EP8: Lead With Humanity — Mercedes Sullivan on HR Transformation, AI & the Frontline Workforce

How do you lead with humanity when AI and automation are reshaping work? What does belonging look like for frontline teams who rarely see HR? In this episode Jason sits down with Mercedes Sullivan, Executive Vice President, People, Culture & Communications at McKinley Companies, to explore HR as a values-driven practice — not just tech. We talk about frontline workforce strategy, “projects → products” in HR, the ethical choice points of AI, and how leaders create belonging for people who’ve historically been left out of the HR conversation. Mercedes brings a rare blend of front-line empathy and productized HR craft. A former touring tennis player turned HR transformation leader, she explains how HR can move from checkbox transactions to human-centered product thinking, why the frontline deserves a different technology playbook, and where AI helps — and where it must be restrained.