In this episode of the Future Proof HR podcast, Thomas Kunjappu sits down with Lauren Tropeano, Chief People Officer at Docebo, a global AI-first learning platform supporting HR and L&D teams worldwide. Lauren is helping shape what it means to be an AI-first organization—from rethinking learning and development to weaving AI literacy into every level of the employee experience.

Lauren shares how her team is translating a bold AI vision into everyday behavior, creating a culture where curiosity, experimentation, and learning drive transformation. From launching an internal AI Academy to embedding AI in hiring, performance, and team planning, she reveals how HR can make change feel human, safe, and scalable—all while leading by example in a rapidly evolving world of work.

Topics Discussed:

• How to define and operationalize an AI-first culture.
• Building AI literacy through an internal academy and shared learning.
• Using mindset work and champions to drive grassroots adoption.
• Recruiting for curiosity and adaptability, not just AI skills.
• Embedding AI into HR’s daily rhythms and OKRs.
• The partnership between HR and IT in enabling transformation.
• Why human judgment, empathy, and communication remain HR’s ultimate edge.

If you’re exploring how to move beyond AI tools to build real cultural capability, this conversation offers a practical guide to embedding AI in your organization’s rhythm—without losing the human pulse that makes it work.

Additional Resources:

• Cleary’s AI-powered HR Chatbot
• Future Proof HR Community
• Connect with Lauren Tropeano on LinkedIn

In this episode of the Future Proof HR podcast, Thomas Kunjappu sits down with Camille Wright, Director of Human Resources at American Health Marketplace, a fully remote health insurance marketing agency navigating hypergrowth and heavy seasonality. Camille leads HR transformation across a distributed workforce while driving one of the boldest AI adoptions in HR. Introducing automation that accelerates hiring, strengthens compliance, and enhances the employee experience.

Camille shares what it really takes to lead through AI transformation while keeping HR’s human core intact. From reimagining recruiting with instant, AI-led interviews to retraining teams for strategic work, she’s proving that automation doesn’t replace connection, it can amplify it when built with care. Her perspective offers a practical roadmap for HR leaders balancing pressure to move fast with the need to protect trust, fairness, and belonging.

Topics Discussed:

• How AI recruiting eliminates bottlenecks while preserving compliance and fairness.
• Reframing HR’s role from transactional to strategic in an AI-first organization.
• Upskilling and repurposing HR teams to focus on coaching and leadership.
• Balancing innovation speed with sustainability and bias testing.
• The evolving definition of “human connection” in HR’s digital future.
• Lessons from introducing AI-driven onboarding and performance coaching.
• What “AI-ready HR” looks like when built on trust, not just technology.

If you’ve ever wondered how to embrace AI without losing what makes HR human, this conversation with Camille Wright is your blueprint for balancing speed, strategy, and heart.

Additional Resources:

• Cleary’s AI-powered HR Chatbot
• Future Proof HR Community
• Connect with Camille Wright on LinkedIn

In this episode of the Future Proof HR podcast, Thomas Kunjappu sits down with Shanda Mihali, Chief Human Resources Officer at Axiom Healthcare Services, a long-term health and assisted living organization serving communities across the U.S. Shanda brings a frontline perspective to HR transformation in one of the most compliance-driven industries, where the pressure to adopt AI collides with limited budgets, lean teams, and rising expectations.

Shanda shares how she navigates the tension between AI’s promise and the realities of HR leadership: from vendor overload and compliance guardrails to the ever-expanding definition of HR’s role in employee well-being, retention, and culture. Her story highlights both the risks of rushing adoption and the opportunities to reshape HR when technology handles the transactional, freeing people to focus on strategy and connection.

Topics Discussed:

• Why AI in HR feels like both the “wild west” and a lifeline for overloaded teams.
• The reality of “more with less”: shrinking budgets, lean staffing, and rising expectations.
• The pitfalls of vendor fatigue and the hard questions every CHRO should ask before buying.
• Balancing compliance, trust, and innovation in healthcare HR.
• How to leverage peer networks and roundtables to evaluate tools more effectively.
• Why adaptability, creativity, and willingness to explore matter more than perfect expertise.
• A vision of HR’s future: AI handling policies, handbooks, and routine Q&A while humans focus on well-being, retention, and creative strategy.
• Practical advice for early-career HR professionals looking to make the biggest impact on frontline staff.

If you’ve ever felt the weight of doing more with less while being pushed to innovate, this candid conversation with Shanda Mihaly is both validating and inspiring.

Additional Resources:

• Cleary’s AI-powered HR Chatbot
• Future Proof HR Community
• Connect with Shanda Mihali on LinkedIn