HR In Action

In this episode of HR in Action, I sit down with Kyla Robinson, Organizational Development and Training Manager at ARS, for a thoughtful discussion on leadership development, culture, and the evolving expectations of today’s workforce. Kyla shares her unique career path from elementary school teacher to organizational development leader, highlighting how the skills developed in education translate directly into leadership, training, and people development. Her journey offers a powerful remin...

In this episode of HR in Action, KaShondra Anikwe joins for a thoughtful conversation on the evolving role of HR leaders as strategic partners inside organizations. Drawing on her experience leading HR initiatives across complex organizations, KaShondra shares how HR professionals can move beyond administrative responsibilities and step fully into their role as business leaders. The discussion highlights the importance of aligning people strategy with organizational goals, while also creatin...

In this episode of HR in Action, Aaron Robbins sits down with Russell Lookadoo, president of HR Architecture and “HR Guy for Small Business,” for a candid and practical conversation about performance management, motivation, and leadership in small organizations. Drawing on decades of experience spanning government, Fortune 500 compensation strategy, and entrepreneurial consulting, Russell shares what he’s learned about aligning people, pay, and performance — especially in organizations that ...

In this episode of HR in Action, Aaron Robbins sits down with Amanda Zeidman, founder of A to Z Human Resource Consulting, for an in-depth conversation on performance management as both a reflection of culture—and a lever to shape it. Drawing on 25 years of HR experience across high-growth tech organizations, including nearly a decade at Meta, Amanda shares what it’s like to scale performance systems in rapidly evolving environments. From supporting massive organizational growth to redesigni...

In this episode of HR in Action, Aaron Robbins is joined by Alfredo Martin, founder of LOA Mindset Solutions, for a deeply practical and human conversation about leave of absence and workplace accommodations—one of the most complex, emotional, and misunderstood areas of HR. With more than a decade of experience specializing in leave and accommodations, Alfredo shares why this work is far more than a compliance exercise. From intake forms and case management to leadership education and consis...

In this episode of HR in Action, I sat down with Dr. Lisa Marie Lee, Founder and CEO of Linked Results, for a deep conversation on the often-overlooked link between emotion, leadership behavior, and business outcomes. Dr. Lisa brings a unique perspective as an HR researcher, evaluator, and former U.S. Navy veteran, focused on helping organizations understand the return on investment of their HR initiatives. Rather than relying on surface-level “best practices,” she challenges leaders to look...

In this episode of HR in Action: Real Stories. Shared Practice., Aaron Robbins is joined by Susannah Robinson, Founder and President of Partnership for Talent, for a wide-ranging conversation on what effective HR and leadership really look like in small and mid-sized organizations. Drawing on more than 20 years of experience across corporate HR, nonprofit leadership, and consulting, Susannah shares why small and mid-sized companies need just as much strategic HR thinking as large organizatio...

In this episode of HR in Action, Aaron Robbins is joined by Margaret Spence, founder of the Inclusion Learning Lab and a nationally recognized expert in HR, risk management, and AI governance. Margaret brings a unique perspective shaped by nearly three decades of consulting experience at the intersection of talent, compliance, and risk. The conversation explores how AI is already reshaping the talent lifecycle—from hiring and selection to development and succession—and why HR leaders can no ...

In this episode of HR in Action, Aaron Robbins sits down with Christina Cota-Donovan, founder and principal consultant at Cota Coaching and Consulting, to explore what it really looks like to build effective people practices in small and mid-sized organizations. Christina brings decades of hands-on HR experience across organizations of all sizes and now partners with leaders who need strategic HR support—but don’t have it in-house. From navigating post-COVID workforce shifts to designing peo...

In the first episode of our new one-on-one HR leader series, Aaron Robbins sits down with Frida Chavez, Senior HR Manager at Angry Chickz, a fast-growing restaurant brand expanding rapidly across California. Frida shares what it’s really like to lead HR in a high-growth, high-turnover, frontline-heavy organization—where new locations are opening at a rapid pace and HR is often a department of one. From navigating evolving immigration concerns and attendance challenges, to standardizing proces...