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Cruising Altitude

Lessons from companies over 30,000 employees

Conversations with leaders who are designing the best digital employee experiences in the world – from the front lines to the back office. Life is different over 30,000. Welcome to Cruising Altitude.

Hosted by Firstup Founder and CEO, Nicole Alvino.

Listen now on

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Latest Episodes

Elizabeth Bryant aspect ratio

Ep. 42

Elizabeth Bryant

SVP & Chief People Officer | Southwest Airlines

Taking Employee Engagement to New Heights

This episode of Cruising Altitude features a conversation with Elizabeth Bryant, Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer at Southwest Airlines, hosted by Nicole Alvino, CEO and co-founder of FirstUp. Elizabeth and Nicole discuss the importance of employee engagement and its impact on organizational success. The conversation explores Southwest’s employee-centered approach, leadership development strategies, and the link between employee treatment and customer experience.
Brittany Polanco

Ep. 41

Brittany Polanco

Director of HR Innovation | Diageo

HR Innovation at Diageo

This episode of Cruising Altitude features a conversation with Brittany Polanco, Director of HR Innovation at Diageo, hosted by Nicole Alvino, CEO and co-founder of FirstUp. Brittany shares insights on the importance of empowering leaders, co-creating employee experiences, and driving organizational innovation.
Tim Gerend aspect ratio

Ep. 40

Tim Gerend

President | Northwestern Mutual

Data Empowerment and Positive Culture

The discussion highlights the critical role of data in understanding and improving the employee experience, drawing a direct correlation to business success. Gerend shares his journey and the various leadership roles he’s taken on at Northwestern Mutual, emphasizing the company’s mission-driven culture and the focus on providing exceptional employee and client experiences. The conversation also explores the importance of technology, including AI, in creating efficiency and personalization for both employees and clients, aiming towards a future where personal growth and business growth go hand in hand.
Shaelyn Otikor

Ep. 39

Shaelyn Otikor

SVP & Head of Global Digital Workplace Strategy | Northern Trust Asset Servicing

Matching the Employee Experience to the Customer Experience

In this episode, our host Nicole Alvino is talking with Shaelyn about re-engineering digital employee processes for greater efficiency, empowering employees to drive their own career at Northern Trust. and not being afraid to get in the weeds.
Andrea Ferrara

Ep. 38

Andrea Ferrara

Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer | PepsiCo Beverages North America

Fizzing with Wisdom: PepsiCo’s HR Strategies for Success

In this episode, host Nicole Alvino and Andrea discuss forming a psychological contract with employees early on, balancing standardization and customization of the employee experience, and building a change practice to agilely meet employee needs.
NicoleAlvino Edit Cropped Web

Ep. 37

Nicole Alvino

Founder & CEO | Firstup

Introducing Our New Host, Nicole Alvino!

In this episode, Nicole talks about how the employee experience starts with the pre-hire motion all the way through retirement, how to hyper-personalize it for each employee, and working cross-functionally to deliver a truly exceptional employee experience.

Cruising Altitude

Lessons from companies over 30,000 employees

Conversations with leaders who are designing the best digital employee experiences in the world – from the front lines to the back office. Life is different over 30,000. Welcome to Cruising Altitude.

Hosted by Firstup Founder and CEO, Nicole Alvino.

Listen now on

CruisingAltitude Icon nobg

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