Her Story
About Madiha
With 15 years of comprehensive HR experience, including 5 years in executive leadership and 3 years of coaching, I've dedicated my career to building and transforming HR functions across diverse organizational landscapes. I've had the privilege of working with prestigious organizations like the IMF and the Australian Embassy, as well as small nonprofits where I could make the most impact. My approach focuses on three core areas: building HR functions from the ground up, establishing HR as a strategic thought partner within organizations by leveraging my coaching skills, and implementing HR technology to build processes, procedures, and SOPs that optimize productivity. I consciously made the decision to move away from large, structured organizations to work as a one-person HR department for small nonprofits, which has opened tremendous learning opportunities across different industries. I've worked for research organizations including the Institute for the Study of War, a think tank, and currently serve as Director of Human Resources for Pure Earth, an environmental health nonprofit. I describe myself as a builder and change agent who navigates chaos calmly while establishing credibility and trust. I'm currently piloting an AI implementation program within the nonprofit space, exploring how to ethically integrate AI into HR functions. My vision for the next 5 years is to evolve HR into an HR tech department that relies heavily on technology and tools integrated across functional areas, helping organizations attract and retain talent while building essential skills. I'm a data-driven professional who relies on constant feedback through surveys, focus groups, and events to bridge the gap between organizational priorities and employee needs.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Madiha
01What do you attribute your success to?
I do a lot of inner work, and I think success and happiness and achievements are very externally perceived, but I believe it really starts from manifesting within. I have this thing for personal growth and development, and I'm a lifelong learner - that's how I describe myself. I learn from everything and everywhere, and I have a lot of gratitude in my personality. I really appreciate life and live in the moment, and I think that attitude really helps me to navigate a lot of complexities in the world that we operate in. I don't take things personally, and I have a very consistent routine that I follow, including yoga and meditation, which really helps me to center within. To me, it's more internal versus external. Yes, I've done SHRM certifications and I have two master's degrees, and those things are very external and people see those things, but I think it's more about what I see in myself and believing in myself.
02What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The challenge that we're always going to face as an organization is how to attract talent and retain talent - that's a forever challenge. Many times, the priorities for people are never the priorities for the organization, so creating those bridges is always the toughest challenge that HR faces, especially in the leadership space. People come to you with all kinds of issues, problems, and priorities that they want, and the organization is not able to deliver, so you have to figure out how to keep them engaged, happy, and ensure that they retain for a number of years. On the opportunity side, I see the big picture of where HR adds value is in building skills and evolving into more of an HR tech department. Right now, I'm working on building AI within a nonprofit space and understanding how we can implement AI ethically. There's so much upskilling needed to understand different models and what they offer, and what type of solutions we can implement. The opportunity is in enabling HR to be more of a tech function versus just a standalone human resources with the traditional structure that exists in some organizations - relying heavily on technology and tools that we can integrate into different functional areas in HR.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I have a people-first approach - I'm always there for the people. I'm very creative as a person, very passionate, and I navigate chaos very calmly. I'm a change agent and a builder in organizations. I believe that credibility and trust are most important in HR - that's my metric for success. I have a lot of gratitude in my personality, and I really value and appreciate life. I live in the moment. I'm a data-driven person, so I really rely on taking constant feedback and incorporating that feedback, working with leadership to ensure we can reach solutions together. I believe in giving back - it's not just about people being mentors for you, but how you give back is equally important. I'm an extrovert and I love people, and I'm a lifelong learner who learns from everything and everywhere.
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