A Conversation With Kristi Cappelletti-Matthews, Chief Human Resources Officer, VSP Vision

Kristi Cappelletti-Matthews is the Chief Human Resources Officer at VSP Vision, bringing more than three decades of HR leadership across healthcare and high tech. Her journey to CHRO started with a chance gym conversation that turned into a career-defining opportunity. Beginning as a compensation specialist, she expanded her scope by consistently connecting her expertise to broader business outcomes, eventually stepping into enterprise leadership where alignment across functions became essential.Episode Takeaways:Alignment requires more than agreement. Leaders must actively connect decisions to enterprise impact and involve stakeholders early to avoid siloed thinkingCulture doesn’t scale by accident. VSP intentionally evolved its culture during COVID to ensure connection and inclusion across a distributed workforceIntegration starts with culture. Bringing acquired companies into the “family” works best when values are clear but flexibility is preserved. Enterprise mindset is a learned shift. Leaders moving from smaller organizations must adapt from owning decisions to sharing them, which takes clarity and ongoing dialogueGood meetings drive alignment. Clear outcomes, purposeful conversation, and real dialogue beat calendar overload every timeKristi’s perspective reinforces a core truth: alignment is less about grand declarations and more about consistent, sometimes uncomfortable conversations that connect people to the bigger picture. Whether integrating systems, evolving culture, or simply trying to stick to a workout plan, success comes down to commitment, realistic expectations, and a willingness to adjust along the way. Or, as she subtly reminds us, “good enough” often beats endlessly perfect and never delivered.Connect with Kristi outside of this episode on LinkedIn here or through VSP Vision here.-------------------------Is misalignment holding your organization back?Aligned teams deliver better results more consistently, and they have deeper connections to each other and their organizations. Download our free Leadership Alignment Evaluation Tool and take the first step toward transforming how your team works together.Learn more about Julie and Karrikins Group:Connect with Julie on LinkedInFollow Karrikins Group on LinkedIn Check out Julie's book, 'Make HOW Matter: Key Conversations for Leaders to Build Alignment and Accelerate Growth'Learn more about how Karrikins Group helps enterprise teams drive better results