Meet our People & Culture Team 

Get to know our People & Culture team and if you are interested in joining our fine group of people leaders check out our open roles and apply today!

Sarah Sagert
CPO

What do you love about what you do?

I love leading teams and enabling people to do their best work. At Groundswell, we have so many opportunities to elevate our employee experience and to continue to create a culture where people love what they do and where they work. 

How did you come to choose this career path? 

I fell into this career path about 14 years ago. I started out on the Learning and Development side of HR, designing and facilitating training, and felt I was making a big impact. I developed a deep level of trust with key stakeholders and often found that I was advising them on other challenges they were facing in their day-to-day work. Fast forward to today, and I have been able to create progressive people strategies across many different roles and industries (tech, travel, professional services). I am confident that I have found my passion. People are my jam!

What is one thing you have learned while being in the People space?

Keep the employee experience human. Companies can get so caught up in creating complex systems and people practices. When we focus on our people and what they need to be successful, we can design experiences where employees can truly thrive. 

What are you passionate about outside of work?

Lots of things! I have just gotten back into horseback riding and am learning how to jump! I love spending time with my family and our two dogs, walking the seawall, or visiting the wineries in the Okanagan. 

Liezl de Ridder
People & Culture Manager

What do you love about what you do? 

I love the people I work with at Groundswell and the opportunities to create an impact for them, and it’s wonderful to see others succeed! Whether I’m sending someone a nice surprise cake or drafting a policy that will help our people thrive, I feel that I am doing meaningful work.

What is one thing you have learned while being in the People space?

By being humble and meeting people where they are, we can learn something from every human who crosses our path. Keep your sense of humor and especially the ability to laugh at yourself! Also, always align your values with the work that you do.

What are you passionate about outside of work?

Travel, trees, family, food, novels, and any four-legged furry friends. Don’t forget a nice glass of Brunello di Montalcino!

Anpurna Lavingia
People & Culture Specialist

What do you love about what you do? 

I love helping create an enjoyable and supportive work environment. I think if you like going to work and being around your colleagues, you’re more likely to enjoy the actual work!

How did you come to choose this career path? 

I worked in retail for about five years, and one of the biggest things I learned is how important a good work environment is to build a successful team and business. I really wanted to contribute to that!

What is one thing you have learned while being in the People space?

I’ve learned to expect the unexpected from being in the People Space during the pandemic. Situations are always changing, and surprising things always pop up, so learning how to adapt and accommodate has been a great skill to gain. 

What are you passionate about outside of work?

I love some good (and bad) TV and staying active outside of work! 

Sally Noble
Culture & Communication Specialist

What do you love most about what you do?

I genuinely enjoy the creative side of my work at Groundswell. Every day is different, from finding new ways to engage as many employees as possible in events or using Figma to create visuals for our social media. I love it! Also, it has to be said: I legitimately love the people I get to meet and work with daily. 

How did you come to choose this career path? 

I never knew that the P&C space would be somewhere I could work.  I was very fortunate to fall into a role inside the People Team at Groundswell and realize how fantastic it is afterward.  Previously, my work was in events, a job that I enjoyed. However, I find working with HR more rewarding. 

What is one thing you have learned while being in the People space? 

I meet and work with so many amazing people. I quickly learned how important it is to never judge a book by its cover and always be ready for surprises! 

What are you passionate about outside of work? 

I spend most of my time outside when I am not at work! I live in Whistler, so I am skiing at the resort, exploring the backcountry, or hiking the trails any chance I get. I also love to read and talk about books.