In this episode of Who Hired This Person?, host Kaitlyn speaks with Angela Torres, Human Resources Director at ICAN, a nonprofit focused on after-school programming for underserved communities. With her extensive background in HR, Angela shares her journey from operations to leading HR at ICAN, offering valuable insights into nonprofit HR challenges, the importance of cultural fit, and creating a supportive work environment.

Key Lessons Covered in This Episode:

🔹 From Operations to HR Leadership:

Angela talks about her transition from operations to HR, emphasizing how she discovered her passion for recruiting and employee engagement and how it shaped her HR approach today.

🔹 Nonprofit vs. Corporate HR:

Angela compares her experiences in corporate HR to her work in the nonprofit sector, explaining how nonprofit HR is mission-driven, values employees deeply, and requires wearing many hats to make a difference.

🔹 Impactful Hiring Practices:

She highlights how ICAN’s hiring process prioritizes cultural fit and mission alignment over just qualifications, showing how the right mindset is key to creating a positive and effective work environment.

🔹 Increasing Retention in Nonprofits:

Angela shares her experience increasing ICAN’s retention rate by 30% in her first year. The key strategies? Streamlining the hiring and onboarding processes and ensuring a seamless cultural introduction from day one.

🔹 HR as a Department of One:

As a department of one, Angela discusses the challenges of managing multiple HR responsibilities and the importance of seeking help, prioritizing people over policies, and taking care of one’s own mental health.

🔹 Mental Health and Workplace Culture:

Angela explains how prioritizing mental health in the workplace, through policies and programs, has helped foster a culture of self-awareness and support at ICAN.

🔹 The Importance of Self-Awareness in HR:

Reflecting on her career, Angela offers advice on embracing one’s journey, the power of self-confidence, and the value of asking for help to grow in HR leadership.

🔹 A Memorable Hiring Success:

Angela shares a heartwarming story about a college student she hired, mentored, and helped find their true passion, leading them to a successful career in HR—proving the lasting impact of mentorship in HR.

Key Takeaways:

✅ Nonprofit HR is all about mission alignment and cultural fit—skills can be taught, but passion for the mission is non-negotiable.

✅ Streamlining hiring and onboarding processes is crucial to increasing retention, especially in the nonprofit sector.

✅ As an HR leader, self-awareness and self-care are key to setting a good example and leading a healthy, sustainable work culture.

✅ Hiring for potential, mentoring, and offering growth opportunities can lead to lasting success stories and meaningful careers.

Links & Resources:

• Connect with Angela Torres on LinkedIn
• Website: https://www.icanaz.org/

Thanks for tuning in to Who Hired This Person? this week! Want to subscribe or share your thoughts? Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more—and don’t forget to leave us a review!