KANSAS CITY, Mo. --

VMLY&R has promoted Lisa Bridgers to chief people officer in North America. Bridgers will oversee progressive human resources practices centered on a “people first” philosophy, inclusive management, forward-thinking corporate practices, and support ongoing commitments for diversity, equity and inclusion. In this role, Bridgers will work closely with leaders across the agency’s 18 North American offices. Bridgers will continue to report to global chief people officer, Ronnie Felder.

With strong growth across North America in 2020 VMLY&R added around 400 full time new employees to the agency, with over a third of new hires identifying as BIPOC. Bridgers and VMLY&R will continue to build momentum in the region following a streak of recent new business wins including Sam’s Club AOR.

The employee experience team has seen further momentum in 2021, with the agency receiving a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index, the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality.

VMLY&R also implemented many new employee programs in 2020 such as:

• FLEX: a program encouraging staff to schedule time away from their screens & meeting free time zones. 
• A recommitment to mental health and parental and caregiver programming.
• Additional Employee Resource Groups (ERGs): employee-led and company-funded social, cultural, and minority groups that help our employees advocate for important causes, embrace differences, and foster an environment that enables employees to bring their whole selves to work.
• NeXus: a modified version of the agency’s successful internship program. Virtual masterclass including regular seminars and matching participants with agency mentors. 

Bridgers’s HR function partners with The VMLY&R Foundation, an integral part of the agency’s DNA since day one. Through the VMLY&R Foundation, the agency provides a range of support to nonprofit organizations and worthy causes chosen by their employees. 

Bridgers is a longstanding WPP employee, joining the agency in 2017 following its merger with Rockfish. She previously served as regional director, employee experience. 

She originally joined Rockfish as part of the talent acquisition team and spent the following years implementing progressive human resources practices building a people-first agency, which ultimately lead to her appointment as chief people officer.

Prior to joining Rockfish, Bridgers held talent acquisition and human resources positions for more than two decades, including stints at Saatchi & Saatchi X and Robert Half International.  

She is the co-creator of the Women in the Workforce conference in Northwest Arkansas, and a member of the Executive Advisory Committee for the Women’s Empowerment Center.  Bridgers holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Arkansas Tech University and is an active volunteer in her community. 

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