From AI and HR data to recruitment and empathetic leadership, HRDA’s Frankly Speaking series goes straight to the source. We’ve tapped top HR industry experts to give you the actionable insights you need to navigate today’s hottest topics.
Here are the most-viewed insights you can’t miss.
Portillo’s CPO on Winning Executive Support
The most authentic brand story isn’t told by a marketing team. It’s told by the people who live it every day. That’s the core belief behind Portillo’s Internal Influencer Program, led by Chief People Officer Jill Waite. So, how do you get leadership to buy in to an unconventional idea like this? According to Waite, the answer is simple: share the “why” and speak their language.
The Fastest Way to Prep Your Workforce for AI
For many HR leaders, integrating Gen AI and understanding its impact on the workforce feels like a long, difficult task. Yet, waiting is no longer an option—organizations that delay their planning risk being left behind. Ross Sparkman, Head of Strategic Workforce Planning, argues that the biggest roadblock isn’t the technology; it’s the process of getting started. The solution? Don’t start with a massive, manual effort. Start with the technology itself.
Hyatt’s Next Gen Leader—A New Mandate for HR
The world of HR is evolving faster than ever, and a new title is emerging for HR leaders. It’s no longer enough to just keep up; it’s time to take the lead. That’s the message from Carlee Wolfe, a speaker at the upcoming Spark Talent 2025 conference and Associate Vice President of Leader Development at Hyatt Hotels Corporation. When asked to define “Next Gen HR” in one sentence, she delivered a powerful, three-part mandate:
Hershey’s Global TA Head—AI Isn’t a Threat to HR
For many in the HR field, the rise of AI comes with a nagging fear: that it will eventually replace recruiters and dehumanize the hiring process. This is the biggest misconception about artificial intelligence in talent acquisition, and according to experts, it’s not the reality at all. The true purpose of AI isn’t to take over your job, but to free you from it.
Behind in workforce planning due to cumbersome manual processes and rapidly changing talent needs? Try AI, Peter Louch advises, to help you with continuous workforce planning. Louch is the founder and CEO of Vemo, Inc., and speaker at SPARK TALENT 2025. See what Louch has to say on the importance of being prepared and planning ahead.
Hyatt’s Warning on AI’s Equity Trap
Carlee Wolfe, Associate Vice President of Leader Development and Organizational Effectiveness at Hyatt Hotels Corporation, is sounding the alarm: The future of talent management isn’t just about cool technology—it’s about care and courage. Wolfe argues that rolling out Artificial Intelligence (AI) can’t succeed if the only goal is efficiency. It must be built on a strong foundation of organizational values, particularly AI Equity.
Strategy on A Budget According to ADM
HR professionals can listen to the advice of Sarah Sheffer, Senior Manager of HR Data & Analytics for ADM, who dedicated her SPARK Talent 2025 session to discussing affordable options for developing people analytic strategies on a budget. HR professionals can’t solve everything alone, and Sarah encourages collaboration with teams all over the business.
Hyatt Hotel’s Care Over Quickness
During an interview with Carlee Wolfe, Associate Vice President of Leader Development and Organizational Effectiveness at Hyatt Hotels Corporation, she told HR Daily Advisor that the core of Hyatt Hotel’s development is to never move so fast you forget to make decisions with empathy. Before Wolfe’s presentation at SPARK Talent 2025, she hoped that if the audience had to take away one thing, it would be to make every decision with care and compassion.
Coca-Cola VP on Which Data Matters
The workload of HR professionals is mighty, and the deliverables are grand. Upholding a business model, supporting your people strategy, keeping up with ever-changing legal issues, all while attempting to plan for the future of work—it feels like carrying an entire tray of freshly shaken bottles of Coca-Cola, waiting to explode. But what if you could work towards these goals all at once, one sip at a time?
GE Healthcare Says Start One Step Ahead
During her session at SPARK Talent 2025, GE Healthcare’s Head of Talent Programs, Tabitha Wright, asked the audience, not only what they wanted to accomplish, but how. In a rapidly developing world, your business and people strategies are only as good as the quality of pieces they’re built from.