Leadership With Heart

In this episode of Leadership With Heart, I sit down with Kirstin Guptill, Chief People Officer at HopeWest, to explore how leadership is evolving beyond administration into deeply human, strategic, and transformative work. Kirstin shares her experience stepping into a brand new CPO role at a nonprofit that supports people through some of life's most challenging moments. With a background in HR leadership and a passion for building cultures that prioritize connection, she walks us through her approach to shaping employee experiences, driving retention, and ensuring that workplace culture is more than just a buzzword. Every team member must feel it. We also discuss the power of boomerang employees, the importance of designing recruitment processes that truly attract the right people, and how organizations can move from a transactional approach to a relational one. Kirstin’s insights highlight why great leadership is not about having all the answers. It is about asking the right questions, listening, and creati