LaTorsha Hill
Senior Director of Talent & Organizational Development, Poly
AWE Accelerator LaTorsha Hill leads talent acquisition, talent management and organizational development for Poly, where she has worked for the last six years. We sat down with LaTorsha to discuss the evolution of Human Resources, her experience with AWE Accelerator, and her love of dystopian fiction novels.
LaTorsha, did you always envision yourself working in Human Resources? If so, how did you stay focused on your goal?
While in school, I didn’t know which industry I’d end up in, but I knew wherever I landed would be great because I love the field of Human Resources so much. I ultimately began working in technology and found early on that I love the fast-paced, ever-changing landscape that tech brings. I often say, there’s never a dull moment in this industry and if there is, it never lasts long!
What do you think the 3 most important keys to your success have been?
I love this question! I actually don’t think there are necessarily 3 things that work. It really depends on the individual. For me, I’ve actually benefited more from my failures than my successes because it was in my failures that I’ve learned and grown the most. When you’ve been knocked down, rise again. A resilient mindset is priceless. I have learned to lean on that to carry me through my entire career.
You’ve been working in HR and DEI for approximately 15 years. How have you seen it change in more recent years from when you started?
I think this space has evolved quite a bit. We are dealing with so much in our world today and I think the biggest difference I’ve noticed is the need to see and support the whole individual. People are more than just the employees that come to work for your organization. They have entire lives, family, friends, challenges, accomplishments that sit outside of the workplace. Recognizing and allowing people to be themselves and supporting them inside and outside of work has been a strategy that I’ve definitely noticed more in the latter years of my career journey. That makes me proud as an HR professional.
How has being a part of AWE changed how you show up to work everyday? What was your favorite session/training?
AWE Accelerator was a phenomenal program! And that means a lot for me because I’m a tough grader where development programs are concerned. I ended AWE Accelerator knowing that a lot of women think and feel the same as I do regarding our careers. I had a wonderful cohort and met friends that have helped me to think about myself and my contributions differently. I have a renewed confidence in not only myself, but the impact that I make every day. I loved each session, but the one that I had the biggest takeaway from was Executive Presence. Before this session, I thought I knew how Executive Presence was defined, but I learned that there were more components to it than I’d ever considered. I also really enjoyed the dialog that my cohort had on this topic and the extra “best practice” tips that our facilitator shared.
What is your motivating force in business and in life? Has it changed throughout the years?
My motivating force is the future generation. For me in particular, I wish I had more role models that looked like me growing up. Perhaps that could have helped me to not spend three years deciding on a major in college, or given me more confidence when starting out in my career. I continue to push forward in my career with the hope that somewhere a little African-American child sees me or hears me and is inspired in some way.
Tell us something interesting about yourself that we can’t find listed on your resume.
I enjoy dystopian fiction novels and I hope to someday publish my own story. It makes me nervous to think about that, but I’ve definitely dabbled in writing since I was a teenager, so don’t be surprised if you see my name on a best author list!
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.