Cassandra Duzell

I attribute my success primarily to my children. While I am naturally a hardworking and integrity-driven person, becoming a mother gave me a stronger sense of purpose and motivation to advance in my career and create a balanced life. Having two sons, I am especially driven to serve as a strong female role model and to help shape their understanding and respect for women. That responsibility continues to inspire me to push forward and do my best both personally and professionally.

The best career advice I’ve ever received was to take jobs that allow you to learn and explore, especially when you’re unsure of your long-term direction. I struggled early on to commit to a field of study because nothing felt like the right fit, and I didn’t want to invest in something I wasn’t fully confident in. Working at Kmart for a few years gave me exposure to a range of responsibilities, including HR-related work that sparked my interest. I later became a manager at a non-profit organization in Los Angeles, where I continued to gain experience in people and operations. It wasn’t until I worked as an assistant at FM Global and was introduced to recruiting that everything started to click, ultimately motivating me to pursue my associate’s degree. That experience taught me that trying different roles can help you discover what you’re truly passionate about.

My advice to young women entering human resources is to give yourself permission not to have everything figured out right away. HR is a broad and dynamic field where you can explore different paths—whether that’s as a generalist, manager, or in a more specialized area—and you don’t need to lock that decision in immediately. There can be pressure, especially early on, to have a clear niche coming out of school, but it’s okay to learn as you go and discover what truly resonates with you. The industry is constantly evolving, and what matters most is staying open-minded, recognizing what sparks your interest, and being willing to follow that direction. Consistency, curiosity, and follow-through will take you much further than having a perfect plan from the start.

One of the biggest challenges in my field right now is navigating the constantly evolving legal and regulatory landscape, which requires ongoing adaptability and vigilance to remain compliant. At the same time, employee engagement has become increasingly complex, as organizations work to meet employees where they are while balancing business needs and compliance requirements. HR professionals often find themselves in a difficult middle position—expected to be both empathetic advocates for employees and stewards of organizational integrity. Maintaining that balance, especially in emotionally charged situations, requires a high level of professionalism, emotional intelligence, and careful communication. Despite these challenges, it also presents an opportunity to strengthen trust, improve workplace culture, and create more thoughtful, human-centered approaches to people management.

The most important value to me in both my work and personal life is integrity. While ethics and formal training are essential, I believe integrity is what truly guides decision-making when no one is watching. It means standing by what you say, following through on commitments, and being honest when something cannot be done and clearly explaining why. For me, moving with integrity is foundational to building trust, maintaining credibility, and making sound, responsible decisions in any environment.