Tori Whaley, aPHR

Advocate Health

Managed leave of absence department general inquires, answering and researching claims while providing an exceptional employee experience in an organization of 20,000+.

Built and launched a process framework for a longstanding policy, working cross-functionally with management and a third-party vendor to deliver smooth employee payment operations.

Trained team members to navigate and master a complex, multi-step leave of absence process by breaking down difficult concepts into clear, actionable steps.

Audited closed claims, ensuring compliant and complete closure, supporting successful employee transitions back to work.

Established comprehensive SOPs for essential departmental processes, addressing foundational gaps and providing clear guidance for new employees.

Reviewed and updated website content, removing outdated language and aligning updates with standards across business groups.

Developed and launched process improvement teams to address outdated, complex policies, creating actionable tasks from findings to drive measurable change.

Human Resources Coordinator, Leave of Absence

Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits

Delivered compassionate, concierge-level leave guidance to 20,000+ union and non-union employees across 21 states, building trust, reducing confusion, and ensuring a positive experience.

Resolved complex LOA cases with empathy and precision, increasing employee satisfaction and strengthening confidence in HR processes.

Partnered with 50+ executives, HRBPs, and stakeholders in 2023 to navigate challenging leave scenarios while advocating for employees through reasonable accommodations and return-to-work options.

Created user-friendly templates, policies, procedures, and process maps that streamlined HR operations, improved accessibility, and reinforced understanding of technical data.

Collaborated with Legal, Payroll, and Absence Management leadership to ensure compliant, fair, and employee-centered outcomes.

Processed weekly payroll for employees on LOA with 100% accuracy, streamlining workflows to guarantee timely and compliant payments.

Reviewed 2,000+ OSHA files for accuracy and legal adherence, ensuring compliance and mitigating organizational risk.

Facilitated interactive processes with empathy, assessing unique employee needs to deliver equitable outcomes and making separation decisions when necessary.

Liaised with third-party vendors through weekly meetings to address unclear claims, ensure proper handling, and strengthen accountability.

Wrote SOPs, letter templates, and a brochure to aid in understanding technical concepts. Created associated process maps in Visio for SOPs.

North Texas Community Foundation

Included Front Desk Administrator duties plus:

Strengthened internal IT support by learning troubleshooting skills, reducing outside vendor reliance, bringing a chronically over budget line item back within budget.

Partnered with stakeholders to overhaul 30+ outdated policies and procedures, streamlining operations and improving clarity for employees navigating internal processes.

Led cross-functional team to optimize a multi-departmental procedure, reducing procedure completion time.

Developed and cultivated a StrengthsFinder culture by designing team-building activities, creating peer-recognition programs, and facilitating workshops that increased collaboration, employee engagement, and performance alignment with individual strengths.

Trained staff and executives on collaboration best practices for a more inclusive culture.

Selected and implemented video-conferencing hardware for two conference rooms; coordinated install and trained staff.

Handpicked video conferencing equipment, one for primary and another for secondary conference room, overseeing timely installation and training staff.  

Reviewed weekly check deposit reconciliation with Finance to ensure accuracy and transparency.

Championed the recognition of Juneteenth as a company holiday, aligning organizational policies with cultural values and reinforcing employee belonging.

Operations Associate / Employee Experience Specialist

Allied with senior leadership to evaluate employee satisfaction via employee survey I created, shaping strategies that strengthened the workplace culture.

Served as the first point of contact for calls, emails, and visitors, delivering professional, attentive support, ensuring positive experiences.

Designed and led a comprehensive employee experience program spanning development, recognition, events, and retreats that reduced turnover by more than 60%.

Welcomed and onboarded new hires, streamlining system setup and acting as a trusted resource.

Orchestrated company events end-to-end successfully, including planning, logistics, vendor coordination, and on-site management, renforcing comapny dedication to staff.

Streamlined administrative operations by improving organization systems, optimizing database management, supporting projects which improved team productivity, all enhancing the employee experience.

Guided employees through complex LOA cases with compassion and precision, improving satisfaction and trust in HR processes.

Ensured accuracy of a 20,000+ contact CRM, enhancing reporting reliability and supporting data-driven decision making.

Enhanced workplace efficiency and culture by maintaining supply chains, managing kitchen and reception needs, and ensuring clean, welcoming common areas.

Served as primary liaison for vendors and building partners, fostering strong relationships, addressing concerns proactively, and ensuring timely resolution of all issues.

Created a sense of camaraderie and inclusion during the challenges of COVID through online events and activity groups.

Front Desk Administrator / Employee Experience Specialist

As a single mom I wanted to be present for my son. I traded marketing plans for a brush and bowl, becoming a hair colorist, spending most of my years at Neiman Marcus. A meticulous, creative problem solver, I actively listened to clients and provided white glove customer service. 

Trained regularly locally and attending conferences across the USA including New York City.	

Developed personal brand through customized processes and design as well as targeted customer experiences.

Utilized social media including Instagram and Facebook to drive business through examples of work.

Entrepreneur - Hair Color Specialist, Corporate Break

The HR team player you wish you had. People Champion | Leave & Accommodation Ninja | Employee Experience Passionista | Dazzling Communicator | Strategic Business Writer | Policy & Procedure Developer

I spent 15 years as an elite hair colorist in top Dallas salons, including Neiman Marcus, where I learned how to listen, earn trust, and deliver unforgettable experiences.

Today I bring that same mindset to my next company. I know that when employees feel supported, they create better customer experiences, and when customers feel valued, the business thrives.

I’m at my best tackling tough projects, solving problems others avoid, and building programs that make a real impact.

If you want someone who understands how employee and customer experience work together to drive success, let’s connect.

Benefits & Absence Management Partner

• Advocate for employees during the FMLA & ADA process
• Oversee FMLA & ADA process in over 20 states, including New York, Washington, Ohio, and Pennsylvania
• Collaborate with regional and local teams to ensure employees are safe and under state and local laws
• Work with unions to ensure employment agreements are being applied
• Manage a spreadsheet detailing all active, future, worker's compensation, and modified work. 
• Calculate wages for employees on leave, submitting to payroll weekly
• Initiate and administer the employee separation process

My focus is on accelerating seller skills to elevate the value we bring to IBM clients across Australia and New Zealand.

Right now, I’m working on:

• Implementing structures to improve deal qualification, win rates and to identify derailment factors sooner. 
• Evolving team culture from one of cadence to coaching. 
•Delivering a personal coaching program for Leaders and Managers.
• Elevating client conversations. 
• Creating a culture where all can thrive.

Feel free to reach out if you'd like to learn more.

Enablement Leader, Australia & New Zealand

My focus in this role was accelerating seller skills, scaling innovation and creating learning culture across 9 diverse counties. The end goal- to elevate the value we bring to IBM clients. 

I implemented and drove a series of enablement programs creating significant positive impact including:

• Impacting $1.2B in opportunities and shifting culture from cadence to coaching with a 900% sales coaching uptake. 
• Launching a scaled coaching program for Leaders and Managers with 76% of ASEANZK participants rating the program as "life changing" or "amazing."
• Improving the quality with which we show up for our clients and boosting seller “soft skills” with 80+ Net Promoter Scores.

Reach out if you'd like to learn more.

Enablement Leader, Australia, South East Asia, New Zealand, Korea (ASEANZK)

Sales Enablement Society

I am currently enjoying being a RES member. For details around Chapters please visit https://www.sesociety.org or email info@resociety.global.

Previously I volunteered as Chapter Director for RES, collaborating with Enablement Leaders across the globe to run their 50+ local Chapters, with the mission is to elevate Enablement in organisations worldwide.

Prior to taking on this role, I founded and ran a Revenue Enablement Society Chapter to support Enablers in Dubai, UAE.

Now 11,000 members strong, the Revenue Enablement Society (RES) is a non-profit organization run by Enablers for Enablers.

Regional Chapter Director and Society Member

Tigerhall

During this partnership, I delivered a series of podcast covering Enablement, Inclusion, and Leadership. 

There is a gap between what academic education teaches us and what people actually need to succeed in the real world. 

Tigerhall is leveraging social learning, tapping into the knowledge of subject matter expertise to help close that gap.

Thinkfluencer, Enablement, Inclusion and Culture Champion

RMIT Activator

During this engagement I advised on creation of future skills and learning experiences for Activator, RMIT University's growth engine for entrepreneurship, venture creation and applied innovation.  

With a focus on unlocking Innovation and Entrepreneurial potential for start ups and RMIT students, my role included:

• Recruiting and building a high performance learning design and facilitation team.
• Designing and delivering learning programs to address real world needs, problems and create real-world impact.
• Facilitating Design Thinking and Sales masterclass sessions for entrepreneurs and students to allow them to address complex business problems. 

You can learn more about Activator and the great work the team have been up to at https://www.rmit.edu.au/for-business/activator.

Education, Experience & Programs

Collaborating with stakeholders across EMEA I led the co creation and deployment of a series of innovative and experiential learning approaches to quickly address the changing requirements for the client facing team as the Covid pandemic unfolded. These programs:

• Accelerated sales skills on IBM's latest technology across 4,000 sellers.
• Elevated client conversations impacting $10mil revenue generation.
• Engaged and motivated teams with a 1 point increase in engagement during a challenging pandemic. (Where the norm was a decrease.)

Sales Enablement & Skills Transformation Lead, Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA)

I built seller and employee skills and boosted engagement through, innovative and continuous learning programs, enabling diverse teams to deliver a market-leading client experience with IBM's Cloud solutions.

• Delivered Top Talent learning program offering unique learning experiences for 80+ high performing team members boosting skills development and increased employee retention rates.
• Managed roll out and enablement of new Hybrid Cloud supporting business delivery double digit growth across the MEA region.
• Led cultural change programs to support a more inclusive workplace including the #FastStart21 Women's Experience and Stellar employee flexibility project.

Enablement Lead, Cloud & Cognitive Software, Middle East & Africa (MEA)

Providing education, communication, inclusion, employee engagement expertise to help clients redesign experiences and culture through Digital Change and Transformation.

Key clients I had the pleasure of working with included a leading local Middle East airline, a public sector healthcare organization, and a local retail conglomerate.

In parallel to my day job, I created, launched and drove a mentoring, education and support program to encourage gender and socioeconomic diversity in STEM in Africa. This program evolved to become the NGO Ekare Africa (ekareafrica.com.)

Strategy Consultant: Digital Change - Talent & Transformation, Middle East & Africa

Collaborating with a cross-region and functional team, I provided overall leadership of sales education, engagement and capacity building projects for our African markets. I innovated and ensured the diverse teams in my region were educated, engaged and prepared to drive business growth and provide optimal value to our clients.

Created partnerships and engagement with IBM's Digital Nation Africa education and micro-credentials/digital badges to support STEM skills development across Africa.

Sales Enablement Leader, Global Markets, Africa

I united and lead a culturally diverse team across Africa and the Middle East to build and enhance the IBM brand while ensuring our workforce had the motivation and expertise to develop new business, create a more relevant and consistent experience and exceed our clients' expectations. 

One of the highlights of this role was leading the  launch of IBM's Africa brand strategy and first ever advertising campaign "Made with IBM" advertising campaign. (A first-ever for the region.) 

The campaign effectively re-positioned the IBM brand by establishing authenticity, driving awareness, preference and building advocacy externally. 

All in line with IBM's corporate character. Learn more here-> https://vimeo.com/62205426.

Brand, Advertising & Employee Engagement Leader, Middle East & Africa

In this role, I lead and supported others to do great marketing, drive business growth and client value in IBM's newest markets. 

I strategically planned and delivered award-winning international office launches, engaging marketing, internal and external communications, and market conditioning brand campaigns to differentiate IBM from competitors, promote client successes, and position the IBM brand.

Geo Expansion Marketing & Communications Leader, Middle East & Africa

After my initial work period as part of IBM's Leadership Development Program Corporate Service Corps, my public sector client requested for me to continue to provide my communications, education and marketing expertise to the organization. 

This turned into an exciting 12 month engagement and took my life in a new direction. The client engagement achieved critical project milestones, communications objectives and recorded a high client satisfaction rating. 

In this consulting role I:

• Collaborated to deliver a marketing and communication strategy including, monitoring, analysis, reporting, and education to support the deployment of two Nigerian Government programs targeting vulnerable families.
• Drove 320% increase in program participation exceeding project objectives.
• Developed curriculum, delivered training and coached individuals and diverse groups to build expertise support program effectiveness and create long-term change.
• Mapped and managed the large, complex public sector and sponsor stakeholder network to design and implement a communication plan and reporting tools.
• Drove change management, cohesion, and collaboration among the States Ministry departments.
• Built relationships across Government Ministry's, agencies and community stakeholder groups to drive the success of Projects forming a social safety net for the people of Cross River State.

Strategy Consultant: Marketing & Communications, West Africa

In this role I strategically planned, measured and executed innovative, customized marketing and communication programs.

My focus was on supporting attainment of business objectives and creating a revenue pipeline for the sales organization for the next quarter and beyond. 

And we did just that attaining our targets and business results for 10 out of 12 quarters.

Some areas of my responsibility included:

• Leveraging data to capture insights
• Segmenting audiences
• Leveraging a mix of traditional, digital and hybrid marketing campaign element
 • Building awareness to generate interest and drive solid leads for the business.

Marketing Campaign Strategist, Australia & New Zealand

In this role I initiated, planned and executed a range of awareness and demand generation marketing activities consistently exceeding defined objectives for my business unit. 

This included:

• Reviewing and auditing of program strategy and priorities to improve program performance. 
• Designing and delivering a number of innovative projects improving marketing performance and interlock with sales priorities. 
• Commissioning and managing market research to; understand current brand perception and barriers, identified crucial market segments and geographic areas. 
• Participating in the Cape York Partnership Leadership Program which including supporting programs while living in an indigenous community in Far North Queensland and building awareness, understanding and inclusion. 

Awards:
• IBM WW Best Practice Award Q3 ‘08
• Cape York Partnership Leadership Program Representative Q3 ‘09 
• Program Award- High Performing Campaign Q2 ‘08
• Australian Marketing Institute Awards National  “finalist” ’08 
• IBM Innovation Award Winner  Q4 ‘07

Intergrated Marketing Communication Specialist, Australia

Supported the successes of our partners by building strategic Business Partner relationships, acting as a key point of contact for information about IBM Business Partner programs. 

Collaborated with media and agency partners to deliver and maximize the impact of Partner marketing campaigns and create positive client testimonials through the Customer Reference Program.

Awards:
• Assisted role out ANZ Business Partner (BP) certification program        
• Elected IBM Associate Network Representative                    
•IBM  “Above & Beyond” Award  Q4 ‘05

Channel Marketing Specialist

Ekare Africa

Ekare means "Let's give" in Ejagham, one of the main local dialects where this NGO was founded in the rural community of Ikom in West Africa.

At Ekare Africa our mission is to create sustainable development and economic inclusion with a focus on education access for girls at a grassroots level.

During my time leading Ekare Africa we impacted thousands of people and supported over 200 girls across West Africa to access life changing education.

Founder

Checkers & DC Entertainment

Marketing & Promotions Co-Ordinator

Hi, I’m Georgia. 

I am passionate about Enablement, Growth and Innovation fueled by that great combination of talent, technology and diverse perspectives. 

I have the privilege of helping IBM sales teams to maximise their results and growth by transforming skills and culture.

ENABLEMENT: Working with clients across four continents has given me the opportunity to build successful teams and create positive Enablement, culture and business outcomes.

My team and I have collected a few accolades for our efforts along the way too including:

-Revenue Enablement Excellence Award, Selling Power, 2024
-Sales Enablement Program of the Year- Stevie Award, for the innovative learning approaches delivered in the midst of the pandemic. 
- Most Innovative Woman of the Year - Industry, Bronze, Stevie Awards for Women in Business
- Top 20 Sales Enablement Influencer- Sales Enablement Collective
- Innovator of the Year- Learning Programs, International Business Awards

FOR FUN: When I am not working, you may find me playing superheroes with my two boys or hiding from them to sneak in some yoga.

And if you've made it all the way down here, why not let me know how I can help you. 

GET IN TOUCH: Send me a DM or reach me at georgia.watson@ibm.com. 


⭐️


EXPERTISE 

- Sales Enablement and transformative learning
- Creating inclusive, high performance cultures where people thrive
- Innovative thinking and skills transformation 
- Coaching and facilitating learning experiences
- Design Thinking and Agile 

Further skill areas: Leadership, Education, Learning and Development, Communication, Consulting, Design Thinking, Partnership, Culture, Change Management

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The Battle

Tori Whaley, aPHR

Georgia Watson ⭐️

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