Dear Human Resources:

In this episode, we’re talking about AI’s Role in the Modern HR Function. Artificial intelligence is transforming how organizations recruit, manage, and support employees — but with these innovations come important questions about ethics, fairness, and the future of work. Joining me today is Joey Price, CEO of Jumpstart HR, TEDx speaker on AI in the workplace, and author of the book The Power of HR: How to Make an Organizational Impact as a People Professional. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Today’s conversation sits right at the intersection of people, policy, and performance. We're going to focus on Parental Leave Policies. Our guest is Beth Wanner, the founder of Mother Cover, an agency that provides interim and fractional leadership coverage to help organizations maintain momentum while employees take parental or caregiver leave. Beth brings a rare and powerful dual perspective to this work. She’s led teams as a tech executive, and she’s also navigated the personal transformation of becoming a mother. That combination gave her a front-row seat to a persistent workplace tension: how organizations can genuinely support employees through major life transitions without sacrificing business continuity. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Today’s episode is about AI, but not in the usual way. We’re not talking about fear, replacement, or hype. Instead, we’re asking a much more practical question: Busy Work is the First Thing AI Should Take: How to Break Down Your Job Into ‘AI Tasks’ and ‘Human Tasks’—and Why It Matters. And how can we break our jobs into AI tasks and human tasks—in a way that actually gives us back time, energy, and agency? Our guest is Sharon Gai, an international keynote and TEDx speaker, AI and innovation expert, former Alibaba executive, and author of the book How to Do More with Less: Future-Proofing Yourself in an AI-Driven Economy. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Host: Kelly Minnis

Christian “Boo” Boucousis (“Boo") is a former fighter pilot turned CEO of the company Afterburner., which helps organizations translate high-stakes aviation thinking into business execution. He’s the author of The Afterburner Advantage, an Amazon bestseller in leadership, and he works with Fortune 500 companies—and even NFL teams that went on to win the Super Bowl—to build purpose-driven, high-performing cultures. He’s known for turning chaos into clarity. Book talks about what HR leaders can learn from a fighter pilot cockpit drill. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Host: Kelly Minnis

Our guest is Erika Sinner, Founder and CEO of Directorie, a $15 million healthcare commercialization company and a two-time Inc. 5000 honoree. She also serves as the Chief Empathy Officer at the nonprofit TinySuperheroes, empowering critically ill children to discover their strength and voice. A passionate advocate for pet-inclusive workplaces and a leading voice on pet bereavement leave, Erika is the bestselling author of Pets Are Family. In this episode, she talks about the Importance of Celebrating Our Pets in the Workplace. From Slack channels full of puppy pics to thoughtful pet bereavement policies, organizations are recognizing what many of us already know—pets are family, and honoring that truth can transform culture. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Today’s episode dives into a frustrating but all-too-common experience for job seekers — submitting dozens of resumes and hearing... nothing. Why are qualified candidates getting ghosted? And what exactly are recruiters — and the bots they use — really looking for? To help us unpack this, I’m joined by Steph Cartwright, a Job Search Strategist, Certified Resume Writer, and the solopreneur behind Off The Clock Resumes. Since 2014, Steph has helped hundreds of job seekers break through barriers and get noticed, offering guidance on everything from resumes to LinkedIn strategy. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Our guest is Hanna Hasl-Kelchner, the international award-winning author of Seeking Fairness at Work. She was named one of the Top 9 Impact Authors by the 2024 Goody Business Book Awards. A former business lawyer turned strategist and host of the syndicated podcast Business Confidential Now, Hanna blends legal, social, and practical insight to help leaders build fair and high-performing workplaces. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

In this episode, we welcome Leandro Cartelli, founder of Lana Talent, a firm dedicated to connecting businesses with exceptional Latin American talent while ensuring both skills alignment and cultural fit. With over 15 years of experience leading Talent Acquisition efforts at companies like Accenture and DeliveryHero, Leandro brings a wealth of knowledge in building scalable, data-driven recruitment strategies. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

In this episode, we talk with Aaron Smith, the co-founder of Savi, a platform helping millions navigate student loan repayment. He’s spent over a decade in student loan policy and higher ed tech, working with organizations like AARP and The National Education Association to unlock nearly $5 billion in projected savings for borrowers. Aaron is also the founder of Young Invincibles, an advocacy organization he started while still managing his own student debt. He’s collaborated with the Department of Education and even the White House on meaningful student loan reforms. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Matthew Hellrung is co-Founder & Partner at Meltzer Hellrung LLP. He helps companies create scalable and compliant immigration programs that withstand audits and policy changes. With over a decade of experience, he’s a trusted advisor to Fortune 500 companies and HR leaders for his expertise in I-9 compliance, global mobility, and visa sponsorship. In this episode, Matthew talks about “What HR needs to know before sponsoring that next work visa". Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Ken Coats is the visionary behind KENTECH. His insights on protecting vulnerable communities and growing global businesses have earned him the trust of over 125,000 entrepreneurs and business leaders. In this episode, Ken talks about Leadership in the Age of Algorithms, a deep dive into what leadership looks like when machine learning is making—or influencing—more and more decisions. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Rachel Shaw is President of Shaw HR Consulting. She is a seasoned HR expert who helps organizations shift from fear-based compliance to people-first, legally sound strategies that build strong workplace cultures. Rachel has 20 years of executive HR experience and she’s the author of The Disabled Workforce: What the ADA Never Anticipated in which she provides practical guidance to HR and risk professionals. In this episode, Rachel is going to talk about why the ADA is more than legal red tape. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Leah Stiegler is principal and management-side labor and employment attorney working with business leaders and HR professionals nationwide from her office at the Virginia-based law firm Woods Rogers. She advises employers through the entire employment life cycle, from recruitment to termination and severance, to ensure compliance and keep them out of court. You can catch Leah on her YouTube series, What’s the Tea in L&E, where she tackles the topics that keep HR professionals up at night. In this episode, Leah is going to discuss “Fake employees created by AI”. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Robert Glazer is the founder and chairman of the board of Acceleration Partners, a global leader in partnership marketing. He also cofounded and chaired BrandCycle. Robert is a serial entrepreneur and an award-winning executive. He is also a #1 Wall Street Journal and USA Today author. His books include Elevate, Friday Forward, Elevate Your Team, and How to Thrive in the Virtual Workplace. In this episode, Robert is going to tell us why we should Break up with the two weeks' notice. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Rich Lee is CEO & Co-Founder of New Era ADR, a venture-capital-backed tech company that saves both individuals and businesses time and money while bringing long-desired but never-before-seen certainty and predictability to their legal disputes. In this episode, Rich is going to talk about an online resolution platform. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Irma Neal is the former Deputy Mayor of the city of Indianapolis, Indiana and Director of Human Services with more than 30 years of experience in government and corporate sectors. She has dedicated her career to transforming human services and financial literacy and has spent over 15 years as a business owner and consultant, working with government agencies, schools, and private organizations. Growing up in a family facing financial hardship, Irma learned early the importance of money management, which fueled her lifelong passion for economic education. As the best-selling author of Leading in Chaos, Irma is passionate about making a positive impact in the lives of others. In this episode, Irma talks about some life and work lessons she learned from growing up poor. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Ashley Goldberg is President and Partner at Search Solution Group. She has been instrumental in the firm’s growth over her 12-year tenure. Starting as Director of National Sales, she quickly advanced to become the Search Solution Group’s youngest partner. She now leads a sales team of over 30 professionals. Her leadership has helped establish her company as the top executive search firm in Charlotte, NC. Ashley is also a supermom of five. In this episode, Ashley talks about the Future of Work: Navigating Hybrid Work Models. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

John Masud Parvez is the Founder of VSHR Group. John has led impactful transformations for billion-dollar companies and spearheaded research-driven solutions across sectors, including healthcare, HR, and education. His expertise and 8 years of research on workforce transformation are featured in his book, “100x Business Workforce”, which is being translated into several languages. In this episode, John talks about Technology and workforce change management. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Tracy LaLonde is a professional development leader with over 30 years of experience in training, consulting, and professional development. She worked in three very large law firms, then became a partner in a consulting firm teaching lawyers how to develop business. She is the author of Trust Me: The insider’s Guide to Being the Go to Person at Work. In this episode, Tracy explains how to repair broken trust in the workplace. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

James Felton Keith ("JFK") is an award winning Mechanical Engineer & Labor Economist. He’s also the CEO of InclusionScore Companies and a lecturer at the University of Georgia. In 2017 he was the first Black LGBT Person to run for federal office in the United States, via his bid for Harlem’s Congressional Seat. As an entrepreneur, he established the first international diversity & inclusion certification. In this episode, James talks about the recent cuts of DEI programs and the law surrounding DEI programs. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Glenn Akramoff is founder and CEO of AKRAmoff, LLC. He’s a leading expert in rehabilitating municipal government workplaces with over three decades of experience. In this episode, Glenn talks about creating a culture of empathy in municipal workplaces. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Luis Garcia is President of PETE, a tech startup that is transforming workforce training through Artificial Intelligence. In this episode, he talks about the future of workforce development. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Brandy Burch is a trailblazer in employee benefits and health insurance. She is the Founder and CEO of BenefitBay and she brings two decades of expertise in finance, technology, and human capital to the table. Her journey from single parenthood to entrepreneurship adds a unique perspective to some of her innovative solutions. In this episode, Brandy discusses how she balanced single parenthood and starting a business Host and Producer: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

principal at the Virginia-based law firm Woods Rogers. She is a management-side labor and employment attorney who works with business leaders and HR teams nationwide. She advises employers through the entire employment life cycle, from recruitment to termination and severance to ensure their compliance and keep them out of court. In this episode, Leah discusses the legal side of Workplace Romance and various legal advice. Host and Producer: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Alex Hall has been an active alumnus of the Master’s degree in HR program at Western Carolina University for over a decade. His career in HR has spanned several industries, most notably Insurance where he spent nearly 12 years with Liberty Mutual Insurance. Alex is a seasoned expert in talent management. He is also passionate about the future of HR, effective systems & processes, and artificial intelligence. He recently started his own HR consulting firm, Valinor Talent Solutions. In this episode, Alex talks about the future of the HR profession and shares his thoughts about AI. Host and Producer: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Jason P. Carroll is founder and CEO of Aptive Index. He transforms hiring processes through modern psychometric and behavioral assessments. Through his company, Jason is spearheading a movement to evaluate candidates beyond outdated documents, focusing instead on intrinsic traits that align with an organization’s culture and goals. In this episode, Jason tell us why he thinks resumes are garbage. Host and Producer: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Cary Sparrow is the founder and CEO of WageScape. He is a former US Navy officer who served on several nuclear submarines and turned entrepreneur. He has over 35 years of combined experience in engineering, military, consulting, technology, and operations leadership. At WageSpace, Cary paves the way for HR professionals and consulting firms to predict the future of wage-pay. In this episode, Cary is going to talk about the future of wage pay. Host and Producer: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Amy Bouque is Chief People Officer for Kelly, a global leader in providing strategic workforce solutions and connecting talented people to great companies. Amy leads the human resources practices for the more than 5,000 internal full-time Kelly employees around the world. In this episode, Amy talks about ways to maintain trust and connection with remote employees. Host and producer: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Rahshea Cardiff is Vice President of Partnerships at Happy Companies. She has over 20 years of leadership experience at major Fortune 500 companies like Microsoft, Starbucks, and Best Buy. In this episode, Rahshea talks about “Using technology to deliver coaching”. Host and Producer: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Tiffany Houser is an Executive Coach, Leadership Development Facilitator & Trainer. She is the Founder of EVOLVE, and the Creator of Self Worth Advantage®, where she and her team work with leaders, founders, and HR, People & Talent stakeholders on transforming hidden leadership insecurities into trust, agility, and impact where they develop their teams into high-performance units. In this episodes, she talks about the massive ROI around bragging about yourself in the workplace Producer & Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Dr. Roger Gerard is the owner of Sloan & Gerard Consulting, a private consulting practice serving executives and boards in strategic planning, operational planning, executive coaching, and management development. Dr. Gerard has a 52-year career history leading executive and management development initiatives. He’s the author of "Owning the Room: Leading with Mind, Heart and Spirit to Make Extraordinary Choices in a Demanding World" and "Lead With Purpose: Reignite Passion and Engagement For Professionals in Crisis". And he has co-authored “On the Mend: Revolutionizing Healthcare to Save Lives and Transform the Industry.” Producer and Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Ray Smith is Senior VP of people and culture at The Arbinger Institute. In 2022, she and her team received the Champions of Health Care Award for diversity and inclusion. In this episode, she talks about self-deception and leadership: what it is, how it impacts employees and company culture, and some strategies for overcoming self deception. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Laura Nguyen is an experienced marketing executive and entrepreneur with an extensive background in data-driven marketing, digital marketing and communications for Fortune 500 companies. She is the founder of Solle Solutions, a marketing consultancy. In this episode, Laura talks about taking a career break. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Kelly Meerbott is a TEDx presenter and leadership expert who works with senior executives and military officers. As the daughter of golf professional George Burns III, Kelly was inspired by the pivotal role of coaching in achieving excellence. She is the author of the book, From Burnout to Bliss, in which she provides practical strategies for managing burnout. In this episode, she talks about the Employee Retention Crisis. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Jacquiline Wagner, Founder and President of the HR consulting firm Wagner HR talks about ways HR can help reduce employment lawsuits. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Neil Thompson is an engineer who worked in the medical device industry and used to fail miserably at public speaking. As a result, he founded Teach the Geek. He now works with technical professionals like himself to improve their presentation skills. He also hosts the Teach the Geek podcast. And he’s the author of the book, Teach the Geek to Speak: a no-fluff public speaking guide for STEM Professionals. In this episode, Mitch talks about “Public Speaking as a game changer for technical staff”. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

No more headaches with managing your leave process. Head over to Cocoon.com/hr to learn more and get up to a 50% implementation fee discount. bit.ly/46LTAM1 Dr. Andi Simon is a pioneering corporate anthropologist renowned for guiding companies through transformative change. She is the Founder and CEO of the Award-winning agency, Simon Associates Management Consultants. Her third book titled, "Women Mean Business," co-authored with Eddie Fraser and Robyn Freedman Spizman, is the topic of this episode. Host: Dr. Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

No more headaches with managing your leave process. Head over to Cocoon.com/hr to learn more and get up to a 50% implementation fee discount. https://bit.ly/46LTAM1 Sergio Athanasso is Founder & Managing Attorney of Sergio Law, a US immigration law firm located in Washington, PA. Sergio Law focuses exclusively on business and individual immigration law. In this episode, Sergio talks about some legal considerations when hiring foreign workers and interns. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

No more headaches with managing your leave process. Head over to Cocoon.com/hr to learn more and get up to a 50% implementation fee discount. https://bit.ly/46LTAM1 Ty Wang left his tech job at Palantir in 2019 to build a modern, digital-first healthcare company called Angle Health. Inspired by his immigrant parents' struggles with chronic illnesses and inadequate healthcare, Ty aimed to make Silicon Valley tech company health insurance plans accessible to all employers through digitization. Ty has taken the business from $0 to over 70 million dollars in annualized revenue in the first 18 months of launching. In this episode, Ty talks about some roadblocks to health care coverage and how to overcome them. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

No more headaches with managing your leave process. Head over to Cocoon.com/hr to learn more and get up to a fifty percent implementation fee discount. https://bit.ly/46LTAM1 Dr. Pam Hurley is the founder of Hurley Write Inc. She talks about “Enhancing Remote Recruitment with Effective Writing” Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D.Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Listening to your biological cues - Dr. Randy Brazie & Dr. Geoffrey VanderPal. Dr. Brazie is a licensed Psychiatrist and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner. Dr. VanderPol is a Certified Financial Planner and a professor at Purdue University Global. They are the authors of the book "The Steadfast Leader" and the co-founders of the NeuroConsulting Group. Drs. Brazie and VanderPal talk about “Listening to Our Biological Cues: Applying how our nervous systems work in dealing with safety and danger to becoming better leaders, managers, and business professionals". Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis.

Keith Goode, Vice President of Client Services at ZeroedIn, talks about HR Analytics and the Power of Predictive Models. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Dimple Dhabalia, a human-centered leadership coach and founder of Roots in the Clouds, talks about her book, Tell Me My Story– Challenging the Narrative of Service Before Self, a map to healing for those doing humanitarian work. She also talks about “generational trauma and its surprising impact on wellbeing in the workplace”. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Janice Omadeke, Founder & CEO of The Mentor Method, talks about why mentoring isn't one size fits all and about setting boundaries with your mentor. She provides some advice on what to talk about and what to never bring up. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Stefanie Krievins and her team at The Change Architects work with companies that are growing, innovating, up-skilling, and digitally transforming. Stefanie leads a firm focused on designing the workforces of the future through up-skilling plans, succession plans, and strategic execution. In this episode, Stefanie explains why meetings suck and proposes some ways to make them less painful and more productive. http://www.thechangearchitects.com/ Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Will Sealy is co-founder and CEO of Summer, a company that helps employers offer student loan benefits and simplifies access to student loan programs for borrowers. In this episode, Will talks about employers' responsibility (or lack thereof) in alleviating financial stress of their employees, in particular the provision that allows employers to match student loan payments into 401(k)s. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Dr. Hope Tiesman is a research epidemiologist at the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). She has published extensively in the field of occupational safety and health and worked with many occupations including the U.S. military, health workers, farmers, teachers, and first responders. Dr. Tiesman serves on multiple advisory boards, occupational safety and health councils, and injury research groups including the Workplace Suicide Prevention & Postvention Committee and NIOSH’s Mental Health Initiative for Health Workers. In this episode, Dr. Tiesman talks about Suicide in the workplace: Why it happens, the science behind it, some tools to help detect an employee who is in distress, and some strategies for HR. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Scott Greenberg, a business speaker, writer, and coach helps leaders and teams perform at a higher level. He has given presentations in the U.S. and throughout the world with clients including McDonald’s, the U.S. Air Force, TEDx, Allstate, Great Clips, RE/MAX, Salesforce, Nike, and others. His book, "Stop The Shift Show: Turn Your Struggling Hourly Workers into a Top-Performing Team", was released in 2024. In this episode, Scott talks about "Overcoming the “Kids These Days” effect: seeking to understand the values and expectations of younger generations to “earn their devotion" and what that means for employers and HR. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Sheldon Gilbert, entrepreneur and founder of Kura Labs, a cloud infrastructure computing training and job placement non-profit academy for under-served communities, discusses how alternative education paths will empower marginalized communities. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis

Lori Wallace, founder of Career Ecology and Social Innovator, talks about what she calls "unpacking the essence of Work-Life Empowerment" and about job search. Host: Marie-Line Germain, Ph.D. Mixing: Kelly Minnis