In today’s episode, I chat with Andrea Herron, Head of People at WebMD, an HR executive leader, published author of "There's an Elephant in Your Office," and host of the award-winning podcast The HR Scoop. Andrea was recently selected as one of Ragan’s Top Women in Wellness and HR, an Agent of Change in American Healthcare Leader magazine, and a Top Leader in DEIB by Mogul. She lives in Portland, OR with her family and french bulldog Norman.

Our conversation began, as many do, with a candid discussion regarding how life is different today than it was in 2020. When the conversation pivoted to mental health, I was eager to learn more.

Prior to her role at WebMD, Andrea was the Vice President, Human Resources at the Oregon Humane Society. Clearly drawn to organizations making a bigger impact in society, I was curious where that inspiration came from. And how it has informed her professional practice.

It was a really fun conversation. I learned a lot. And I hope you enjoy listening as much as we did recording it.

Andrea Herron


Andrea Herron is the Head of People at WebMD, an HR executive leader, published author of "There's an Elephant in Your Office," and host of the award-winning podcast The HR Scoop.

She was recently selected as one of Ragan’s Top Women in Wellness and HR, an Agent of Change in American Healthcare Leader magazine, and a Top Leader in DEIB by Mogul. She lives in Portland, OR with her family and french bulldog Norman.

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Thinking Inside the Box

Constraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we’re doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.

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Matt Burns

Matt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.

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In today’s episode, I chat with Jess Weems Thibault, VP of Growth at HireEducation, a talent service firm that supports education and EdTech partners in the Early Childhood, K12, Higher Education, and Workforce sectors. 

A former-teacher-turned-marketer, Jess works with industry leaders to strategically grow executive, sales, marketing, and product teams in organizations of all sizes with the goal of providing equitable access to education and economic mobility. Jess spent over a decade working in various nonprofit settings, including as a middle-school science teacher. 

I was curious to learn how her unique background influenced her approach to mentoring in the tech and edtech spaces. How she sees technology shaping the future of learning.

It was a really fun conversation. I learned a lot. And I hope you enjoy listening as much as we did recording it.

Jess Weems Thibault

A former-teacher-turned-marketer, Jess Weems Thibault is the VP of Growth at HireEducation, a talent service firm that supports education and EdTech partners in the Early Childhood, K12, Higher Education, and Workforce sectors. She works with industry leaders to strategically grow executive, sales, marketing, and product teams in organizations of all sizes with the goal of providing equitable access to education and economic mobility.

Jess spent over a decade working in various nonprofit settings, including as a middle-school science teacher. She has an MBA from the University of Wisconsin, an MEd in Secondary Science Education, and a BS in Resource Economics from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

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Thinking Inside the Box

Constraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we’re doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.

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Matt Burns

Matt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.

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In today’s episode, I chat with Jim Stroud. With over a decade of experience in recruitment and sourcing, Jim has consulted for companies such as Microsoft, Google, Siemens, and a host of startup companies. During his tenure with Randstad Sourceright’s Global Head of Sourcing and Recruiting Strategy, he alleviated the sourcing and recruiting headaches of clients worldwide. 

Jim has created and sold five online properties, managed an award-winning blog, published a weekly newsletter for jobseekers, a recruiter training magazine and co-hosted a popular technology podcast. Presently, Jim produces content and manages events for SourceCon, the original sourcing conference. 

That made him the perfect person to sit down with and chat talent. We began with what change in the talent profession (in the past 3 years) has surprised him most? What’s the most common question he receives from talent leaders today? And with myriad creative projects, including an author of 5 HR related books, producer of the YouTube series - "The Jim Stroud Show," and producer of "The Jim Stroud Podcast" - what inspires him to create contenty after all this time?

It was fun discussion as Jim that went a lot of places. And I hope you enjoy listening as much as we did recording it.

Jim Stroud

With over a decade of experience in recruitment and sourcing, Jim Stroud has consulted for companies such as Microsoft, Google, Siemens, and a host of startup companies. During his tenure with Randstad Sourceright, he alleviated the sourcing and recruiting headaches of Randstad clients worldwide as its Global Head of Sourcing and Recruiting Strategy. Presently, Jim produces content and manages events for SourceCon, the original sourcing conference. 

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Thinking Inside the Box

Constraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we’re doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.

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Matt Burns

Matt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.

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In today’s episode, I chat with Terrance Cooley, Chief People Officer and Executive Vice President of Special Projects for the United States Air Force "Joint All-Domain C2" R&D Center, steering the agency’s strategic vision, people-first culture, digital security posture and advanced warfighter technology development. 

A champion of inclusivity, he shapes high-performance, cross-functional teams that model and inspire a workplace based on trust, curiosity, integrity and excellence. 

Which was a great place to begin our discussion. I had an opportunity to ask Terrance about his unique background, from his time as a Wireless Systems Specialist, architecting $73 million in wireless networks for Combat Search & Rescue teams and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies, to his time as the VP of Cyber Risk & Compliance for the United States Air Force's largest Active Cyber Defense group, equipping 82 global vulnerability assessments and overseeing the certification of over 700 analysts. 

In his role today, Terrance is tasked with outfitting a highly-specialized force that operates in life and death scenarios with very real stakes. And how he thinks about the unique challenges and opportunities of implementing technological innovations alongside cultural change?

It was the latest in what has now become a series of inspiring, enlightening, and engaging chats with Terrance. And I hope you enjoy listening as much as we did recording it.

Terrance Cooley

Terrance serves as the Chief People Officer and Executive Vice President of Special Projects for the United States Air Force "Joint All-Domain C2" R&D Center, steering the agency’s strategic vision, people-first culture, digital security posture and advanced warfighter technology development. A champion of inclusivity, he shapes high-performance, cross-functional teams that model and inspire a workplace based on trust, curiosity, integrity and excellence. 

Terrance cut his teeth as a Wireless Systems Specialist, architecting $73 million in wireless networks for Combat Search & Rescue teams and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies before moving into global IT program management and delivering the world’s first 30-nation Federated Mission Network. He previously served as the VP of Cyber Risk & Compliance for the United States Air Force's largest Active Cyber Defense group, equipping 82 global vulnerability assessments and overseeing the certification of over 700 analysts. 

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Thinking Inside the Box

Constraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we’re doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.

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Matt Burns

Matt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.

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In today’s episode, I chat with Verdell Walker, a seasoned consumer-oriented content and marketing professional and board director. Verdell is highly regarded by her peers as a thought leader and someone who fosters an inclusive environment, demonstrated by her effectiveness in leading and working collaboratively with teams. She serves on the board of directors of Scholastic, Inc, and has held roles at Spotify, Mattel, and Sesame Workshop - the makers of Sesame Street. 

With stints at such iconic brands, a good place for us to start was the tension between legacy and innovation. How did this factor into Verdell’s thinking? 

We discussed her enduring legacy at Spotify; developing the brand’s first slate of original kids & family podcasts and garnering nearly 400K listeners less than 5 months after launch! What did she learn taking that journey?

And we closed discussing the future of content. In an era punctuated by AI, how will organic creativity shine through?

Verdell Walker

Verdell Walker is a seasoned consumer-oriented Content and Marketing professional and board director. She has a proven track record of developing and executing innovative strategies that achieve bottom line growth and increase brand value. She is highly regarded by her peers as a thought leader and someone who fosters an inclusive environment, demonstrated by her effectiveness in leading and working collaboratively with teams.

Walker serves on the board of directors of Scholastic, Inc, and has held roles at Spotify, Mattel, and Sesame Workshop. Walker received Bachelor of Arts degrees in Economics and Middle Eastern Studies from Trinity College and an MBA from Harvard Business School. She also holds the CERT Certificate in Cybersecurity Oversight from the Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University.

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Thinking Inside the Box

Constraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we’re doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.

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Matt Burns

Matt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.

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In today’s episode, I chat with Martyn Redstone, Conversational AI & Generative AI Consultant at PPLBOTS. With close to 20 years of recruitment industry experience, and nearly 7 dedicated to the exploration of automation and AI in recruitment, Martyn is a leading thinker at the intersection of talent and technology.

He believes strongly in harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to create more efficient, equitable, and enjoyable recruitment processes. And our discussion followed a similar track. 

It began with the evolution of recruitment technology over the past two decades, highlighting the pivotal moments or technologies that have reshaped the industry. B Before long we shifted to the role of chatbots and conversational AI - addressing not only the practical uses cases, but also the behavioral psychology influences that ultimately inform the design, ensuring they are intuitive and engaging for users.

Longtime listeners of this show know how passionate I am about how humans interact with and use technology. And Martyn was a perfect sparring partner.

It was another in a line of memorable discussions. And I hope you enjoy this as much as we did recording it.

Martyn Redstone

Martyn is a Conversational and Generative AI Ubergeek and all-around recruitment HR tech wizard with over 25 years of experience under his belt. He's spent the last six years diving deep into the world of Conversational AI in recruitment and HR and is the founder of PPBOTS, the the only AI consultancy that is dedicated to the world of Recruitment and HR. 

He's been at the forefront of shaping the industry conversation around the future of AI-powered communication and has the degrees and diplomas to prove it. With a background in Computer Science, Martyn is also a member of the UK-based Recruitment and Employment Confederation, but don't let that fool you—he's not your average corporate drone. When he's not busy talking to computers, Martyn loves meeting like-minded professionals who share his passions and interests."

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Thinking Inside the Box

Constraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we’re doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.

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Matt Burns

Matt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.

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In today’s episode, I chat with Lydia Di Francesco, CEO & Workplace Wellness Specialist at Fit + Healthy 365.  With over a decade of experience in the wellness industry, Lydia's insights into creating a harmonious, productive work environment are invaluable for organizations adjusting to new realities in a post-pandemic world. 

We discussed the significant shift in employee wellness programs since 2020. How organizations are now recognizing the critical need for holistic wellness strategies that go beyond physical health, encompassing mental and emotional wellbeing. This shift is not just a trend but a response to a growing understanding of the multifaceted nature of employee wellness.

The positive impacts of effective wellness programs are clear. Lydia shared how organizations with robust wellness initiatives see notable improvements in employee productivity, engagement, and retention. This not only benefits the employees on a personal level but also enhances the overall performance and success of the organization.

And as the recent recipient of the Businesswoman of the Year award in Ottawa, Lydia expressed how this recognition fuels her mission to advocate for workplace wellness. It's a testament to her impactful work and also serves as a platform to further promote the importance of wellness in the corporate world.

It was another in a line of memorable discussions. And I hope you enjoy this as much as we did recording it.

Lydia Di Francesco

Lydia Di Francesco is a passionate advocate who has made it her mission to empower individuals to lead more fulfilling, harmonious lives. She is the CEO and Workplace Wellness Specialist at Fit + Healthy 365. Her business provides wellness workshops, leadership training for teams and organizations on how to build a culture of well-being, and the creation of strategic wellness plans and programs. 

Lydia has worked in the wellness industry for over 11 years. She holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences and an MBA from uOttawa and is a Certified Workplace Health and Performance Practitioner. Lydia is a regular TV guest expert and has been published in national and local newspapers and magazines. She was recently named Businesswoman of the Year.

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Thinking Inside the Box

Constraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we’re doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.

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Matt Burns

Matt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.

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In today’s episode, I chat with Julius Probst, European Labor Economist at AppCast. A PhD graduate from Lund University in Economic History, Julius brings a unique perspective to the table, combining his knowledge of historical economic patterns with current macroeconomic trends.

Julius starts by sharing his journey, from his early passion for macroeconomics and monetary economics during his bachelor's and master's studies, to his role at Appcast. 

The conversation then shifts to the heart of European labor economics. Julius provides an in-depth analysis of current trends, emphasizing how macroeconomic factors such as inflation, GDP growth, and policy decisions influence labor market dynamics. He highlights the importance of demographic variables, drawing connections between population trends and workforce changes, and how these elements are integrated into his economic analyses.

Demographic trends make this an important discussion for those considering the future of organizational talent. What got us here simply won’t get us there as our population rapidly ages. 

It was another in a line of memorable discussions. And I hope you enjoy this as much as we did recording it.


Julius Probst

Julius Probst is the European labor economist at Appcast. Before that, he was working as economist and application specialist at Macrobond Financial. He did his M. Sc. in Economics with a specialization in macroeconomics and his PhD in Economic History at Lund University in Sweden. During the PhD, he also worked as a researcher for the European Central Bank for half a year.

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Thinking Inside the Box

Constraints drive innovation. We tackle the most complex issues related to work & culture. And if you enjoy the work we’re doing here, consider giving us a 5-star rating, leaving a comment & subscribing. It ensures you get updated whenever we release new content & really helps amplify our message.

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Matt Burns

Matt Burns is an award-winning executive, social entrepreneur and speaker. He believes in the power of community, simplicity & technology.

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