As a tenured executive with 20 years of experience on three continents, Stephanie brings dynamic global business and leadership expertise with a dedicated people-first approach to the L’Oréal HR strategy including talent, learning, rewards, and people experience. Her experience prior to her role as CHRO has been as a Global General Manager, US General Manager, and Global Head of Marketing across L’Oréal’s diverse portfolio including for professional skin, hair and luxury brands SkinCeuticals, Kiehl’s Since 1851, Biolage, and Ralph Lauren Fragrances. L’Oréal USA leads the #1 beauty market in the world with more than 35 iconic brands that reach consumers in every category and distribution channel and is part of the L’Oréal Groupe, the #1 beauty company in the world. In addition, Stephanie also was the Head of Women's Fragrances including the iconic N.5, Coco Mademoiselle, and Chance as well as Head of Skincare at Chanel, Inc.
Stephanie has served as an adjunct professor of management communication in the graduate business program at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) where she is a member of the program’s Industry Advisory Board. In addition, she serves as an advisor to workplace and mental health innovation leaders, MasterClass, Work &, and Project Healthy Minds, is a member of the CNBC Workforce Executive Council, and an advisor to the Duke Fuqua Business School CHRO program advisory council. She is also a member of the Women’s Leadership Board at the Harvard Kennedy School.
Stephanie has been a featured speaker at several institutions and leadership summits across the country including The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard Business School, New York University, the Forbes Future of Work Summit, the Yale Ventures Health of Women Summit, HR Unleash, and Eve International in Evian, France. Stephanie and her writing have been featured in Fast Company, Fortune, Forbes, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, and the Wall Street Journal. She holds a degree in Chemistry from Wake Forest University, a Master's Degree from FIT, and is a licensed esthetician. She believes that "you can do it all, not at the same time, and not alone.”
A marketer’s ambition is to understand their consumers and anticipate their needs. As an HR leader who previously led a brand, my focus is understanding the needs of our employees today, future employees, and for our HR team to also understand the needs of their business partners to drive for results and experience together.
I also noticed when I joined HR that the team was doing tremendous work and offering incredible benefits, but our teammates weren’t aware for themselves or to support their coworkers, so we had to do a better job communicating so everyone can take advantage of our offerings.
It’s essential to be both consistent and open minded to influence real change. For leaders in a large organization, you need to have a vision and give your team tangible first steps toward that vision, with the space to create their own path and go beyond it. In addition, influence is about meaningful relationships – influence is not in your inbox – it starts with building real connection.
I always tell my team -- you can’t boil the ocean, boil pots. I get clear about my priorities – my “pots” – and then I consider everything that comes to me through that lens so that I’m intentional with my time and energy. If it’s not something I have bandwidth for, maybe it’s not a “no” but a “not yet” – two of my favorite words! I’m also a big fan of the “rule of five”; when a request comes my way, I pause and consider: will this have an impact in five weeks, five months, five years? That’s another lens to help ensure I’m prioritizing what will have the greatest impact.
You can do it all, not at the same time, and not alone. Be driven but deliberate with what is a yes, no and not yet. There is power and responsibility in community.
I’ll give you three: My mother, my grandmother and my great grandmother.
Besides my family…. A “bring it” playlist (plus my Shokz headphones and my running sneakers).
Working with AI, and expression-full maximalism makeup.
“Wild Swans” by Jung Chang, which spans the lives of three female generations in China. I read it while in the UK and finished it the same day I was asked to move to China for my job. Also, writing my book “Carry Strong” about navigating pregnancy and work has been incredibly impactful in my own life both as a cathartic experience and as a tangible way to help others.
