In this powerful episode of The ASHHRA Podcast, Luke Carignan sits down with Kelly Martin, Vice President and CHRO at Texas Health Resources, to explore what it truly takes to lead large-scale HR transformation in one of the nation’s largest health systems.

With over 23 years at Texas Health Resources, Kelly has grown from an entry-level employee relations role to the organization’s top HR leadership position. Now, she’s spearheading a bold “HR Evolution”—centralizing transactional functions into a service center, building a competency-based career pathing system, and positioning HR as a true strategic partner to operations.

Kelly pulls back the curtain on:

• First-Year Retention Challenges – Why retention rates for new hires, especially nurses, remain a critical concern across healthcare, and how Texas Health is tackling it head-on.
• Recalibration Over Layoffs – How she managed to restructure over 180 HR roles without mass job loss, creating new opportunities and clear development pathways for her team.
• Balancing Technology and People – Implementing systems like ServiceNow while ensuring the human side of HR remains central to workforce engagement and culture.
• Partnering with Operational Leaders – Aligning HR goals with business outcomes to improve culture, engagement, and retention.
• Leading with Empathy and Accountability – Delivering tough messages with compassion and transparency while keeping focus on the future vision.

From building trust with leaders to forecasting workforce needs, Kelly shares the practical strategies and leadership mindset required to thrive in the evolving healthcare landscape. She also offers candid reflections on resilience, adaptability, and “playing offense” in HR rather than staying reactive.

Whether you’re a healthcare HR leader, executive decision-maker, or operations partner, this episode delivers actionable insights on workforce strategy, change management, and the critical role HR plays in organizational success.

📢 Quote to Remember:
"We cannot fail at this. It’s too big. And with the right team and leadership support, we won’t." – Kelly Martin

🎧 Tune in now to learn how bold vision, strategic alignment, and genuine care for people can transform HR into a driving force for healthcare excellence.

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In this powerful episode of The ASHHRA Podcast, co-hosts Bo Brabo and Luke Carignan sit down with Carrie O'Dell, Chief Human Resources Officer at Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin, for a candid and inspiring conversation about what it truly means to lead with courage, authenticity, and vision in today’s healthcare environment.

With over 25 years of progressive HR leadership, Carrie brings a grounded, people-first approach to shaping cultures that thrive, even in times of crisis. From redefining onboarding to confronting workplace trauma and burnout, her leadership philosophy is rooted in creating space for transparency, vulnerability, and action.

🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

🛠️ From Reaction to Reimagination
Carrie shares how her team moved from putting out fires to building long-term people strategies aligned with organizational values and why HR can’t sit back and wait for change.

💬 Communication as a Leadership Imperative
Carrie unpacks her team’s approach to courageous conversations, fostering an environment where listening, speaking up, and mutual trust are prioritized.

💡 HR's Role in Organizational Healing
Whether navigating the fallout of a tragic workplace incident or responding to systemic burnout, HR has a crucial role to play in helping teams heal. Carrie shares what worked, what didn’t, and why showing up matters.

🧩 Designing HR With Intentionality
From recruitment to retention, Carrie discusses how her team evaluates every process through the lens of employee experience, and how this mindset shift drives engagement and retention in the post-COVID healthcare era.

🌱 Personal Growth as a Leadership Tool
Carrie gets real about her own leadership evolution, stepping into uncertainty, managing self-doubt, and learning to lead with heart while driving measurable outcomes.

💬 Memorable Quote:
"People aren't just looking for a job anymore. They're looking for purpose, safety, and a place they can be heard. HR leaders have the power to build that."

🎧 Tune in now to hear how courageous HR leadership can shape the culture, resilience, and future of healthcare organizations across the country.

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Your employees expect top-tier medical benefits, like comprehensive care access. But how can you balance these expectations against rising costs, across your full benefits portfolio? Did you know that hospital employees fill 25% more prescriptions each year than other industries? How can you tell if all those prescriptions were needed, or if you could have had significant cost savings by filling at your own hospital pharmacies?

Contact RxBenefits today to learn more: https://rxbene.fit/3ZaurZN

Simplify screening, credentialing & compliance with oneBADGEhealthcare from ISB Global. Built for healthcare HR leaders. Learn more & get started here: https://isbglobalservices.com/onebadgeunitedstates/ashhra/

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In this deeply moving and high-impact episode of The ASHHRA Podcast, Bo and Luke are joined by Maureen O’Brien, CEO of the Global Wisdom and Leadership Forum, keynote speaker, cancer survivor, and self-proclaimed “Sales Sage.” Together, they explore the powerful intersection of leadership, sales, mindset, and purpose in healthcare HR and beyond.

This is not your typical sales conversation.

Maureen shares transformative insights on how HR professionals can build internal sales acumen to effectively pitch strategic initiatives to executives like CEOs, CFOs, and Boards. She introduces the concept of the “18-inch vertical drop”… connecting head and heart, and how tapping into authentic communication is key to winning support for HR-led projects in today’s complex healthcare environment.

💥 What You’ll Learn:

• Why every HR leader is in sales (even if you don’t call it that)
• How to use empathy and active listening to influence key stakeholders
• Tactical advice for presenting ideas that stick, without 900-word slides
• The critical role of discovery before design or delivery
• The risk of relying too heavily on relationships in vendor partnerships

Maureen’s powerful perspective as a stage-four Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma survivor brings unmatched depth to her philosophy of living and leading with intention. She shares her commitment to honoring “one more day,” offering a blueprint for resilience, gratitude, and making every conversation count.

Whether you’re a CHRO presenting a benefits overhaul or a talent acquisition pro trying to align leadership on a tech investment, this episode will elevate your approach. You'll walk away with actionable tools to lead with heart, speak with clarity, and drive real outcomes—no matter your job title.

🔑 Key Quotes:

• “Sales is just a swear word for service.”
• “Mindset is your superpower—use it with intention.”
• “Discovery is the most important part of the process. Design and delivery should never come first.”

🎯 Perfect For:

• Healthcare HR professionals
• Organizational leaders managing change
• Sales professionals in complex B2B environments
• Anyone seeking purpose-driven leadership development

🎧 Tune in and learn how to shift your seat to the other side of the table, speak the language your stakeholders understand, and ultimately become the kind of leader (and human) who gets the right things done for the right reasons.

📖 Bonus: Maureen’s book, 26 Points of Light, shares her journey through cancer, featuring contributions from her caregivers and family. All proceeds support cancer research and patient care.

From our sponsors...

Unlock Pharmacy Plan Potential!

Your employees expect top-tier medical benefits, like comprehensive care access. But how can you balance these expectations against rising costs, across your full benefits portfolio? Did you know that hospital employees fill 25% more prescriptions each year than other industries? How can you tell if all those prescriptions were needed, or if you could have had significant cost savings by filling at your own hospital pharmacies?

Contact RxBenefits today to learn more: https://rxbene.fit/3ZaurZN

Simplify screening, credentialing & compliance with oneBADGEhealthcare from ISB Global. Built for healthcare HR leaders. Learn more & get started here: https://isbglobalservices.com/onebadgeunitedstates/ashhra/

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Healthcare HR is at a crossroads, and Michael Olson is one of the leaders showing the way forward. In this future-focused episode of The ASHHRA Podcast, co-hosts Bo Brabo and Luke Carignan sit down with Michael, VP of HR Operations at Avera Health, to explore what it truly means to operate HR as a strategic business partner in today’s high-stakes healthcare environment.

🚨 Spoiler alert: HR can’t afford to be reactive anymore. It must be data-informed, operations-savvy, and ready to influence 50% of a hospital’s budget—labor costs.

🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

🔹 Why the “HR-as-Operations” model is the future
Michael shares his unique career journey from finance and IT to senior care ops to HR, and how his diverse background helps him bring a business-first approach to people strategy.

🔹 How HR leaders can manage $1B+ labor budgets
Hear how Michael is hiring HR talent who can speak the language of CFOs and help manage labor spend at scale.

🔹 The power of walking the floors
Whether you're in recruiting, systems design, or strategic leadership, shadowing your clinical teams leads to better design, empathy, and ultimately better hiring and retention strategies.

🔹 AI, automation, and HR’s identity shift
Michael, Bo, and Luke discuss how HR roles are being recalibrated—not eliminated—by AI. Those who thrive will be the ones who lead with data and understand the operational heartbeat of healthcare.

💡 Key Takeaways:

✅ HR must stop building processes for HR’s convenience and instead design for operational efficiency.
✅ Go beyond awareness—get fluent in your health system’s P&L, balance sheets, and reimbursement models.
✅ Every HR professional should learn how to leverage data, ask better questions, and act as an internal consultant.
✅ There’s no “career fairy.” Growth happens when you take initiative, seek mentorship across departments, and stay curious.

📢 Quote to Remember:
“There is no career fairy coming to save you. You have to go learn, go ask, and go connect.”

Whether you’re an HRBP, recruiter, or CHRO, this episode delivers a compelling vision for the modern HR function—one rooted in business acumen, empathy, and bold leadership.

🎧 Tune in to start thinking like an HR operator, not just a practitioner.

From our sponsors...

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Your employees expect top-tier medical benefits, like comprehensive care access. But how can you balance these expectations against rising costs, across your full benefits portfolio? Did you know that hospital employees fill 25% more prescriptions each year than other industries? How can you tell if all those prescriptions were needed, or if you could have had significant cost savings by filling at your own hospital pharmacies?

Contact RxBenefits today to learn more: https://rxbene.fit/3ZaurZN

Simplify screening, credentialing & compliance with oneBADGEhealthcare from ISB Global. Built for healthcare HR leaders. Learn more & get started here: https://isbglobalservices.com/onebadgeunitedstates/ashhra/

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In this uplifting and honest conversation, co-hosts Bo Brabo and Luke Carignan sit down with Staci Taylor, a seasoned HR executive, musician, and passionate people champion to unpack what it really means to lead with heart in today’s healthcare landscape.

With a rich background leading human resources for some of the nation’s largest health systems, Staci brings a refreshingly candid take on servant leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and the simple (but not easy) practice of treating people like… people.

🧠 Key Themes Explored in This Episode:

🌟 Leadership Is a Calling, Not a Title
Staci believes great leaders are grounded in humility, service, and kindness. She shares powerful personal stories about what shaped her view of leadership and how anyone, from a floor nurse to a facilities engineer, can be empowered to lead.

🛠️ Developing the Mid-Level Bench
Too often, healthcare systems invest in their senior leadership while overlooking the frontline leaders running the show at 2 AM. Staci outlines how building a collaborative leadership pipeline at the manager level can transform retention, morale, and succession planning.

🤝 HR + Finance: A Critical Partnership
Whether she’s building rapport with the CFO or sneaking into the "wrong" conference room to understand the business side of care delivery, Staci is a firm believer that HR professionals must understand… and speak… the language of finance to effectively advocate for people strategies.

🎸 Authenticity at Work
From her love of rock music and restoring a 1971 Chevelle to giving a struggling high school student the confidence to pursue tattoo artistry, Staci embodies what it means to connect with people beyond job titles. Her leadership philosophy? Remove the leash. Empower the person.

💡 Tactical Takeaways for Healthcare HR Leaders:

• Replace micromanagement with trust and clear expectations.
• Prioritize leadership development at every level—not just the top.
• Invite your CFO to lunch. Learn their language.
• Celebrate the whole person, not just the employee.
• Don’t force leadership paths on those who don’t want them. Instead, cultivate influence without formal authority.

📣 Quote to Remember:
“Leadership is not about being in charge. It's about taking care of those in your charge.” – Simon Sinek (shared by Staci Taylor)

If you're craving a reminder of why you chose a career in HR—or need the motivation to lead more authentically—this episode will leave you both energized and reflective.

From our sponsors...

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Your employees expect top-tier medical benefits, like comprehensive care access. But how can you balance these expectations against rising costs, across your full benefits portfolio? Did you know that hospital employees fill 25% more prescriptions each year than other industries? How can you tell if all those prescriptions were needed, or if you could have had significant cost savings by filling at your own hospital pharmacies?

Contact RxBenefits today to learn more: https://rxbene.fit/3ZaurZN

Simplify screening, credentialing & compliance with oneBADGEhealthcare from ISB Global. Built for healthcare HR leaders. Learn more & get started here: https://isbglobalservices.com/onebadgeunitedstates/ashhra/

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In this special policy-focused episode of The ASHHRA Podcast, co-hosts Bo Brabo and Luke Carignan welcome back three powerhouse experts to help us navigate the urgent challenges facing hospital HR leaders today:

🔹 Peggy Tighe, healthcare policy advisor and Principal at Powers Law
🔹 Sarah Hearn, SVP of Strategic Partnerships at RxBenefits
🔹 Rhiannon Klein, 340B strategist and advocate for hospital sustainability

From Capitol Hill to your health system’s bottom line, this episode unpacks the Medicaid policy battles, looming 340B cuts, and why healthcare HR leaders need to be paying close attention.

🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

🏛️ What’s Happening on the Hill
Peggy Tighe gives us a front-row seat to the debate over Congress’ proposed “One Big Beautiful Bill”, a sweeping Medicaid overhaul that could dramatically increase eligibility verification, impose new work requirements, and put a major strain on hospitals, particularly those serving vulnerable populations.

💊 Why 340B is Under Threat
Our panel breaks down how 340B drug pricing programs are directly tied to Medicaid policy and what that means for hospitals, rural providers, and physician groups. With drug costs now making up 9–10% of hospital expenses, protecting 340B is mission critical.

👩‍⚕️ Why HR Must Get Involved
This is no longer just a pharmacy or finance issue. HR leaders are being called to the table as operational partners; ones who understand policy, cost structures, and how to protect resources that directly impact workforce wellbeing.

💡 Key Takeaways for HR Leaders:

• Learn the language: If you're not familiar with 340B, it's time to get educated.
• Collaborate across departments: Pharmacy and HR must work together to optimize savings and care delivery.
• Advocate with confidence: Engage your state and federal policymakers to preserve critical funding streams.

✨ Bright Spots & Strategic Moves:

• In-house pharmacy models are gaining traction.
• Community partnerships, from correctional facilities to local businesses, are opening new access points.
• Regional advocacy groups like CV340B offer practical education and peer networking.

📢 Quote to Remember:
"HR leaders influence 65% of a hospital’s costs. Your voice at the policy table isn’t just welcome... it’s necessary."

🎧 Listen Now to gain the insights, action steps, and real-world strategies you need to protect your workforce, your hospital, and your community.

From our sponsors...

Unlock Pharmacy Plan Potential!

Your employees expect top-tier medical benefits, like comprehensive care access. But how can you balance these expectations against rising costs, across your full benefits portfolio? Did you know that hospital employees fill 25% more prescriptions each year than other industries? How can you tell if all those prescriptions were needed, or if you could have had significant cost savings by filling at your own hospital pharmacies?

Contact RxBenefits today to learn more: https://rxbene.fit/3ZaurZN

Simplify screening, credentialing & compliance with oneBADGEhealthcare from ISB Global. Built for healthcare HR leaders. Learn more & get started here: https://isbglobalservices.com/onebadgeunitedstates/ashhra/

Support the show

On this episode of The ASHHRA Podcast, we're joined by Clara Blitch, Chief Human Resources Officer at Williamson Health, who returns to sharing the incredible journey of transforming a 60-year-old HR function into a modern, data-driven, people-first department, all without sacrificing the soul of the organization.

💡 Clara’s mission? Modernize every corner of HR, from payroll systems and compensation structures to leadership development and HR technology, while staying true to the values that make healthcare human.

🎙️ In this conversation with co-hosts Bo Brabo and Luke Carignan, you’ll hear:

🔹 How to lead digital transformation in HR
Clara walks us through the challenges and triumphs of transitioning from outdated systems like Meditech to cloud-based platforms like ADP Lyric, empowering HR to make data-informed decisions that drive impact.

🔹 Redefining the HR Business Partner model
Why Clara shifted from a traditional generalist structure to a strategic HRBP model that enhances leadership support, builds trust, and improves service delivery across Williamson Health.

🔹 Why empathy still matters in a digital age
As AI reshapes talent acquisition and HR service centers, Clara makes a powerful case for preserving human connection, arguing that no bot can replace real empathy, especially when employees face life’s most personal moments.

🔹 The “Ideal Team Player” framework in action
Clara reveals how she revitalized her HR team using Patrick Lencioni’s “Humble, Hungry, Smart” model, embedding these traits into hiring, performance evaluations, and leadership development.

🔹 Leadership development doesn’t have to be complicated
From book clubs to self-assessments, Clara’s refreshingly simple strategies make leadership growth accessible… and fun, for every level of the organization.

💬 Memorable quote:
“There’s a leadership lesson in everything. The key is staying self-aware and committed to your team’s success, even on the tough days.”

Whether you're leading transformation, building culture, or navigating change in your organization, Clara’s insights are a masterclass in how to modernize healthcare HR with heart, strategy, and bold leadership.

📍 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform and don’t forget to share this episode with your HR network.

From our sponsors...

Unlock Pharmacy Plan Potential!

Your employees expect top-tier medical benefits, like comprehensive care access. But how can you balance these expectations against rising costs, across your full benefits portfolio? Did you know that hospital employees fill 25% more prescriptions each year than other industries? How can you tell if all those prescriptions were needed, or if you could have had significant cost savings by filling at your own hospital pharmacies?

Contact RxBenefits today to learn more: https://rxbene.fit/3ZaurZN

Simplify screening, credentialing & compliance with oneBADGEhealthcare from ISB Global. Built for healthcare HR leaders. Learn more & get started here: https://isbglobalservices.com/onebadgeunitedstates/ashhra/

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This week on The ASHHRA Podcast, hosts Luke Carignan and Bo Brabo welcome Rhonda Hall, Chief Human Resources Officer for Southern California at Providence, to the mic. With a rich background in organizational development, change management, and performance excellence across highly regulated industries—from nuclear energy to healthcare—Rhonda brings a fresh, strategic lens to healthcare HR leadership.

🎧 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

🧭 Why Words Matter in Workforce Culture
At Providence, all employees are referred to as caregivers—a conscious shift in language that builds identity, mission alignment, and a sense of belonging at every level.

📊 From Tactical to Strategic: The Evolution of the CHRO Role
Rhonda reflects on how the role of the CHRO has evolved from rule enforcer to systems thinker, change architect, and strategic advisor to the CEO. Her insight will inspire any HR leader preparing for the next step in their career.

🌟 Hire With Purpose, Coach With Consistency
Rhonda explains that behavior alignment starts at the point of hiring—bringing in people whose “why” aligns with your mission. From there, consistent coaching grounded in organizational values builds a culture that sustains itself.

🧠 Mentorship, Feedback & Self-Awareness
To get on a CHRO’s radar, Rhonda advises emerging leaders to bring thoughtful ideas, take initiative, and actively seek feedback from trusted advisors. She also shares why HR professionals must champion system alignment across hiring, goal-setting, and rewards.

🔥 Courage Over Chain of Command
In a bold take, Rhonda encourages HR professionals to break the old mold—don’t fear skip-level conversations. Leaders who block access to mentorship do more harm than good. If you can’t grow where you are, it might be time to move on.

💬 Quote to Remember:

"If you're the person taking care of the person who takes care of the patient—you are taking care of the patient."

If you’re an aspiring CHRO, mid-career HR pro, or just someone trying to lead with more purpose and alignment, this episode is a masterclass in healthcare HR leadership.

📱 Listen now on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

From our sponsors...

Unlock Pharmacy Plan Potential!

Your employees expect top-tier medical benefits, like comprehensive care access. But how can you balance these expectations against rising costs, across your full benefits portfolio? Did you know that hospital employees fill 25% more prescriptions each year than other industries? How can you tell if all those prescriptions were needed, or if you could have had significant cost savings by filling at your own hospital pharmacies?

Contact RxBenefits today to learn more: https://rxbene.fit/3ZaurZN

Simplify screening, credentialing & compliance with oneBADGEhealthcare from ISB Global. Built for healthcare HR leaders. Learn more & get started here: https://isbglobalservices.com/onebadgeunitedstates/ashhra/

Support the show