Valerie Capers Workman, CHRO at Empower Pharmacy

Episode notes

The Human Last Mile: Empower Pharmacy’s CHRO on AI Fluency, Ethics, and HR Transformation Summary AI in HR isn’t about replacing people—it’s about redefining excellence and freeing humans to do higher-order work. Valerie Capers Workman, Chief Human Resources Officer at Empower Pharmacy and author of two books on AI, shares how she’s leading company-wide AI transformation while rebuilding the HR tech stack with human-in-the-loop design. Valerie tackles the real blockers—fear, security, ethics, IP, and inequity—and explains why “excellence now requires AI” and how leaders can communicate that without triggering defensiveness. She breaks down a practical operating model: use AI for task work, keep humans as the “last mile” decision-makers, and build AI fluency through structured, role-based training so no one is left behind. Expect candid stories, from coaching a team member past “AI is cheating” to using saved time for strategic thinking, plus how to set guardrails for sensitive areas like employee relations.