Deboleena Bose, CHRO at CoBank

Episode notes

Intentional Culture at CoBank: CHRO Debulina Bose on Mission-First HR and AI with Empathy Summary How do you unify a national, largely exempt workforce while navigating AI and rapid growth? Debulina Bose, Chief Human Resources Officer at CoBank, shares how a mission-first approach—serving rural America and strengthening food security—drives hiring, development, and culture across 1,400 associates. As a cooperative, CoBank makes long-term people decisions, not quarter-by-quarter tradeoffs. Debulina details how her team uses Gallup StrengthsFinder to build diverse-by-thinking teams, why empathy, listening, and judgment will differentiate talent in an AI-enabled workplace, and where AI fits today—from HR chat assistants for FAQs to Copilot for tone and productivity. With 40% of employees new in the last three years, she outlines CoBank’s 2026 priority: building an intentional, co-created culture that matches the mission and the moment. Expect practical ideas for hiring for purpose, applying the “five whys,” and using AI as a thought partner—while keeping humans firmly in the loop.