Debra Fiori
Chief People Officer | Prog Holdings Inc.
Debra Fiori has redefined strategic human resources leadership in an era of rapid technological transformation. Her visionary approach has modernized the company’s talent infrastructure and positioned Progressive Leasing to thrive.
Debra’s impact is perhaps most evident in her role in the company’s comprehensive digital transformation in 2023. Recognizing that legacy human resources systems were constraining both employee potential and organizational agility, she championed the implementation of the Workday Human Capital Management platform, internally branded as People Hub. This created a centralized ecosystem that streamlined processes, enhanced scalability and fundamentally transformed how employees engage with the organization.
Her innovative thinking extends to pioneering AI solutions in human resources. Debra spearheaded the development of PIPER, an AI-powered human resources bot that provides employees with 24/7 support. The results have been transformative — reducing questions to human partners by 54 percent while ensuring employees receive timely, accurate assistance regardless of time or location.
As a key member of the executive committee, Debra has been instrumental in broadening Progressive Leasing’s global workforce presence while designing organizational structures that elevate performance. Her strategic talent initiatives have created a high-performance culture aligned with the company’s mission and long-term objectives.
Debra also serves as executive director of the PROG Foundation, focusing on creating equitable opportunities for underserved communities. Her leadership of the PROG Development Center provides high school graduates with critical resources for higher education and workforce readiness, demonstrating her commitment to socioeconomic advancement.
Through her unique combination of technological vision, organizational expertise and genuine compassion, Debra exemplifies how modern human resources leadership can drive business transformation while remaining deeply connected to human needs. Her work at Progressive Leasing demonstrates that when people strategy is elevated to the executive level, both organizations and individuals flourish.
