Adelante · Hispanic Heritage Month 2026
Oracio Galindo
Head of Employee Experience, Los Angeles Rams
People and HR chapter
Oracio Galindo leads employee experience for the Los Angeles Rams, where he is modernizing HR systems, career pathways and leadership development. His argument is that leadership is a privilege, and that results follow the people you invest in, not the other way around.
01What you're building
What are you building right now, and what does it make possible that wasn't possible before?
Right now, we're building a more intentional and connected employee experience. That includes modernizing our HR systems, creating clearer career pathways, strengthening leadership development, and ensuring our benefits, compensation, and workplace practices evolve with the needs of our employees.
The goal is simple: make it easier for people to do their best work, grow their careers, and feel a genuine sense of belonging. What that makes possible is a workplace where employees don't just come to work, they can see a future for themselves.
02What it took
What did it take to get here that people don't see?
Most people see the outcomes. They don't always see the listening, the difficult conversations, the setbacks, or the constant balancing of competing priorities. The work of HR leaders often happens behind the scenes.
It means sitting with employees to understand what's working and what's not, challenging assumptions, and staying committed to doing what's right even when it's not the fastest or easiest path forward. Those moments rarely make headlines, but they're often where the most meaningful progress happens.
03Who carried you
Who carried you, and what did they teach you that you still use every week?
I've been fortunate to have incredible mentors, colleagues, and teammates throughout my career. They taught me that leadership isn't about having all the answers. It's about listening, building trust, and creating opportunities for others to succeed.
As a first-generation college graduate, my family also taught me resilience, humility, and gratitude. Those lessons show up in my work every week because people will often remember how you made them feel long after they've forgotten what you said.
04For the leader coming up
What is the one thing you'd tell the leader coming up behind you?
Never forget that leadership is a privilege. Spend more time understanding people than managing processes. The best decisions are usually made when you take the time to listen first.
If you genuinely invest in relationships, build trust, and help others grow, results will follow. But if you focus only on results, you'll eventually lose the people who make those results possible.
If you focus only on results, you'll eventually lose the people who make those results possible.
05Adelante
Adelante means forward. Where are you taking your function, your company, or your industry next?
Forward, for me, means creating workplaces where people can thrive as humans and perform at their highest level as professionals. I believe the future of our profession is less about policies and programs and more about creating meaningful experiences, fostering belonging, and helping people see purpose in their work.
If we can continue building organizations where people feel valued, supported, and empowered to grow, we'll not only strengthen our companies, we'll help elevate our entire industry. And that's a future worth moving toward.
The recognition · People and HR
Oracio Galindo is Head of Employee Experience for the Los Angeles Rams, and a first-generation college graduate who has built his career around the people side of the business. He is recognized in the People and HR chapter.
Meet all the Adelante leadersThe Floor
Every leader recognized in Adelante answers a short set of questions in their own words, and the answers they approve go into the 2027 book.
