Building Intentional Cultures - Stories from the Front Lines
Employee engagement, inclusive leadership and high performing talent are all top priorities for successful and growing businesses that benefit from building intentional culture, but how do we get there? As organizations mature and grow, what might have been second nature needs to become explicit. Organizations who want to transform their culture for better business performance also need to invest in intentional culture practices. What does this look like and how can you get started?
Tamara Cooksey
Tamara Cooksey is the CPO of Ingenio, where she is responsible for overseeing the global people operations function with a focus on culture and integrated change management. She has over 15 years of experience helping early-stage companies grow, develop, and retain top talent. Tamara has a strong combination of business acumen and emotional intelligence, which has resulted in her ability to be a results-driven leader who emphasizes relationship-building skills and creative problem-solving. She is extremely passionate about building people programs and culture initiatives to create positive, diverse, and supportive work environments that keep employees engaged, allowing them to reach their full potential.
Miriam Connaughton
A seasoned leader with over three decades of business and human resources (HR) experience, Miriam joins Simpplr to run and scale the people function and amplify Simpplr's employee experience (EX) and HR presence and voice in the market. Miriam previously consulted with Simpplr on product development, sales, and marketing, bringing an impactful HR perspective and advancements to all these areas.
"We are on a mission to transform the work experience for billions of people across the world," said founder and CEO, Dhiraj Sharma. "Miriam is already a key contributor to Simpplr. I've been inspired by the breadth and depth of expertise she has brought to Simpplr as a consultant. With Miriam as our Chief People and Experience Officer, our team, our solution, and our customers will all benefit. Simpplr is growing from strength to strength."
Before joining Simpplr, Miriam ran a successful HR consulting business. Prior to her consulting business, she was a partner in EY's People Advisory business and held senior positions for over 20 years with Willis Towers Watson. With her vast experience working across diverse industries, Miriam has helped organizations develop people strategies that effectively tackle intricate and complex challenges, shape employee experience, and navigate the ever-evolving world of work.
"At Simpplr, my two passions - people and technology - converge. By designing technology for the betterment of people's experience at work, we create a virtuous cycle that elevates an organization's business, its people, and the world we live in, said Miriam. "As an advocate of the strategic value of HR, I'm thrilled to channel my passion, experience, and ideas into practical application. I'm excited to be part of the awesome Simpplr team."
Tran Andrada
Tran Andrada has over 25+ years in the HR and Technology space. She started her professional career in APJ as an HR Specialist and during her journey has held roles as an HR Analyst, Solution Consultant, Account Executive, and People Leader leading cross functional teams. Tran has experience with and managed business applications such as PeopleSoft, UltiPro, ADP’s myriad of systems (EV4, EV5, PayForce, WFN, Vantage) as well as services. Tran’s HR tech experience has been with Peoplesoft, UltiPro, ADP and last but not least, Workday’s full Suite of HCM solutions. She has worked in many industries which include: airlines, banking, retail, PEO, and technology. She now leads the Sales Engineering Team at Hibob for the Americas.
Desiree Navarro
Desireé Navarro is a seasoned human resources executive and dedicated community advocate, whose remarkable journey is defined by her unwavering commitment to leadership, both in the corporate world and within various volunteer organizations. With a diverse range of experiences, Desireé has emerged as an influential force in the field of human resource management, change management, and employee development.
Desireé is the Chief Human Resource Officer for Shodair Children’s Hospital, a non-profit hospital in Montana specializing in psychiatric care for children and adolescents along with a nationally recognized genetics program providing care for all ages. Desireé has a Master of Business Administration from The University of Liverpool, a Bachelor’s from the University of Montana Western, and is both SHRM-SCP and SPHR certified. Desiree’ was recently recognized as the 2023 Montana Human Resource Leader of the Year. She currently serves as the Membership Advisory Council Representative for SHRM representing the Pacific West Region.
Marielle Smith, SHRM CP
Marielle Smith is a seasoned People and Talent Leader who specializes in growth-stage technology businesses. Marielle has built and scaled the HR and Talent Acquisition functions at companies like Apigee (acquired by Google), GoodHire (acquired by Checkr), and Narvar. Her professional passions include growing talent management frameworks to scale, building a culture of engagement and accountability in remote and distributed teams, mentoring HR/talent professionals, coaching leaders, and building manager support programs. When she’s not working, you might find Marielle leading volunteer efforts for the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM), making pottery, skiing, or reading.