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    BPI Expert Faculty

    Lisa George

    Fractional CHRO and Leadership Coach

    Brain.One

    Key Takeaways

    • 1.Specializes in creating high-performance cultures where individuals and teams can thrive.
    • 2.Teaches leaders to leverage unstructured challenges or 'white space' as opportunities for innovation.
    • 3.Guides organizations through strategic change and cultural transformation as a Fractional CHRO and coach.
    • 4.A passionate advocate for developing the careers and influence of women in leadership.
    • 5.Serves as a Fellow at Ohio University's Walter Center for Strategic Leadership, where she teaches leadership development.

    About Lisa

    Lisa George is an expert faculty member at the Best Practice Institute, known for her contributions to leadership development, organizational culture, and advancing women's careers.

    Who is Lisa George?

    Lisa George is a distinguished expert faculty member at the Best Practice Institute (BPI), contributing her expertise in leadership and organizational development. She is also a Fellow at the Walter Center for Strategic Leadership at Ohio University, where she teaches leadership development. Additionally, George serves as a Fractional Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) and a leadership coach, guiding leaders and organizations through strategic change and cultural transformation.

    Her work focuses on cultivating environments where leaders excel, and high-performing teams thrive. George emphasizes the importance of embracing "white space"—unstructured challenges—as opportunities for innovation and growth. Her insights help organizations navigate complex changes, seeing them as avenues for leadership development rather than obstacles.

    Quick facts about Lisa George

    RoleExpert Faculty, Fractional CHRO, Leadership Coach
    CompanyBest Practice Institute, Brain.One, Self-employed, Ohio University
    ExpertiseLeadership Development, Organizational Development, Workplace Culture, Talent Management, Strategic Planning
    Notable forCultivating high-performance cultures, advancing women's careers, navigating organizational "white space"
    BPI affiliationExpert Faculty member

    What is Lisa George known for?

    • Cultivating high-performance cultures: George focuses on creating work environments where individuals are energized by their daily tasks, fostering high-performing teams.
    • Embracing "white space": She champions the idea of viewing unstructured challenges ("white space") as natural opportunities for leaders to innovate and excel.
    • Advancing women's careers: George is passionate about developing the careers and influence of women, actively participating in organizations like the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association.
    • Strategic Human Resources Leadership: Her career includes significant roles as a CHRO and VP of International Talent Management at major corporations, guiding human capital strategies.
    • Academic Leadership Development: As a Fellow at Ohio University's Walter Center for Strategic Leadership, she teaches and mentors future leaders.
    • Driving organizational change: George helps organizations navigate change by shifting perspectives, enabling teams to see transitions as opportunities rather than challenges.

    What is Lisa George's background and experience?

    Lisa George has a comprehensive background in human resources and leadership development spanning several decades. She currently serves as a Fractional CHRO and leadership coach, bringing her extensive experience to various organizations. In 2024, she became the Chief Human Resources Officer at Brain.One. Prior to this, she was the Chief Human Resources Officer at Help at Home from 2022 to 2024.

    Her career includes significant leadership roles at prominent companies. From 2018 to 2021, George served as CHRO at Shearer's Foods. Before that, she was the Vice President, International Talent Management at Walmart from 2016 to 2018. She also held two key positions at Cardinal Health: Vice President, Global Talent Management (2010–2016) and Vice President, Human Resources Business Partner (2006–2010). Her early career included a role as Vice President of Human Resources at LOFT from 2005 to 2006.

    George pursued her higher education at The Ohio State University, where she earned a Master's Degree in Labor & HR in 1991. She also holds a BSBA in Marketing, which she completed in 1986 from The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business.

    What topics does Lisa George speak and write about?

    Lisa George speaks and consults on a range of topics critical to modern organizational success, with a strong emphasis on leadership development and organizational effectiveness. Her primary focus is on nurturing cultural environments that empower leaders to perform at their best, resulting in high-performing teams. She frequently addresses how to manage and leverage what she calls "white space," which refers to the ambiguous or unstructured challenges within an organization, turning them into opportunities for innovation rather than obstacles.

    George also delves into the dynamics of organizational change, advocating for a perspective where change is seen as an opportunity for growth and improvement. She explores methods for achieving consensus while still fostering innovation, encouraging leaders to move beyond incremental changes. Furthermore, George is a proponent of advancing women's leadership and influence, a topic she actively supports through her involvement with organizations like the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association.

    How does Lisa George contribute to the Best Practice Institute?

    As an expert faculty member at the Best Practice Institute, Lisa George shares her deep knowledge and practical insights with BPI members. Her contributions align with BPI's mission to identify and disseminate best practices in leadership and organizational development. She helps advance the understanding of critical topics such as organizational development and change, learning and development, leadership development, employee engagement, assessments and evaluations, strategic planning, self-development, creativity and innovation, and coaching.

    George's expertise directly supports the principles championed by BPI, including aspects of the Most Loved Workplace® movement and the SPARK Model, by focusing on creating engaged, high-performing work environments. Her emphasis on courage in navigating challenges and fostering a positive cultural environment resonates with BPI's commitment to transformative leadership.

    Where can you learn more from Lisa George?

    Lisa George's insights are available through her affiliation with the Best Practice Institute, where she serves as an expert faculty member. You can explore her work and learn more about her perspectives through BPI's resources and events. She also contributes to leadership development through her role as a Fellow at the Walter Center for Strategic Leadership at Ohio University. For further details on her professional background and experience, public professional profiles provide additional information.

    Background & Perspective

    Professional Background

    Lisa George is a Fractional Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), leadership coach, and expert faculty member at the Best Practice Institute. In 2024, she became CHRO at Brain.One. Her extensive background includes serving as CHRO at Help at Home (2022-2024) and Shearer's Foods (2018-2021).

    Previously, George was Vice President, International Talent Management at Walmart (2016-2018). She held significant roles at Cardinal Health, including Vice President, Global Talent Management (2010–2016) and Vice President, Human Resources Business Partner (2006–2010). Her early career included a role as Vice President of Human Resources at LOFT (2005-2006).

    Academic Contributions

    As a Fellow at the Walter Center for Strategic Leadership at Ohio University, George teaches leadership development to future leaders. She holds a Master's Degree in Labor & HR and a BSBA in Marketing from The Ohio State University.

    Areas of Expertise

    George's work focuses on creating environments where leaders and high-performing teams excel. Her specialties include:

    • Leadership and Organizational Development
    • Workplace Culture and Employee Engagement
    • Talent Management and Strategy
    • Executive Coaching
    • Strategic Planning and Change Management

    Core Philosophy

    George helps organizations navigate complex transitions by reframing them as opportunities for growth. She is known for championing the concept of "white space"—unstructured challenges—as a catalyst for leadership, innovation, and excellence. She is also a passionate advocate for advancing women's careers and influence in the workplace.

    Areas of Expertise

    Leadership DevelopmentOrganizational DevelopmentWorkplace CultureStrategic LeadershipTalent ManagementEmployee EngagementExecutive CoachingChange Management

    Research Topics

    LeadershipCultureTalent StrategyOrganizational Change

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    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.