Tessa Brown and Mechelle Roberthon joined Discover Lafayette to discuss how workplace leaders should lead. Through wit and humor, they share their expertise in how managers can best engage with frontline workers to set up companies for success. From the pandemic’s impacts on work-life to positive employee-employer relationships, Brown and Roberthon are expert human resource and talent development experts.

Lafayette native and LSU grad Tessa Brown serves as the Human Resources manager for CCI Piping Systems and has a strong passion for helping small businesses .  “There’s nothing like a family-owned business,” Brown said, and she loves working with the Cazayoux family who owns CCI Piping. Brown enjoys volunteering with the Acadiana Society for Resource Management ("SHRM"), as well as the SHRM statewide council.

Vice President and Director of Talent Development for Home Bank, Mechelle Roberthon received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, majoring in arts and humanities and behavioral sciences. "I am a diehard Rajun Cajun fan and alum!" Roberthon has a Master of Science in training and performance improvement from Capella University and is pursuing a doctorate of education in learning and organizational change from Baylor University. She moved to Lafayette from Alexandria 15 years ago to attend UL-Lafayette and that's when she met her future husband. “We are never leaving South Louisiana, we’re just not leaving,” Roberthon said. Fresh out of college, her start was in the non-profit sector. Whether it's working with Acadiana Shelter for Girls or Big Brothers Big Sisters of Acadiana, Roberthon enjoys helping others succeed. Through this, she quickly found her calling for talent development. Along with her work for Home Bank, she’s involved with The Association of Talent Development (formerly known as the American Society of Training and Development).

Brown and Roberthon began working together at a corporate training center in 2014, where Brown was the Human Resources Manager and Roberthon was the Talent Development Instructor.  They quickly realized that they shared a similar passion for human and talent development. “People are people…the company is made up of people, no matter what the size,” Brown said, “Once you develop that talent, the sky is the limit.” Brown's passion is working with people and believes that if employers can build a great workplace, a great place to go every day, "think of all the amazing things you can do!"

“Human Resources and Talent Development skills are transferable to any industry, which is why I can move from healthcare to banking and Tessa can move from corporate development to manufacturing, because people are people. My personal tagline is 'I develop people who are responsible for developing the business," Roberthon stated. She further noted that businesses can’t exist without the people who make the brand valuable and explained that it just takes one person in a company of any size to make or break the company's brand and reputation. It's critical to develop the talent in workers who stand on the front lines representing the company and interacting with the consumer. And, a good working environment will positively enhance the mood of a person as they leave the workplace and go home to family and friends (and the dog!). To be effective, the creation of a positive workplace will include intentional and meaningful engagement and development of the employees, coming from employers who are genuinely interested in the best environment and work culture for their staff.

"It's critical to develop the talent in workers who stand on the front lines representing the company and interacting with the consumer. And, a good working environment will positively enhance the mood of a person as they leave the workplace and go home to fami...