AI in the Middle, Humans in the Lead: Inside a Lean, Analytics-Driven, Disaster-Tested HR Function

In this episode of the Future Proof HR podcast, Thomas Kunjappu sits down with Leah Pearson, Senior Director of Human Resources at First Onsite Property Restoration, to unpack what it really takes to run HR inside a disaster-response organization. Leah shares how her sales background shaped her business-first approach, how she built a culture where employees raise their hands to drive change, and why she believes AI should sit in the middle of the process while humans stay in the lead. She and Thomas dig into practical lessons from experimenting with AI tools, the realities of compliance and data governance across borders, and the shift toward a leaner, more analytics-driven HR team ready for whatever the next crisis brings.Topics Discussed:How Leah’s early sales career shaped her people-first, business-first HR mindsetThe realities of HR inside a disaster restoration companyWhy AI is a tool, not a replacement, for human judgmentUsing automation to eliminate administrative load and free HR for higher-value workBuilding job architecture with AI support and cross-functional collaborationThe importance of governance, privacy, and data protection across the US and CanadaBottom-up innovation: empowering employees to identify inefficiencies and lead projectsThe future HR skillset: tech fluency, analytics, business alignment, and change leadershipIf you’re responsible for evolving your HR function into a more tech-fluent, analytics-aware, and business-aligned partner, this conversation gives you concrete ideas, questions to ask, and skills to prioritize with your team.Additional ResourcesCleary’s AI-powered HR ChatbotFuture Proof HR CommunityConnect with Leah Pearson on LinkedIn