Eryn O’Brien is passionate about implementing programs that unlock people’s full potential. Over the course of her career, she’s created big impact for companies such as American Express and Bristol Myers Squibb and is now Vice President of Global Talent and Inclusion for Eastman Chemical Company.
When Eryn felt the need to boldly shift out loud in 2022, she didn’t seek out a new job. Instead, she took a journey of 8000 miles and discovered a wild new way to play bigger — one that taught her so much more about the world we live in.
Tune in to hear our candid discussion about the challenges of navigating new terrain and the game-changing lessons we can learn from surprising pivots.
Ready to play bigger? Listen now to discover:
- Why Eryn chose to take a 3-month wildlife conservation internship in South Africa — and what she learned from her time in the program
- The shifts in practice and perspective that her experience has inspired
- How reluctantly shifting to a new role after an acquisition opened up powerful growth opportunities
Guest bio: Eryn O’Brien is the VP of Global Talent and Inclusion for Eastman Chemical Company and leads a team of talent acquisition, talent management, organizational effectiveness, and inclusion and diversity professionals. She is a founding member of Acres of Hope – Uganda which provides financial, health, and educational support to orphans, on the Board of the United Way of Greater Kingsport, and Vice-Chair of their Human Resources Committee.
Timestamps:
01:42 Intro
02:45 Meet Eryn O’Brien
04:11 Unexpected shift to new role
07:34 Resiliency & trusting the process
10:06 Why Eryn loves her job
12:10 Bringing out the best in people
14:15 Pandemic shift
16:24 Driving interactions
19:54 Internship overview
27:14 Animal stories
34:42 Internship extension
37:37 GVI & sustainability
41:37 What’s next
Links:
Global Vision International
