SHOW NOTES
GUEST INFO
Episode Guest:
Ru Sharma, Chief People Officer at Achievement First
Website:
https://www.achievementfirst.org/
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of The Charter School Insider Podcast, host Daniel Casselli sits down with Ru Sharma, Chief People Officer at Achievement First. With a professional background spanning global giants like Coca-Cola and Amazon, Ru brings a fresh perspective to the unique challenges of building and leading a people team at one of the nation’s largest charter school networks. Ru shares candid insights into navigating leadership gaps, fostering a high-functioning people team, and reimagining talent management strategies for the charter school sector. Tune in to explore the flywheel approach to student achievement and strong lasting teams.
EPISODE TAKEAWAYS
Ru’s analogy of tending to a garden highlights the complexities of rebuilding a neglected people function.
Achievement First’s focus on attracting top talent, developing strong leaders, and fostering a strong culture directly impacts student achievement.
How Ru and her team develop systems that proactively address staffing crises while supporting long-term retention goals.
Why traditional K-12 rhythms might benefit from a rethink to better serve educators and leaders.
Leveraging data and strategic thinking to build high-performing teams..
RESOURCES
Recommended Watch: Moneyball – a must-see for insights into innovative talent management and team-building strategies.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction & Transitioning to Achievement First
05:52 Understanding the Scale and Complexity of Achievement First
10:21 Characteristics of a High-Functioning People Team
14:47 Co-Creation and Strategic Partnership in HR
22:19 Building the People Team and Evaluating Gaps
23:52 Navigating Leadership Challenges
30:31 Building a People-Centric Culture
35:06 Early Wins and Team Dynamics
40:38 Observations and Recommendations for Talent Leaders
ABOUT OUR GUEST
Ruchika (Ru) Sharma comes to Achievement First with 20 years of Human Resources experience across the United States, Asia, Europe, and Africa. She has held senior leadership roles in HR at renowned multinational corporations, including Coca-Cola, Amazon Web Services, and Bloomberg. Ru’s expertise encompasses leading large, complex global HR teams, building in-house HR technology solutions, as well as coaching senior leaders and teams. As a “third-culture kid” who was raised in various countries, Ru is particularly passionate about fostering diverse leadership and inclusive cultures. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology and an MBA with a specialization in Human Resources.
ABOUT OUR HOST
Daniel Casselli is a life-long learner whose passion for education has driven his professional endeavors. He is a former classroom teacher and youth ministry director whose entrepreneurial spirit landed him in the world of education technology. At EVERFI Inc., Daniel helped run the business development efforts for EVERFI’s Financial Education Program and the company was eventually sold to Blackbaud for $750M in 2021. Shortly before EVERFI’s acquisition, Daniel joined Class Technologies as one of the earliest sales hires and went on to lead K12 Enterprise Sales and helped the company land its first 100+ K12 customers across public, charter, and private schools. Daniel brings his unique experiences to BuyQ where he is focused on growth, operational excellence, business strategy, and client satisfaction. He is a graduate of Grove City College where he studied Religion and History.
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