Ignite Your Sparkle: An Exclusive Interview with Charley Lapomardo
Welcome to our latest Speaker Spotlight Blog!
In this edition, we are thrilled to introduce Charley Lapomardo, affectionately known as “Sparkle.” As an Experience Facilitator, Charley is dedicated to helping professionals excel in their roles by fostering an environment where creativity and authentic expression thrive.
Join us as we delve into Charley’s journey, their passion for workplace culture, and what you can expect from their highly anticipated session at Culture Summit 2024.
Q: Could you introduce yourself briefly and share your prominent role within the Culture space?
A: I am Charley Lapomardo (aka Sparkle), an Experience Facilitator helping professionals be and work their best. I am active in thriving culture-focused communities, including Culture Summit, Culture First San Diego, Covve’s Connection Crew, and Lesbians Who Tech.
Q: What initially sparked your passion for the HR/Culture/People domain, and how has it evolved throughout your career?
A: I’ve always been a connector, helping people feel safe to express themselves authentically, knowing they belong. As a user researcher at Wayfair, I learned that HR and employee experiences are often neglected in relation to customer experiences.
Driven by the desire to make a positive impact on the lives of my coworkers (our captive users), I became an expert student of workplace dynamics, large-scale enterprise systems, and the nature of leadership and power. Frustrated by the indirect influence of the research role, I shifted into an active embedded culture-building role. I created community gathering spaces, memorable group experiences, and process efficiencies to help my team work better.
Now, through my workshop company, Sparkleworks, I focus solely on collaborative creative problem-solving.
Q: Can you recount the most valuable piece of work or culture-related advice you’ve received in your journey?
A: “What makes us special makes us strong.” Sure, that’s from Shrek the Musical and not a mentor, but it’s valuable nonetheless!
Q: We would like to delve into the session you’ll be presenting at this year’s Culture Summit. What motivated you to choose this particular topic?
A: Sparkling is my nature, and my purpose is to bear witness to the transformative power of that energy. The Applied Sparkle Workshop: Transforming from Stuck to Energized is among the tools I’ve developed which apply sparkle as a creative catalyst to break down ambiguous problems and generate solutions. I share these insights and resources abundantly, because it is life-giving to see people light up, inspired to take grounded action to build their best life.
Q: If you had to highlight one compelling reason why attendees shouldn’t miss your session, what would it be?
A: If you’re sick of soul-sucking meetings and mandatory team-building events, don’t miss this opportunity to unblock your creative energy and get a new perspective on complex problems.
Q: Finally, what aspects of the Culture Summit in San Diego 2024 are you personally looking forward to the most?
A: Creating new memories with existing and new kindred spirit connections in the Culture Summit community.
Don’t miss Charley Lapomardo’s Applied Sparkle Workshop at Culture Summit 2024.
This session promises to be a transformative experience, helping you have renewed energy and motivation to ‘Sparkle’ when faced with work challenges!
Learn more about Charley by visiting their profile on the Culture Summit Website.