828: Belonging That Works: Beyond the DEI Checkbox with CEO Jean Ibañez Payne

Content note: This episode includes discussion of sexual assault and mental health.

Founder/CEO Jean Ibañez Payne of TI Verbatim Consulting shares how to build humane, people-first cultures—without outsourcing leadership to HR—and her courageous journey as a military sexual trauma survivor choosing healing, daily.

Highlights

• "Going to work shouldn't suck": why culture starts at the top, not in HR

• What HR can do—and why it can't fix leadership problems alone

• How TIVC blends qualitative interviews + natural-language AI to turn employee feelings into decisions leaders can act on

• Equality vs. equity you won't forget (think: the job is on the 2nd floor—equity is the elevator)

• Layoffs with humanity: transparency, notice, benefits, and reputation

• Jean's story as a military sexual trauma survivor: shame, rock bottom, and choosing life

• Daily practices to reclaim your worth: therapy, medication without stigma, movement, community, and permission to step back

Quotes

"Culture starts at the top. You can't outsource leadership to HR." "Equality is being qualified for the job on the second floor. Equity is the elevator." "Being perfect is too boring." "I stopped outsourcing my worth—and I chose to live."

About our guest

Jean Ibañez Payne is the founder & CEO of TI Verbatim Consulting (TIVC), a culture and people-operations firm using AI + human expertise to align leadership strategy with what employees actually feel and experience. She's a Certified Diversity Executive and the author of Reclaim Your Worth (also in Spanish and a children's edition).

Links & Mentions

• Jean's site: https://reclaimyourworthnow.com

• Book (English): Reclaim Your Worth

• Libro (Español): Recupera tu valor

• TI Verbatim Consulting (TIVC): https://www.tiverbatim.com

Connect

• Jean: LinkedIn

• Elayne: LinkedIn

• Listen & share: Send this episode to a leader ready to build a humane workplace.

Resources & Support

If you're in immediate danger: Call 911 (U.S.) or your local emergency number.

Sexual assault support (U.S.)

• RAINN – National Sexual Assault Hotline (24/7): 800-656-HOPE (4673) · Chat: https://hotline.rainn.org/online

• DoD Safe Helpline (24/7, military survivors): 877-995-5247 · https://www.safehelpline.org

• NSVRC – National Sexual Violence Resource Center: https://www.nsvrc.org (education + local program finder)

Mental health & crisis (U.S.)

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (24/7): Call or text 988 · Chat: https://988lifeline.org (Veterans: press 1)

• Crisis Text Line (24/7): Text HOME to 741741 · https://www.crisistextline.org

• SAMHSA National Helpline (24/7): 800-662-HELP (4357) · https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline

• FindTreatment.gov: https://findtreatment.gov

• NAMI HelpLine (M–F): 800-950-NAMI (6264) · Text HelpLine to 62640 · https://www.nami.org/help

• National Domestic Violence Hotline (24/7): 800-799-SAFE (7233) · Text START to 88788 · https://www.thehotline.org

Outside the U.S.

• International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP): Global crisis center directory: https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/

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