"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." - John Quincy Adams.
What’s your role in the firm, and how do you make a difference?
I am the Chief People Officer (CPO). A CPO is a team builder, a strategist, a culture creator and a data analyst. When you are able to put all these together, then you can focus on hiring and retaining the best people, and I believe we have the best people in the industry at GHJ.
Who is/was the biggest influence in your business life and how did s/he shape who you’ve become?
My vice president of operations from a previous organization always challenged me to do more, work harder, dream big and achieve my goals. “Leaders instill in their people a hope for success and a belief in themselves. Positive leaders empower people to accomplish their goals.” -Unknown
Describe the best thing about GHJ and why it matters to you
The culture and the people. Being at GHJ with the culture of collaboration and teamwork has enabled me to achieve all that I envisioned when I joined here at a much faster pace than I could have imagined.
What makes you get up in the morning, and how does it impact your work style?
My passion for life. Whether it is at work, with my family or working out I am passionate about everything I do, and I want to get the most out of every day. When you love what you do and the people you are with, it makes getting out of bed easier.
If you could go back in time, what would you do differently and why?
I do not think I would do anything differently; every experience has been a continuous learning experience. If I had to pass on any wisdom, it would be to always treat people with respect at whatever level in the organization, strength in a firm comes from being one team.
Yvonne Burke has more than 30 years of experience leading human resource functions across various industries. Yvonne is people and organization focused with a proven leadership record in high-growth, market-leading companies. She has developed long-term organizational growth strategies with executive leadership and is passionate about coaching individuals across all levels of her organizations to succeed.
Prior to joining GHJ in 2018, Yvonne held HR leadership roles in manufacturing, consumer electronics, environmental and sustainability sectors. In her previous roles, she was responsible for integrating businesses through M&A, creating value to her organization by engaging, developing and retaining critical people with capability to grow businesses. Yvonne has experience in international HR from her time in Europe where she supported the executive leadership teams for Europe, Middle East and Africa and Shared Services for Asia. She has a deep understanding of the global business environment, and her experiences have given her the opportunity to manage HR teams across three continents.
She earned her Master of Business Administration degree with a Human Resources Concentration from the University of Essex, England.
Fun Facts
Favorite place in the world:
Florence, Italy
Favorite music/band/singer:
All Music, Conor Oberst
Favorite movie or book of all time:
The Notebook (Yes, I'm a romantic.)
One word that best describes me:
Optimistic. I believe a positive, upbeat approach is infectious. I enjoy my life and look for the best in everything and everyone. I believe anything is possible, and my motto for life is to "never give up trying even in the face of adversity."
When I’m not working, you’ll catch me doing this:
Listening to live music, spending time with family and friends, going to the gym and riding my bike to the beach.
