In today’s fast-changing work world, having strong and caring leaders is more important than ever. One such leader is Veronica Oubayan, a skilled human resources (HR) professional who has helped companies grow while keeping employees happy and motivated. Her journey in HR shows how passion, smart planning, and a people-first mindset can bring real change to workplaces.
Early Life and Education
Veronica’s career started with a strong educational background. She studied Criminal Justice and Psychology at Canisius College, giving her deep knowledge about how people think and behave. Later, she earned a Master’s degree in Labor Relations and Human Resources Management from Cleveland State University.
This mix of education helped her understand how to support employees while also helping companies grow. It gave her the right tools to become a successful HR leader.
Helping Build ExactCare Pharmacy
In 2014, Veronica joined ExactCare Pharmacy when it was still a small company with just around 50 employees. She was one of the first HR professionals there. Her job was to build the HR department almost from scratch.
She created company values, set up training programs, and started systems for hiring and keeping talented employees. She also made sure everyone followed employment laws and helped build a friendly, team-focused company culture.
One of her biggest successes at ExactCare was launching the “ExactCare Advantage” program. This helped employees understand what the company stood for and made them feel proud to work there. Because of her efforts, ExactCare grew to more than 950 employees.
In 2019, her great work was noticed, and she was chosen as a finalist in the Crain’s Cleveland Business Excellence in HR Awards. This showed how much she had contributed to the company’s success.
Bigger Role at CarepathRx
After ExactCare was bought by CarepathRx in 2020, Veronica moved into a bigger job. She became Senior Vice President of Human Resources, where she was in charge of over 2,700 employees across several healthcare businesses.
This was a big challenge. She had to bring together different teams, improve hiring processes, and update HR systems. But she did it successfully. In just one year, her team hired over 900 new people.
She also helped introduce new technology to make HR tasks smoother and faster. These changes made the company more efficient and helped employees feel more supported in their roles.
A Caring and Strong Leader
What makes Veronica special is how much she cares about people. She believes that when employees are treated well, the whole company benefits. She supports things like:
- Mental health programs
- Work-from-home options
- Employee recognition awards
- Fair and clear company rules
She listens to employee concerns and makes changes to create a better workplace. She believes in “people-first leadership”, which means she always puts people at the center of her decisions.
Sharing Her Knowledge
In 2023, Veronica was invited to join the Forbes Human Resources Council a group of top HR leaders. This was a big honor and showed that her ideas and strategies are respected across the country.
Now, she shares her knowledge with other professionals, giving advice on how to create strong and caring workplaces. She writes about topics like hiring smart, building company culture, and supporting employees’ growth.
Conclusion
Veronica Oubayan is a great example of how HR leaders can make a real difference. From helping a small pharmacy grow to leading HR for a large healthcare group she has always stayed focused on her people.
Her story shows that when employees feel valued supported and included companies can grow and succeed. Veronica proves that great HR isn’t just about rules and policies—it’s about caring for people and helping them do their best.
As the workplace continues to change, leaders like Veronica will be key to building strong, happy, and successful teams for the future.
