Built By People

Episode Summary What does it take to build a thriving, people-first culture in a high-growth, private equity-backed firm? In this episode of Built by People , host Dave D’Angelo sits down with Erin McAuley , Chief People Officer at Springline, to explore the power of co-creating culture in the midst of transformation. With 30+ years of experience leading organizational change at companies like Cis...

Episode Summary What does it take to lead through uncertainty, rebuild a struggling team, and scale your impact across an entire organization? In this episode of Built by People , we sit down with Christina McClung , a seasoned HR executive with over 15 years at Capital One, to explore the realities of courageous leadership, strategic risk-taking, and the power of building trust in transformative...

Episode Summary What does it take to lead HR with purpose, empathy, and courage—especially in today’s complex business landscape? In this episode of Built by People , Dave D’Angelo sits down with Deboleena Bose , Chief Human Resources Officer at CoBank , to explore the core beliefs and defining moments that have shaped her 30-year career in human resources. From her early inspiration through her f...

Episode Summary What does it truly mean to be a strategic HR leader—and how do you prove your value without falling back on jargon? In this episode of Built by People , host Dave D’Angelo sits down with Andy Dawson, seasoned global HR executive and current Head of People at BVI. With a career spanning military service, tech, biotech, and global healthcare organizations like Eli Lilly and Novartis,...

Episode Summary What does it take to turn HR into a true business driver? In this episode of Built by People , we sit down with Larry Ott, CHRO at Cooper Standard, whose 40+ year career spans GM, Ally Financial, and multiple leadership roles in the automotive sector. Larry shares how he's transformed HR from a support function into a strategic powerhouse that directly influences business outco...

Episode Summary What if your office space could directly improve trust, collaboration, and retention? In this episode of Built by People , we’re joined by Donna Flynn , PhD anthropologist and Chief People Officer at Steelcase , who shares how her unconventional career journey—from academia to tech to manufacturing—uniquely positioned her to lead transformative cultural change. Donna reveals how St...

Episode Summary What if workplace wellness wasn’t just a benefit—but a core business strategy? In this episode of Built by People , host Dave D’Angelo welcomes Laura Harmon , Head of People at One Workplace, to unpack the real cost of burnout and what it takes to rebuild a people-first culture. Laura shares her unconventional journey into HR and why the pandemic exposed a critical gap in wellness...

Episode Summary In an era where HR is often reduced to compliance checklists and legal risk management, Kenneth brings a bold, refreshing reminder: people will always be human—and HR should never forget that. With nearly 30 years of experience across manufacturing, healthcare, and now global leadership at Symphonic Distribution, Kenneth has developed a philosophy that puts people before policy, wi...

Summary How do you lead a 60,000-person global workforce through rapid technological change, economic uncertainty, and a shifting definition of workplace wellbeing? In this episode of Built by People, host David engages in a rich conversation with Lisa Stevens, Chief People Officer at Aon, who shares her unexpected journey from nearly three decades in banking to leading human capital strategy duri...

Summary Many companies still see HR as the department that runs surveys, manages benefits, and plans the occasional happy hour—but Stephanie Manzelli is on a mission to change that. As Chief People Officer at Employ, Steph has built a career transforming HR from an administrative function into a true driver of business performance. In this episode, she shares how decentralizing engagement survey a...

Summary What can decades of leadership at NASA teach us about developing talent, fostering innovation, and building a culture that lasts? In this episode of Built by People , host Dave sits down with Brady — former HR executive at NASA’s Johnson Space Center and current VP of HR at Space Center Houston — to explore exactly that. Brady shares how he led the shift from a decentralized to a functiona...

Summary How can a company’s internal culture and external brand promise truly align? In this episode of The Built by People Podcast , Maureen, VP of HR at Saatva, shares her journey from retail leadership at Target and Ross Stores to leading HR at a fast-growing luxury mattress brand. Her mission: deliver “total life success” for employees—an approach rooted in authenticity, consistency, and trust...

Summary In this episode of the Built by People podcast, Heather shares her unique career journey from advertising to HR, emphasizing the importance of aligning personal strengths with professional roles. She discusses the challenges of scaling culture in rapidly growing organizations, the significance of immersive onboarding programs for new managers, and the strategies for implementing organizati...

Summary Most leaders agree that employee well-being is important — but too often, it’s treated as an “extra” rather than an everyday responsibility. In this episode of Built By People, Dave D’Angelo sits down with Kristen Gradney, Chief Wellness Officer and VP of Total Rewards at LCMC Health, to explore how she’s shifting that mindset across a large healthcare system. With a background spanning cl...

Empowering Young Professionals: Insights from HR Leader Jennifer Bailey In this episode of the Built by People Podcast, HR leader Jennifer Bailey shares her experiences and strategies for helping young professionals, particularly women, gain confidence and clarity in their careers. She discusses the common obstacles such as self-doubt and fear of asking questions, and how providing psychological s...

Summary In this conversation, Paul Phillips discusses his extensive experience in talent acquisition and HR transformation, particularly at Avanade. He emphasizes the importance of building a talent pipeline, focusing on diversity, and leveraging AI to enhance recruitment processes. Paul shares insights on the challenges of hiring in Japan, the significance of innovative learning approaches, and t...

Transitioning Military Experience to HR Leadership with Quentin MisenheimerIn this episode of the Built by People Podcast, the host welcomes Quentin, a seasoned HR leader with over 27 years of experience. Quentin shares his journey from a military intelligence officer to leading high-performing HR teams in various industries. He discusses the challenges and strategies in transitioning military ski...

Summary In this episode of the Built by People podcast, Michael Fraccaro shares his remarkable career journey from being a high school teacher to becoming the Chief People Officer at MasterCard. He discusses the challenges of scaling culture in a large organization, the importance of measuring cultural health, and the significant outcomes of cultural transformation. Michael also reflects on his ex...

Revolutionizing Performance Management with Ami Graves from Bell TechlogixIn this episode of the Built by People Podcast, the host speaks with Ami Graves, the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) at Bell Techlogix. Ami shares her 25-year career journey in human resources and delves into the challenges that led her to overhaul the traditional performance management system in favor of rolling object...

Addressing Burnout and Enhancing Employee Wellbeing with Matt Owenby from Aflac In this episode of the Built by People Podcast, the host welcomes Matt, an experienced HR leader from Aflac. Matt shares his career journey from HR recruiting to becoming the president of Aflac's printing company. The discussion centers around Aflac's strategies to tackle employee burnout, including wellness ev...

Navigating Crisis: Colleen McCreary's Journey Through Credit Karma's Tough TimesWelcome to the Built by People Podcast, presented by Previ, where we share insights from top HR leaders. In this episode, we feature Colleen who discusses her 30-year tech career, starting in college recruiting at Microsoft, and later taking HR roles at EA and Zynga. Colleen shares her experiences at Credit Karma durin...

Rediscovering Balance: Alana Fallis's Journey from Burnout to Boundaries In this episode of the Built by People Podcast, we are joined by Alana, the Head of People at PON Metric. Alana shares her eclectic career journey from acting to HR leadership and discusses her experiences dealing with burnout. She emphasizes the emotional investment required in HR roles and how she found herself overexte...

Nick Jestead's Journey: Transforming Compensation Strategies with Data and AIIn this episode of the Built by People Podcast, host Dave welcomes Nick, the VP of Total Rewards and Analytics at PowerSchool, to discuss his career journey and expertise in HR analytics. Nick shares insights on developing compensation frameworks, his implementation of a career framework at PowerSchool, and the challenges...

Navigating IPOs and Divestitures: Insights from Serena Filson on HR Leadership In this episode of the Built by People Podcast, Serena, an HR executive, shares her career journey from Johnson and Johnson to her current role at Serara. Discussing her experiences, she highlights the challenges and strategies involved in taking a company public and managing a major divestiture from a private equity en...

Harnessing HR Innovation: Tina Gupta's Journey at New York LifeIn this episode of the Built by People Podcast, we delve into the career journey and insights of Tina, the head of talent management at New York Life. Tina discusses her transition from talent acquisition to a focus on internal talent management and the company's proactive approach to leveraging AI. Highlights include key AI in...