In this episode of the Future Proof HR podcast, Thomas Kunjappu sits down with Andy Martiniello, Chief People Officer at Equipment Ontario and Principal Coach at Martiniello Coaching & Consulting, to explore what it really means for HR to work at the intersection of people and strategy, not as separate disciplines, but in lockstep.

Drawing on a career spanning sales leadership, executive coaching, HR technology, and strategy work, Andy shares how coaching senior leaders requires a deep understanding of how the business actually runs. He explains why focusing on individuals alone is not enough, and how people leaders can create real impact by coaching the system, the value chain, the operating model, and the patterns that shape outcomes.

Andy breaks down how CPOs and CHROs can move upstream into strategy by mapping how work flows across the organization, identifying where execution stalls, and aligning teams around a shared understanding of how value is created. He also discusses the tension between psychological safety and accountability, and why effective coaching must balance both to drive meaningful change.

The conversation explores how AI is reshaping people and strategy work, not by replacing human judgment, but by accelerating analysis, surfacing patterns, and acting as a thought partner for leaders navigating complexity. Andy shares practical examples of how AI can help HR leaders make better decisions, faster, while keeping interpretation and accountability firmly human.

Topics Discussed:

1. People and strategy working in lockstep
2. Coaching the business system, not just individual leaders
3. Balancing psychological safety with accountability
4. Mapping value chains before org charts
5. Using AI as a thought partner in people and strategy work
6. Moving HR upstream into strategy conversations
7. Identifying patterns that block execution
8. What it takes for HR to drive outcomes, not just support them

If you are an HR leader, people executive, or coach looking to move beyond individual development and influence how the business actually works, this episode offers a grounded, systems-level perspective on how HR can create lasting strategic impact.

Additional Resources:

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

In this episode of the Future Proof HR podcast, Thomas Kunjappu sits down with Kendall Schultz, Chief People Officer at Triumph Behavior Support, to explore what it really takes for HR to move beyond a cost center and earn authority inside fast-growing, high-pressure organizations. With over 15 years of experience across venture-backed and private equity environments, Kendall shares how HR leaders can build credibility through execution, not permission, while navigating scale, risk, and constant change.

Kendall breaks down why waiting to be invited into strategy conversations no longer works for HR. Instead, she explains how people leaders must proactively identify risk, eliminate waste, influence decisions, and operate with the same rigor as product and finance teams. From finding significant cost inefficiencies to treating people operations like a product roadmap, she outlines how HR can become a true value engine for the business.

The conversation also explores the human side of authority. Kendall shares how psychological safety, ethical leadership, and transparency are not soft concepts but essential operating principles, especially during restructures, layoffs, and periods of rapid growth. She explains why HR must be present, consistent, and willing to make hard calls to build trust that scales beyond the HR function itself.

Topics Discussed:

1. Reframing HR from cost center to value engine
2. Earning authority through execution, not title
3. Treating people operations like a product
4. Finding operational inefficiencies and reducing organizational waste
5. Building credibility with CEOs and founders in PE and VC environments
6. Embedding psychological safety into daily operations
7. Leading ethically through layoffs and restructures
8. The limits and opportunities of AI in people operations
9. What skills HR leaders need to stay relevant and future-proof their role

If you are an HR leader, people operator, or executive navigating scale, scrutiny, and constant pressure to prove value, this episode offers a clear, experience-backed view of how HR can earn lasting influence and relevance in the future of work.

Additional Resources:

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

In this episode of the Future Proof HR podcast, Thomas Kunjappu sits down with Amaan Hussain, Director of HR at The Acquisition Group, to explore how HR leaders can adopt AI without sacrificing the human connection that defines their organization. With over a decade of experience leading HR strategy in high-growth, direct-to-consumer environments, Amaan shares how his team balances efficiency, empathy, and scale in a world increasingly shaped by technology.

Amaan explains why his organization is intentionally cautious about where AI shows up and where it does not. He outlines a clear guardrail that guides every technology decision: AI can improve speed, consistency, and insight, but it should never replace the core human relationships that drive performance, trust, and differentiation. From recruiting and coaching to sales enablement, he shares how a hybrid model allows AI to augment work without eroding what makes the business successful.

The conversation also explores recruiting and managing Gen...

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