In this episode of the Future Proof HR podcast, Thomas Kunjappu sits down with Jamie Rivero, HR Director at MYCO Mechanical, Inc., to explore what disciplined HR leadership looks like in a rapidly changing environment. Drawing on nearly two decades of experience across manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, retail, and construction, Jamie shares how HR leaders can navigate AI adoption and major system decisions without losing credibility or trust.

Jamie explains why moving too fast on AI and HR technology often creates more problems than it solves. She unpacks the importance of understanding the business before evaluating tools, pressure-testing vendor claims, and building ROI cases that connect time saved to real business outcomes rather than surface-level efficiency metrics.

The conversation also examines where AI can support HR teams and where human judgment must remain central. Jamie outlines how HR leaders can reduce low-value work with technology while protecting high-stakes decisions like hiring, performance management, and employee relations, offering a grounded view of what it takes to lead HR through ongoing change.

Topics Discussed:

1. Why HR leadership today requires judgment, not just tools
2. Slowing down AI adoption to avoid costly implementation mistakes
3. Evaluating HR technology through a true business lens
4. Building credible ROI cases that executives trust
5. Lessons learned from failed or delayed HR system implementations
6. Negotiating vendor contracts and protecting leverage during implementation
7. Where AI belongs in HR and where humans must stay in the loop
8. Preparing HR teams for continuous change without eroding trust

If you are an HR leader, people strategist, or executive navigating AI, HR technology, and constant change, this episode offers practical insight into how experienced HR leaders make decisions that stand the test of time.

Additional Resources:

1. Cleary’s AI-powered HR Chatbot
2. Future Proof HR Community
3. Connect with Jamie Rivero on LinkedIn

In this episode of the Future Proof HR podcast, Thomas Kunjappu sits down with Jessica DeLorenzo, Chief Human Resources Officer at Kimball Electronics, to explore how HR leaders can guide AI adoption as a business transformation, not just a technology rollout. Drawing from her non-traditional path into HR and nearly a decade inside a global, low-margin manufacturing organization, Jessica shares how HR can move from reactive service delivery to predictive, value-adding leadership.

Jessica explains why she pushes back on the idea of having an “AI strategy” in isolation, and instead frames AI as an enabler of broader business strategy, from margin expansion and decision-making to workforce capability and meaningful work. She walks through how Kimball approaches AI adoption thoughtfully and selectively, balancing experimentation with governance, cost discipline, and real-world operational complexity.

This episode offers a grounded look at what it takes to lead AI change inside a complex, regulated manufacturing environment, where processes are imperfect, audits are real, and transformation must deliver value without eroding trust.

Topics Discussed:

1. Moving HR from service delivery to predictive, strategic leadership
2. Why AI strategy should be treated as a business strategy
3. Using AI as a teammate, not a replacement
4. Protecting the human in the loop during AI adoption
5. Lowering fear and resistance through play and experimentation
6. Building AI capability responsibly in low-margin organizations
7. Selective licensing, early adopters, and managing AI ROI
8. Safeguarding high-potential talent during experimentation
9. HR’s evolving role as a predictor, advisor, and change partner

If you’re an HR leader, people strategist, or executive navigating AI adoption inside a complex organization, this episode offers practical insight into how HR can lead transformation while keeping humans, trust, and long-term value at the center.

Additional Resources:

1. Cleary’s AI-powered HR Chatbot
2. Future Proof HR Community
3. Connect with Jessica DeLorenzo on LinkedIn

In this episode of the Future Proof HR podcast, Thomas Kunjappu sits down with Amy Johnston, Head of People and Capability at Orion New Zealand Ltd., to explore what it really takes to future-proof HR inside a high-risk, highly regulated industry undergoing massive transformation. As electricity demand accelerates due to electrification, sustainability goals, and AI-driven data centers, Amy shares how HR plays a critical role in keeping people safe, workforces resilient, and organizations ready for what’s coming next.

Amy explains how Orion is using AI responsibly across People & Culture and operational teams, why HR became a “safe place to play” for AI experimentation, and how governance, privacy, and employee trust shape every deployment. She walks through real-world examples, from tier-zero automation that reduced employee service requests by 50%, to AI-assisted drone inspections that improve safety on the power network.

This episode offers a rare look at HR leadership where mistakes carry real-world consequences, and where future-proofing means balancing innovation, safety, dignity, and long-term workforce planning.

Topics Discussed:

• Why HR can be a safe starting point for AI adoption in high-risk industries
• AI governance, privacy, and employee communication in regulated environments
• Using AI to automate tier-zero HR support and reduce service demand
• Improving safety through AI-assisted inspections and operational workflows
• Workforce challenges driven by electrification and AI-related energy demand
• Retaining institutional knowledge through transition-to-retirement programs
• Treating retirees as paid alumni, coaches, and mentors
• Building diverse talent pipelines through STEM and early-career programs
• Industry-wide collaboration to solve shared workforce shortages
• What it truly means to future-proof HR when the lights have to stay on

If you’re an HR leader, people strategist, or operator working in a regulated, safety-critical, or infrastructure-heavy environment, this episode offers practical insight into how HR can lead through disruption without compromising trust, safety, or human connection.

Additional Resources:

• Future Proof HR Podcast
• Future Proof HR Community
• Connect with Amy Johnston on LinkedIn

In this episode of the Future Proof HR podcast, Thomas Kunjappu sits down with Diana Alvis, VP of HR at Crown Capital MGMT, to discuss what it actually takes to future-proof HR beyond tools, hype, and fear. With more than 20 years of experience across retail, public sector, healthcare, immigration law, and construction, Diana brings a grounded, operator-first perspective on learning, judgment, and using AI responsibly to raise the quality of HR work.

Diana shares how HR fundamentals translate across industries, why continuous learning is the real career advantage, and how AI can remove friction from daily workflows without replacing human judgment. She explains how she uses AI for job descriptions, bilingual communication, research, documentation, training design, and recruiting support, while drawing clear boundaries around confidentiality, governance, and what should never be automated.

Throughout the conversation, Diana breaks down how she enables managers to be more self-sufficient, why communication is the most important skill for both humans and AI, and when live, human-led training matters more than efficiency. She also challenges assumptions about degrees in HR, discusses the balance of responsibility between HR and management, and explains how AI raises the floor rather than replacing roles.

Topics Discussed:

• Why HR skills are transferable across industries
• The importance of a learning mindset in adapting to AI and change
• How AI increases productivity in everyday HR workflows
• Clear governance boundaries and protecting confidential information
• Using AI for job descriptions, bilingual communication, research, and documentation
• Manager enablement and why managers should own people decisions
• Communication is the most critical future-proof skill
• Human-led training versus passive, automated learning
• Why AI raises the floor instead of replacing HR or recruiting roles
• How HR teams can adopt AI at their own pace without fear

If you’re an HR leader, operator, or manager navigating AI adoption while staying grounded in judgment, communication, and human connection, this episode offers practical insight, real-world examples, and a clear philosophy for building an HR function that lasts.

Additional Resources:

• Cleary’s AI-powered HR Chatbot
• Future Proof HR Community
• Connect with Diana Alvis on LinkedIn

In this episode of the Future Proof HR podcast, Thomas Kunjappu sits down with Julie Fonzo, Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Five Star Breaktime Solutions, to discuss how HR can move fast with AI while staying grounded in real human connection. With experience across startups, turnarounds, growth environments, and M&A, Julie brings a business operator mindset and a clear approach to using technology to elevate not replace the employee experience.

Julie shares how her team supports thousands of frontline employees, why multiple communication channels matter, and how tech-enabled workflows free HR for more meaningful interactions. She also breaks down her build versus buy decisions, the closed-loop systems that safeguard data, and when she intentionally slows down because the risks outweigh the reward.

Throughout the conversation, she offers practical examples from using AI in job descriptions, communications, ER documentation, training, and early recruiting steps and explains how she brings her team along with confidence, clarity, and smart experimentation.

Topics Discussed:

• Why HR can and should be the first function to ship AI
• How to balance efficient answers with person-to-person interaction
• What it takes to communicate with a large frontline workforce
• How closed-loop systems and layered controls protect sensitive data
• When to build internal tools instead of spending on external vendors
• How AI helps with job descriptions, ER workflows, training modules, and internal communication
• Why human touch still matters in onboarding and parts of recruiting
• How to bring HR teams along through change and build confidence
• The value of failing fast, learning quickly, and moving forward with intention

If you’re responsible for helping HR teams modernize, remove friction, and use technology to improve both operations and human connection, this episode gives you real examples, strategic clarity, and a mindset for leading in a world that isn’t slowing down.

Additional Resources:

Cleary’s AI-powered HR Chatbot

Future Proof HR Community

Connect with Julie Fonzo on LinkedIn

In this episode of the Future Proof HR podcast, Thomas Kunjappu sits down with Marta Vittini, Vice President of Human Resources at Renovation Brands, to explore the human skills HR leaders must protect as technology accelerates change across every part of the workplace. Drawing on experience leading acquisitions, shaping culture across distributed teams, and driving AI adoption from the inside, Marta reflects on what it now takes for HR to stay sharp, relevant, and trusted in a world where tools evolve faster than people.

Marta shares how critical thinking, continuous learning, and business fluency have become essential capabilities for every HR professional, and why relying too heavily on automation can quietly erode the judgment that leaders need most. She talks about the rapid AI transformation inside her organization, including how the CEO championed company-wide experimentation, how an internal AI Innovation Award reshaped behavior, and how HR monitors engagement to support hesitant adopters without shame or fear.

She also revisits lessons from leading multiple acquisitions, explaining why integration is never truly complete, why communication routines hold cultures together, and how HR can guide organizations through disruption with structure, empathy, and intention.

• Why learning, thinking, and adapting have become non-negotiable for HR’s long-term relevance
• How HR can preserve human judgment while still embracing AI as a daily tool
• The risks of over-reliance on AI and how critical thinking weakens when unused
• How an AI Innovation Award encouraged cross-functional experimentation
• Why training, communication, and coaching are essential in driving AI adoption
• What HR should monitor to understand true engagement with new tools
• How continuous onboarding and recognition sustain connection after acquisitions
• Why culture integration takes time and how communication shapes that experience
• How HR leaders can bring valuable insights to due diligence and early deal conversations
• Why understanding the business, financials, and performance drivers future-proofs HR careers

If you're responsible for helping people and organizations grow through change, this episode gives you perspective, examples, and practical insight on how to stay grounded, stay human, and stay ready in a landscape that is shifting faster than ever.

• Cleary’s AI-powered HR Chatbot
• Future Proof HR Community
• Connect with Marta Vittini on LinkedIn

In this episode of the Future Proof HR podcast, Thomas Kunjappu sits down with Shari Chernack, Chief People Officer at Isaacson Miller and an ICF-certified executive coach, to unpack what it now takes for HR to operate as true business athletes in the age of AI. Drawing on experience across Fortune 100, PE, and VC-backed environments, Shari talks about how the CHRO role has shifted from administrative support to strategic leadership and why HR leaders can’t afford to stay on the sidelines as AI reshapes every workflow, capability, and expectation inside the organization.

Shari breaks down how performance management and learning have become HR’s most powerful levers for driving AI adoption, why some moments in the employee journey should stay high-touch even as automation grows, and how pilots, redeployment, and risk matrices help organizations adopt AI without unintentionally damaging culture, talent, or trust.

Topics Discussed:

• Why the CHRO role has evolved from administration to strategy and now to business athlete expectations
• The skill gaps CHROs themselves say they wish they had closed earlier in their careers
• Why HR must be involved in AI strategy from the start, not brought in at the end to “execute” decisions
• How performance management can accelerate responsible AI adoption through goals, impact, and clarity
• How learning teams can use AI tools to design faster, gather insight quicker, and build real-time capability
• When automation makes sense and when high-touch human support still matters in employee moments
• The risks of replacing people too quickly and the value of thoughtful redeployment
• What pilots reveal about organizational readiness, culture fit, and technology maturity
• How “garbage in, garbage out” applies to HR processes, documentation, and data hygiene
• Why non-linear change with AI requires experimentation, transparency, and shared learning across teams

If you’re responsible for guiding your organization through AI adoption. Whether in HR, people operations, or the broader business, this episode gives you concrete examples, decision lenses, and practical ways to shape work without falling into hype or fear.

Additional Resources:

• Cleary’s AI-powered HR Chatbot
• Future Proof HR Community
• Connect with Shari Chernack on LinkedIn

In this episode of the Future Proof HR podcast, Thomas Kunjappu sits down with Nicole Dessain, Founder of The Talent Imperative and curator of the HR Hackathon Alliance, to talk about what it really means for HR to co-create AI-ready, truly human workplaces. Nicole shares how a CEO survey calling CHROs the least AI-savvy in the C-suite sparked her own 30-day AI learning challenge, and how that personal reset turned into a practical blueprint any HR leader can use to build confidence and credibility with AI.

The conversation looks at AI transformation as a people transformation, the role of human-centered design in shaping employee experience, and how HR can move from overwhelmed by tools to leading the work as strategic partner, connector, and humanist. Thomas and Nicole also dig into why onboarding is such a high-leverage use case for AI, and how freeing HR from manual tasks can actually increase the human touch, not reduce it.

Topics Discussed:

• Why AI transformation is a people transformation, not just a tech rollout
• Nicole’s 30-day AI learning challenge and how HR leaders can build similar daily habits
• What human-centered design looks like in HR and employee experience work
• The four emerging roles for HR in the age of AI: strategic partner, critical thinker, connector, and humanist
• Common barriers to AI adoption, from fear of job loss to vague “everyone must use AI” mandates
• How to use journey mapping and co-creation to identify real AI opportunities in workflows
• Why onboarding is one of the highest-impact moments to redesign with AI and automation
• Partnering with CIOs and the C-suite to balance innovation, risk, and data privacy
• Practical ways HR can earn trust and a stronger voice in company-wide AI decisions

If you are responsible for helping your HR team become more AI-literate, more strategic, and more focused on high-value human work, this episode gives you language, habits, and concrete starting points to bring back to your organization.

Additional Resources

• Cleary’s AI-powered HR Chatbot
• Future Proof HR Community
• HR Hackathon Alliance
• Connect with Nicole Dessain on LinkedIn