Skip to main content
    Back to Expert Directory
    AC
    BPI Expert Faculty

    Abby Curnow-Chavez

    Managing Director

    Alvarez & Marsal Corporate Performance Improvement

    Key Takeaways

    • 1.She co-authored "The Loyalist Team," a book on building high-performing teams through trust and authenticity.
    • 2.With over 25 years of experience, she advises boards, CEOs, and C-suite leaders on talent strategy and organizational design.
    • 3.She is an expert in large-scale human capital initiatives, including culture change, team performance, and leadership development.
    • 4.Prior to her role at Alvarez & Marsal, she was a Senior Partner at Korn Ferry and Vice President of Talent at Newmont.

    About Abby

    Abby Curnow-Chavez is a distinguished Managing Director at Alvarez & Marsal, renowned for her deep expertise in human capital and organizational transformation, serving as an invaluable expert to the Best Practice Institute.

    Who is Abby Curnow-Chavez?

    Abby Curnow-Chavez is a Managing Director with Alvarez & Marsal Corporate Performance Improvement, based in Denver. In this role, she provides C-suite consulting and serves as an advisor to boards, CEOs, executive teams, and HR leaders across various industries.

    With over 25 years of experience, Curnow-Chavez is recognized for her ability to drive business impact through talent strategy, team performance, organizational design, culture change, and leadership development. Her work focuses on transforming organizations and fostering leader effectiveness.

    Quick facts about Abby Curnow-Chavez

    RoleManaging Director
    CompanyAlvarez & Marsal Corporate Performance Improvement
    Based inDenver, Colorado
    ExpertiseHuman Capital, Leadership Development, Organizational Transformation, Executive Coaching
    Notable forCo-author of "The Loyalist Team", C-suite advisory, large-scale human capital strategy
    BPI affiliationExpert Faculty member

    What is Abby Curnow-Chavez known for?

    • Human Capital and Organizational Transformation: Leading large-scale initiatives that create business impact through strategic talent management, team performance, and culture change.
    • C-suite Advisory: Serving as a trusted advisor to boards, CEOs, executive teams, and human resources leaders, guiding them in critical decisions related to talent and organizational effectiveness.
    • Executive Coaching: Coaching hundreds of C-level leaders, helping them enhance their leadership capabilities and prepare for advancement.
    • Authoring "The Loyalist Team": Co-author of the book "The Loyalist Team: How Trust, Candor, and Authenticity Create Great Organizations," which provides insights into building high-performing teams.
    • Transforming Operating Models: Working with executives to reshape operating models and leadership structures to align with strategic objectives.
    • Developing Leadership Programs: Creating business-relevant leadership programs focused on culture transformation, fostering change, and achieving enterprise-wide impact for global companies.

    What is Abby Curnow-Chavez's background and experience?

    Abby Curnow-Chavez brings over 25 years of human capital expertise to her role at Alvarez & Marsal. Before joining A&M, she served as a Senior Partner with Korn Ferry, where she led North America’s Mining & Metals advisory practice and consulted for clients in industrial, energy, technology, and financial services sectors.

    Her career also includes co-owning the Trispective Group and holding significant leadership positions such as Vice President of Talent for Newmont, where she spent 10 years transforming the human capital strategy. Earlier in her career, she was the head of HR at Trizetto Corporation and started at Accenture, partnering with numerous Fortune 100 clients on transformation initiatives.

    • Education:
      • Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Colorado
      • Master’s degree in Human Resource Development from the University of St. Thomas

    Curnow-Chavez has also served as executive faculty at the University of Denver, Daniels College of Business, sharing her real-world insights with future leaders.

    What topics does Abby Curnow-Chavez speak and write about?

    Abby Curnow-Chavez frequently addresses topics related to the interplay of strategy, talent, and organizational effectiveness. Her contributions emphasize why these factors are crucial in navigating uncertain business environments. She provides insights into transforming operating models, leadership structures, and organizational culture to achieve strategic alignment and cultivate high-performing teams.

    Her thought leadership extends to the importance of defining comprehensive talent agendas and robust HR operating models to drive performance and engagement within organizations. Curnow-Chavez also explores advanced leadership development, focusing on preparing leaders for C-suite roles and advising on executive team dynamics.

    How does Abby Curnow-Chavez contribute to the Best Practice Institute?

    As an expert faculty member of the Best Practice Institute, Abby Curnow-Chavez contributes her extensive knowledge in human capital and organizational transformation to BPI's mission of identifying and disseminating best practices. Her insights align with BPI's focus on leadership development, talent strategy, and fostering positive workplace cultures, which are central to the Most Loved Workplace® certification.

    Through her expertise, Curnow-Chavez reinforces BPI's commitment to guiding organizations toward creating environments where employees thrive, reflecting the principles of the Love of Workplace Index™ (LOWI). While specific webinars are not listed, her work directly supports the foundational elements of the SPARK Model, emphasizing leadership, talent, and culture for organizational success.

    Where can you learn more from Abby Curnow-Chavez?

    Further insights from Abby Curnow-Chavez can be found through her co-authored book, "The Loyalist Team: How Trust, Candor, and Authenticity Create Great Organizations." Additionally, her professional profile at Alvarez & Marsal provides details on her advisory services and thought leadership.

    Background & Perspective

    Background

    Abby Curnow-Chavez is a Managing Director with Alvarez & Marsal Corporate Performance Improvement in Denver. With over 25 years of experience, she brings extensive human capital expertise to her role. Before joining A&M, she was a Senior Partner with Korn Ferry, where she led the North America’s Mining & Metals advisory practice. Her career also includes serving as Vice President of Talent for Newmont for 10 years, co-owning the Trispective Group, and holding the position of head of HR at Trizetto Corporation. She began her career at Accenture, focusing on transformation initiatives for Fortune 100 clients.

    Curnow-Chavez holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Colorado and a Master’s degree in Human Resource Development from the University of St. Thomas. She has also served as executive faculty at the University of Denver, Daniels College of Business.

    Areas of Expertise

    Curnow-Chavez specializes in driving business impact through strategic talent and organizational initiatives. Her key areas of expertise include:

    • Human Capital Strategy: Leading large-scale initiatives that align talent with business goals.
    • C-Suite Advisory: Serving as a trusted advisor to boards, CEOs, and HR leaders on critical talent and organizational decisions.
    • Organizational Transformation: Reshaping operating models, leadership structures, and culture to meet strategic objectives.
    • Executive Coaching: Coaching C-level leaders to enhance their effectiveness and prepare for advancement.
    • Leadership Development: Creating business-relevant programs focused on culture transformation and enterprise-wide impact.
    • Team Performance: Building high-performing teams by fostering trust, candor, and authenticity.

    Publications and Thought Leadership

    Curnow-Chavez is the co-author of the book "The Loyalist Team: How Trust, Candor, and Authenticity Create Great Organizations," which provides a framework for building high-performing teams. She frequently speaks and writes about the intersection of strategy, talent, and organizational effectiveness, emphasizing the need for comprehensive talent agendas and robust HR operating models to drive performance in uncertain business environments.

    Areas of Expertise

    Human Capital StrategyLeadership DevelopmentOrganizational TransformationExecutive CoachingTalent ManagementTeam PerformanceCulture Change

    Research Topics

    Human CapitalLeadershipOrganizational DevelopmentTalent Strategy

    Profile last updated

    Frequently asked questions

    Best Practice Institute

    Best Practice Institute is the research organization behind Most Loved Workplace® certification, the SPARK Model, the Love of Workplace Index™ (LOWI™), and The Workplace Report.

    The Workplace Report

    The Workplace Report is BPI's original workplace culture research and editorial briefing series for CEOs, CHROs, people leaders, talent leaders, and employer-brand teams. It turns BPI's 25 years of research, Most Loved Workplace® certification data, SPARK findings, and current workforce signals into practical analysis leaders can use.

    The report format includes executive summaries, research-backed articles, company examples, methodology notes, and practical implications for retention, hiring, culture, leadership, and employee experience. New research and analysis is published on an ongoing editorial cadence at /workplace-report.