In this episode, Paula Schneider, former CEO and now Honorary Vice Chair of Susan G. Komen, shares how she led the world’s largest breast cancer research and advocacy organization through one of the most ambitious nonprofit transformations in recent history. From consolidating 63 affiliates into one unified entity, to navigating a full pivot to remote work during COVID, Paula’s approach to mission-driven leadership is rooted in kindness, strategy, and personal experience — as both a breast cancer survivor and a daughter who lost her mother to the disease.

As we mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Paula offers a timely, powerful look into the inner workings of a purpose-led organization on a global mission. 

Guest Information

Paula Schneider - is the Honorary Vice Chair and former CEO of Susan G. Komen, the world’s leading breast cancer research organization. 

Susan G. Komen - With over $3.5 billion invested in breast cancer research, patient support, advocacy, and public health initiatives, Susan G. Komen is a global force in the fight against breast cancer. Its work continues to save lives and drive progress in early detection, treatment, and support for people living with metastatic breast cancer.

Episode Outline

1. From Fashion Industry to Breast Cancer Advocacy

Paula shares how her personal journey compelled her to leave a career in fashion and step into nonprofit leadership at Susan G. Komen.

2. Leading Organizational Change in a Mission-Driven World

When COVID hit, Paula acted quickly: merging 63 Komen affiliates, going fully virtual, and redefining how the organization delivered its mission.

3. Kindness as a Leadership Strategy

Paula unpacks how “kindness doesn’t mean softness.” She shares how Komen’s culture transformation elevated clarity, transparency, and accountability — and why kindness has become a foundational leadership principle at all levels.

4. Culture Rituals in a Remote Workplace

With no physical offices, Komen had to build new cultural glue. Paula shares how whole-company weeks off, “skip level” leadership calls, onboarding copilots, and live dashboards helped staff stay connected and aligned.

5. Supporting People Doing Life-Saving Work

From providing mental health resources to ringing bells for donations, Paula explains how Komen sustains its people through emotionally intense work. 

6. Legacy, Leadership, and Breast Cancer Awareness

As a survivor and advocate, Paula reflects on her legacy: increasing investment in metastatic breast cancer research, scaling mission impact, and embedding a culture of care at the heart of one of the world’s most recognized health nonprofits.

Host & Show Info

Host Name: Luke Fisher

About the Host: Luke Fisher is the CEO of Mo, a platform that's all about helping teams create workplaces where people genuinely want to be. Luke's on a mission to show that brilliant company culture isn't just a nice-to-have but what makes teams thrive, feel connected, and do brilliant work together. Mo helps organisations around the world turn their values from poster-board promises into real, everyday habits that bring teams closer and give everyone a sense of purpose. It's culture you can actually see and feel in action.

Podcast Website: Culture in Action

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Thompson Thrift is a nationally recognised real estate company with employees across 23 states and more Top Workplace awards than most companies dream of. 

In this episode, Luke Fisher is joined by Kristin Tolliver, Senior Vice President of HR, and Lily Tikijian, Senior Director of Communications and Engagement at Thompson Thrift. Together, they share how the company has scaled culture while doubling headcount, launching innovative benefits, and empowering managers as everyday carriers of culture.

This episode is packed with practical lessons on employee retention, recognition and reward, internal communications, leadership development and wellbeing benefits. If you want to know what it really takes to become a Top Workplace in a competitive industry, you’ll want to listen in.

Guest Information

Kristin Tolliver is Senior Vice President of HR at Thompson Thrift, overseeing training, benefits, compensation, recruiting and team member relations. 

Lily Tikijian is Senior Director of Communications and Engagement at Thompson Thrift. Since 2021, she has shaped the company’s communications strategy.

Episode Outline

1. From Growth to Culture Strategy
   How Thompson Thrift’s rapid expansion from 350 to 700 employees triggered a deliberate focus on culture and becoming a Top Workplace.
2. Communication That Engages
   Why a weekly newsletter transformed internal communications, creating visibility, recognition and connection across dispersed teams.
3. Recognition at Every Level
   How programmes like Living the Core celebrate employees, and why recognition drives higher engagement and retention.
4. Managers as Culture Carriers
   Why Thompson Thrift calls site managers “CEOs of their sites” and how they’re empowered to lead with values and embed culture daily.
5. Family Impact Benefits
   The story behind a leadership idea that grew into a national benefits programme covering healthcare, wellbeing, flexibility and financial support.
6. Measuring Impact on Retention and Recruitment
   The results: stronger retention, lower recruitment costs thanks to referrals, and employee tenure of 15+ years in key teams.
7. The Secret Sauce for a Top Workplace
   Kristin and Lily share their advice: culture can’t be faked, it has to be lived daily by every employee and reinforced by authentic leadership.

Click here for the full transcript of this episode

Host & Show Info

Host Name: Luke Fisher

About the Host: Luke Fisher is the CEO of Mo, a platform that's all about helping teams create workplaces where people genuinely want to be. Luke's on a mission to show that brilliant company culture isn't just a nice-to-have but what makes teams thrive, feel connected, and do brilliant work together. Mo helps organisations around the world turn their values from poster-board promises into real, everyday habits that bring teams closer and give everyone a sense of purpose. It's culture you can actually see and feel in action.

Podcast Website: Culture in Action

Where to find us:

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How do you scale culture in a fully remote, mission-driven organisation? In this episode of Culture in Action, Luke Fisher is joined by Dan Kessler, President of Energage, and KK Byland, Chief Human Resources Officer at American College of Education (ACE). Together, they explore how ACE built its HR function from scratch, created a values-led employee experience and sustained strong engagement while growing rapidly across 40 states in the US.

KK shares her journey from being a one-person HR team to leading a culture powerhouse, revealing how ACE integrates mission, values and recognition into everyday life. This episode offers practical lessons for any HR or business leader navigating growth, remote transformation or purpose-led change.

Guest Information

KK Byland is the Chief Human Resources Officer at American College of Education, a fully online, accredited institution offering affordable and high-quality higher education programmes across the US. Over more than a decade at ACE, KK has scaled the HR team from a single person to a department that drives culture, employee experience and leadership development across 40+ states.

Dan Kessler is the President of Energage, the research and consulting company behind the Top Workplaces awards in the United States. With nearly 20 years at the company, Dan has helped thousands of organisations improve culture by listening to employee feedback, benchmarking engagement and taking action on the moments that matter.

Episode Outline

1. Starting from Scratch
KK describes how she built ACE’s HR department from the ground up, moving from outsourced admin to a culture-focused function.

2. Scaling Through Inflection Points
Discover how ACE responded to major changes such as rapid growth and becoming a fully remote workforce spread across 40 states.

3. Designing Remote Connection
From new hire mixers to mentoring programmes, KK shares how ACE keeps people connected, recognised and seen in a remote-first culture.

4. Values and Mission in Action
ACE lives its B Corp mission by making higher education affordable, accessible and debt-free, with 86 percent of students graduating without loans.

5. Recognition That Matters
Learn how ACE blends formal and informal recognition to sustain engagement and how being a Top Workplace has validated its culture.

6. Leadership That Scales Culture
KK explains how leadership development and succession planning underpin ACE’s culture and performance during continued growth.

Host & Show Info

Host Name: Luke Fisher

About the Host: Luke Fisher is the CEO of Mo, a platform that's all about helping teams create workplaces where people genuinely want to be. Luke's on a mission to show that brilliant company culture isn't just a nice-to-have but what makes teams thrive, feel connected, and do brilliant work together. Mo helps organisations around the world turn their values from poster-board promises into real, everyday habits that bring teams closer and give everyone a sense of purpose. It's culture you can actually see and feel in action.

Podcast Website: Culture in Action

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In senior care, turnover can hit 50% a year, but Mozaic Senior Life runs at half that rate. In this episode, Kara Rodriguez, VP & CHRO, reveals how a culture built on belonging, joy, and “hiring for the heart” keeps staff committed, residents happy, and business thriving even through the toughest times.

Guest Information

Kara Rodriguez is the Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Mozaic Senior Life, an award-winning senior care organisation in western Connecticut. With over 30 years in HR, Kara has devoted her career to purpose-driven organisations that put people first. At Mozaic, she has helped create a culture that’s halved the industry’s average turnover rate by focusing on belonging, joy, and meaningful work.

Mozaic Senior Life

Episode Outline

1. Competing Beyond Compensation
Kara explains why Mozaic attracts and retains great people despite being a nonprofit that can’t always match the wages of larger healthcare providers. The secret? A culture where employees feel seen, heard, valued — and part of something meaningful.

2. Rituals that Build Belonging
From “Rumor Mill” meetings to a CEO in a hot dog costume, Kara shares the quirky, joyful, and purposeful traditions that keep Mozaic’s culture alive, foster connection, and help staff balance the emotional highs and lows of senior care.

3. Culture as a Business Driver
Kara details how Mozaic’s culture directly impacts resident satisfaction, donor loyalty, and long-term business outcomes — even maintaining full occupancy during the pandemic when others struggled.

Click here for a full transcript of this episode

Host & Show Info

Host Name: Luke Fisher

About the Host: Luke Fisher is the CEO of Mo, a platform that's all about helping teams create workplaces where people genuinely want to be. Luke's on a mission to show that brilliant company culture isn't just a nice-to-have but what makes teams thrive, feel connected, and do brilliant work together. Mo helps organisations around the world turn their values from poster-board promises into real, everyday habits that bring teams closer and give everyone a sense of purpose. It's culture you can actually see and feel in action.

Podcast Website: Culture in Action

Where to find us:

Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts – This is the most impactful way to support the show.

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In schools, teacher turnover undermines student success. At Leigh Academies Trust, however, retention is treated as a strategic driver of outcomes. In this episode of Culture in Action, Richard Taylor, Deputy CEO for Operations, explains how a people-first culture, innovative career development programmes and cutting-edge use of AI are improving staff engagement, boosting retention and ultimately helping 25,000 pupils thrive across 33 academies.

Guest Information

Richard Taylor is the Deputy CEO for Operations at Leigh Academies Trust, one of the largest multi-academy trusts in the South East of England. With a background in both HR and operations, Richard has spent more than a decade building strategies that reduce turnover, strengthen leadership and empower teachers to succeed. His initiatives include the Stay and Grow retention framework, AI-powered learning platforms and LAT Moments, a recognition programme that celebrates staff across all schools.

Episode Outline

1. Retention as a Student Outcome
   Richard explains how keeping great teachers directly improves student achievement and why retention sits at the heart of LAT’s people strategy.
2. AI as a Culture Enabler
   Discover how LAT uses artificial intelligence to reduce workload, personalise student learning and create career pathways for staff, from teaching assistants to future leaders.
3. Recognition at Scale
   Learn how LAT Moments, powered by Mo, has embedded peer-to-peer recognition across 33 schools, building visibility, fairness and belonging.
4. From Feedback to Action
   Richard shares examples of how employee surveys revealed surprising operational barriers, leading to changes in IT systems and everyday staff support.
5. The Future of Work in Education
   Hear Richard’s predictions for how AI will personalise professional development, improve performance management and shape the future of school culture.

Click here for the full transcript of this episode

Host Name: Luke Fisher

About the Host: Luke Fisher is the CEO of Mo, a platform that's all about helping teams create workplaces where people genuinely want to be. Luke's on a mission to show that brilliant company culture isn't just a nice-to-have but what makes teams thrive, feel connected, and do brilliant work together. Mo helps organisations around the world turn their values from poster-board promises into real, everyday habits that bring teams closer and give everyone a sense of purpose. It's culture you can actually see and feel in action.

Podcast Website: Culture in Action

Where to find us:

Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts – This is the most impactful way to support the show.

Sign up for our newsletter

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What makes a top workplace and how can culture drive business performance? In this episode of Culture in Action, Dan Kessler, President of Energage, explains the methodology behind Top Workplaces recognition and how employee feedback, engagement data and everyday leadership actions help companies build a culture that attracts and retains talent.

Guest Information

Dan Kessler is President of Energage, the research and consulting company behind the Top Workplaces awards in the United States. With nearly 20 years at the company, Dan has helped thousands of organisations improve culture by listening to employee feedback, benchmarking engagement and taking action on the moments that matter.

Episode Outline

1. The Culture Pyramid
   Dan explains the Energage model, from individual employee experience to manager relationships to senior leadership vision.
2. Data-Driven Insights
   Learn how Energage benchmarks engagement scores across industries and sizes to give leaders actionable comparisons.
3. Top Workplace Recognition
   Dan reveals how only employee survey data, not applications or essays, determines Top Workplaces recognition.
4. Culture Change in Action
   Hear examples of companies using survey feedback to reorganise teams, redesign benefits and invest in leadership development.
5. Culture as a Business Driver
   Dan shares how engagement data links to financial performance, with research showing correlations to future equity value.

Click here for the full transcript of this episode

Host Name: Luke Fisher

About the Host: Luke Fisher is the CEO of Mo, a platform that's all about helping teams create workplaces where people genuinely want to be. Luke's on a mission to show that brilliant company culture isn't just a nice-to-have but what makes teams thrive, feel connected, and do brilliant work together. Mo helps organisations around the world turn their values from poster-board promises into real, everyday habits that bring teams closer and give everyone a sense of purpose. It's culture you can actually see and feel in action.

Podcast Website: Culture in Action

Where to find us:

Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts – This is the most impactful way to support the show.

Sign up for our newsletter

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Hospitality faces high turnover and burnout, but Crowne Plaza Newcastle has turned the tide with a culture transformation. In this episode of Culture in Action, Kelly Johnson, People and Culture Manager, reveals how rethinking communication, prioritising wellbeing and embedding recognition created a workplace where staff feel valued, supported and motivated to deliver exceptional guest experiences.

Guest Information

Kelly Johnson is the People and Culture Manager at Crowne Plaza Newcastle. With more than 20 years in hospitality, Kelly has led a culture transformation at the hotel, tackling turnover of nearly 70 percent and rebuilding engagement through communication, recognition and work-life balance initiatives.

Episode Outline

1. From Turnover to Retention
   Kelly explains how turnover dropped significantly by addressing culture challenges head-on after Covid-19.
2. Communication that Connects
   Learn how new rhythms, staff engagement forums and use of Mo created transparency and trust across teams.
3. Work-Life Balance in Hospitality
   Discover how rota improvements and wellbeing support gave employees more flexibility and recognition of their personal lives.
4. Rewarding Great Guest Experience
   Kelly shares how simple incentives such as £5 rewards for staff named in guest reviews boosted motivation and guest satisfaction.
5. Sustainable Change
   Hear how consistency, accountability and keeping people at the centre of decisions sustain the hotel’s cultural transformation.

Click here for the full transcript of this episode

Host Name: Luke Fisher

About the Host: Luke Fisher is the CEO of Mo, a platform that's all about helping teams create workplaces where people genuinely want to be. Luke's on a mission to show that brilliant company culture isn't just a nice-to-have but what makes teams thrive, feel connected, and do brilliant work together. Mo helps organisations around the world turn their values from poster-board promises into real, everyday habits that bring teams closer and give everyone a sense of purpose. It's culture you can actually see and feel in action.

Podcast Website: Culture in Action

Where to find us:

Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts – This is the most impactful way to support the show.

Sign up for our newsletter

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Energy companies are often seen as traditional, but OVO Energy is breaking the mould with culture-led innovation. In this episode of Culture in Action, Alex Goodanew, Employee Engagement Manager at OVO, explains how adopting Agile ways of working in customer operations has transformed collaboration, improved employee engagement and boosted customer satisfaction.

Guest Information

Alex Goodanew is Employee Engagement Manager at OVO Energy, one of the UK’s most innovative energy retailers. With responsibility for employee experience across large operational teams, Alex has been instrumental in embedding Agile practices into customer service, helping to improve team performance, create psychological safety and drive recognition through technology.

Episode Outline

1. Bringing Agile Beyond Tech
   Alex shares how OVO adapted Agile rituals such as daily stand-ups, sprints and retrospectives from software teams into customer operations.
2. Driving Culture Change
   Learn how OVO overcame barriers such as psychological safety, constructive feedback and devolved leadership to embed new ways of working.
3. Improved Communication in Hybrid Teams
   Discover how Agile rituals structured communication in hybrid working environments and improved collaboration across teams.
4. Recognition and Belonging
   Find out how OVO uses Mo’s Boost functionality to embed weekly rituals of peer recognition, reward and celebration that sustain engagement.
5. The Measurable Impact
   Alex explains how OVO’s engagement scores rose from 6.9 to 8 out of 10 and how customer complaints decreased while satisfaction scores improved.

Click here for the full transcript of this episode

Host Name: Luke Fisher

About the Host: Luke Fisher is the CEO of Mo, a platform that's all about helping teams create workplaces where people genuinely want to be. Luke's on a mission to show that brilliant company culture isn't just a nice-to-have but what makes teams thrive, feel connected, and do brilliant work together. Mo helps organisations around the world turn their values from poster-board promises into real, everyday habits that bring teams closer and give everyone a sense of purpose. It's culture you can actually see and feel in action.

Podcast Website: Culture in Action

Where to find us:

Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts – This is the most impactful way to support the show.

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Welcome to Culture in Action, the podcast where real stories meet real impact. Each episode shines a light on the people and practices driving workplace culture forward, from bold leadership moves to everyday moments that build belonging. Whether you're a people leader, culture champion, or simply curious about what makes teams thrive, this is your space to learn, reflect, and get inspired.