diversity programs to managing global teams, Ann’s journey is one of resilience, adaptability, and a willingness to embrace both triumphs and setbacks as opportunities for growth.