Steve Pemberton joined Workhuman in December of 2017 as chief human resources officer (CHRO) and works with HR leaders and senior management executives worldwide to help build workplaces where every employee feels recognized, respected, and appreciated for who they are and what they do. He champions and promotes the Workhuman movement to inspire HR leaders to embrace more humanity and foster a sense of purpose in the workplace. And, Steve is focused on building upon Workhuman’s award-winning culture, where the company has set a new industry standard through its power usage of recognition and positivity.
Prior to joining Workhuman, Steve served in senior Human Resources roles at Walgreens Boots Alliance and Monster.com transforming the people practices of both companies. In 2015, he was appointed by United States Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez to serve on the Advisory Committee for the Competitive Integrated Employment of People with Disabilities.
A passionate human rights champion, Steve has made equality, access and opportunity the foundation of his personal and professional life. Author of the USA Today best-selling memoir, “A Chance in the World,” Steve chronicled his childhood journey as a bi-racial ward of the state and his decades-long quest to find his biological family. His tireless advocacy for the disenfranchised has earned him numerous accolades, including honorary doctorates from Boston College, Providence College, and Winston-Salem State University as well as the prestigious Horizon Award by the U.S. Congress, presented to private sector individuals who have expanded opportunities for all Americans through their own personal contributions, and whose grit and resilience have set exceptional examples for young people. He is a Triple Eagle graduate of Boston College and serves on several nonprofit boards, including UCAN and Disability:IN, Boys Hope, Girls Hope in addition to his own A Chance in the World Foundation, the non-profit he founded to help young leaders aging out of the foster care system.