Individuals determine the success of an organization \u2014 that’s what Julie Tschida Brown believes, as the Chief People and Culture Officer at Zayo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The path that led Julie to this position began not with people, but with finance, numbers, and statistics. Her work life, which Julie affectionately refers to as, \u201cthe intersection of human and financial capital,\u201d began with a post-undergrad internship at a small investment advisory firm in Chicago. That internship led to full-time employment as a wealth management advisor. At 25 years old, she was trading millions of dollars and was a member of the first cohort of Morningstar advisory board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition to being an advisor, Julie had to be a business operations leader. \u201cMy mindset coming in was: if there\u2019s a problem, go solve it,” she says. “I didn\u2019t understand job levels or grades or organizational boundaries\u2026 we all just leaned in.\u201d Sometimes she was trading, other times she was answering the phone. After six years, she reached a crossroads where she needed either to buy into the business or move on to something else. While the \u201csomething else\u201d wasn\u2019t entirely clear, she moved on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nMy mindset coming in was: if there\u2019s a problem, go solve it.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
A friend connected her with a Human Relations (HR) consulting firm in Chicago, where she focused on the financial services sector as an executive compensation consultant. This was Julie\u2019s first foray into HR proper. While sitting in on countless boardroom meetings, she was able to see first-hand the interplay between senior management and the board of directors. She also learned how important it is to factor people into business decisions, the importance of motivating and connecting their work with the business. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
These early glimpses set the stage for the core beliefs she applies and leads with today, at Zayo. As the head of HR, Julie is both empathetic and business-oriented. She is not overly concerned with the hard parameters of titles and job descriptions and places more emphasis on the soft skills that facilitate human connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n