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When Hispanic Executive last spoke with Lisseth Zouhbi in November of 2023, the chief people & culture officer at Child Care Resource Center was just a year into her role, having made an incredible pivot from her hospitality background.
As part of one of the largest nonprofits in California, Lisseth has overseen an incredible period of expansion and evolution at CCRC. The organization’s staff expanded by 40 percent in under two years, from roughly 900 to more than 1,300 employees. CCRC’s budget and reach grew dramatically as well, with revenues doubling and services extending across 22,500 square miles, benefitting over 75,000 children, families, and providers.
That kind of expansion required a wide-scale reorganization of CCRC’s People & Culture operations, and new learning and development programs tailored for rapidly scaling teams were rolled out. Those programs helped CCRC achieve over 150 internal promotions recorded in a single year.
One of Zouhbi’s proudest achievements at CCRC is the Piece of the Puzzle program, an inclusive employee engagement and alignment initiative built around CCRC’s five-year strategic plan, a plan Zouhbi helped author. This project, co-led with senior, HR and operational leaders, used a collaborative puzzle activity to reinforce that every employee plays a critical part in the organization’s mission and success.
“It was incredibly important for me to help our employees understand just how important we consider their roles and contributions,” the CHRO explains. “The idea of the puzzle is centered around a united approach to what we do and how critical all parts of the puzzle are to make it complete. The same concept applies to the agency, every employee plays a crucial role in the agency’s success, like a piece of the puzzle.”
Her colleagues affirm that message of calm leadership and inspiration. “Since the time I’ve known Lisseth, what has stood out most is her ability to remain calm, logical, and gracious no matter the challenge,” says Johanna Alvarez, California Market Leader for Benefits at IMA Los Angeles. “She approaches every situation with clarity and steadiness, inspiring confidence in those around her. It has been a privilege to work alongside her.”
It’s a crucial moment for CCRC. Despite the increased investment in early childhood education, demand for affordable, quality childcare still outpaces supply in many areas. CCRC continues to provide quality support, development and education to over 100,000 children, families and providers on a monthly basis across their 22,500 square mile service area.
That means the communities that the employee base Zouhbi is supporting, no matter how large, are still battling massive inequality and disparity. And that’s why CCRC’s evolution is so well-timed.
That wider strategic plan, Zouhbi says, is moving into its Phase II moment to build upon the foundation the leadership team has helped create. And while this is enough to fill any leader’s calendar, it’s just part of why we felt the need to check in on Zouhbi so soon.
The CHRO has blossomed in new and unexpected ways. Zouhbi has made significant strides as an author and public voice for professional Latinas. Since 2023, Zouhbi has co-authored two books: Latinas Rising Up in HR: “The Executive Edition” and Extraordinary Latinas Vol IV: Fearless Narratives of Triumph, Unity, and Inspiration.
The former title showcases stories of Latina executives who have risen to leadership positions in the HR field. Zouhbi shares her advice for aspiring leaders. And in Extraordinary Latinas, Zouhbi reflects on the impostor syndrome that impacted her, overcoming it, and her advice for others on how to embrace their own identity.
“It was incredibly humbling to reflect on all of the amazing support that I’ve been able to find over the years as I’ve navigated being a mom, being an executive, being a Latina, and hopefully I can be someone now that’s giving back to their community,” the CHRO says. “It’s meant a lot to be able to share some of the big lessons I’ve learned in my career and hopefully help the next generation succeed in their own lives and careers.”
It won’t be Zouhbi’s last word. She looks forward to appearing in more co-authored publications in the future, and is also slowly building up to writing her own full-length book. She’s also begun making podcast and panel appearances to pass along her deep reservoir of knowledge and experience.
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Zouhbi’s transition into a more vocal voice for Latinas and leaders in HR has also included her recent appointment to the board of Girls on the Run LA, a nonprofit that serves girls in underserved communities. The CHRO was also named a “Top 50 Women Chief Human Resources of 2024 and 2025” by Women We Admire. Her HR team has also been recognized as 2024 Top 50 Human Resources Award by OnConferences.
“I’m at the point in my career where I’m trying to find ways to connect with more people and give something back to an industry I love,” Zouhbi says. “As a mother and as a woman, I feel like we often have to work twice as hard, and I just want other women to feel understood, supported and to always persevere.”
In all things, Zouhbi continues to display an incredible capacity for development and reinvention. When you transplant a standout hospitality HR leader into the nonprofit space, incredible things are possible. When that person is willing to share their knowledge with the rest of the world, we all prosper.
With over 50 years of experience, IMA is a trusted leader in commercial insurance, risk management, surety, and employee benefits consulting. Our Employee Benefits team takes a holistic approach, aligning strategies with each client’s culture, workforce, and goals to create meaningful results. IMA Partnerly™, our exclusive suite of year-long services, provides tailored support from specialists in compliance, HR technology, wellness, pharmacy, and more. By combining deep expertise with forward-thinking solutions, we help employers enhance the employee experience, manage costs, and stay ahead of emerging trends. At IMA, we go beyond benefits and build partnerships that move businesses forward.
