Samantha Bivenour

About Samantha Bivenour

I’m a People & Culture leader who operates at the intersection of talent, business strategy, and organizational design. Currently serving as VP of People & Culture at X Games, I lead the full people function during a period of transformation and growth following private equity acquisition. I operate as both strategist and builder, aligning people strategy to business priorities, while designing the systems, structures, and experiences that enable teams to perform at a high level. My background spans global organizations, including Apple, Twitch, Peloton, and lululemon, where I’ve led talent and people initiatives across the US, LATAM, EMEA, and APAC. While my foundation is in talent acquisition, my focus has evolved to building end-to-end people strategies that drive organizational effectiveness, performance, and long-term growth. I’m particularly energized by- Organizational design & workforce planning - Building performance-driven, high-accountability cultures - Developing leaders and strengthening teams - Scaling people systems in fast-moving environments I’m known for being a trusted advisor to leadership. Someone who can zoom out to think strategically, then roll up my sleeves and mess up my manicure to execute and deliver results. My goal is to continue growing into a CHRO role, where I can fully own and shape the people strategy of a business and drive impact at the executive level.

Experience

1. VP, People & Culture

   X Games

   Jan 2025 — Present

   I lead the end-to-end people strategy for X Games during a pivotal phase of growth and transformation following private equity acquisition. Operating as both strategic architect and hands-on leader, I partner closely with executive leadership to align talent, structure, and culture to evolving business priorities.Key areas of impact include-People Strategy & Business Alignment: Designed and executed a company-wide People strategy to support the launch and scaling of the X Games League, ensuring talent, structure, and capabilities align with business growth objectives-Workforce Planning & Talent: Lead workforce planning and full-cycle hiring across the organization, partnering with leaders to anticipate needs, prioritize critical roles, and build high-performing, diverse teams-Performance & Organizational Effectiveness: Own and evolve performance management (OKRs, reviews, development planning), driving accountability, clarity, and career growth across all levels-Culture & Engagement: Unified legacy and new teams through intentional culture-building initiatives, company-wide programming, and communication strategies that strengthen alignment and engagement-DEI & B Strategy: Advanced equitable hiring and people practices through structured processes, inclusive policies, and ongoing advocacy across the organization-HR Operations & Infrastructure: Built and managed core HR operations including compliance, payroll, and policy development, while laying the foundation for scalable systems and future growth-Executive Partnership: Serve as a trusted advisor to leadership, coaching on organizational design, team effectiveness, and complex employee matters while driving alignment across the business-Change Leadership: Guide the organization through rapid change with a focus on transparency, resilience, and maintaining a high-performance culture

Education

• Cornell University

  Project Management Certificate

• Olentangy

  High School

  2000 — 2004

• Ohio University

  Communications, Video Production, Film

  2004 — 2008

Skills

• Store Operations
• Cross-Functional Team Leadership
• Retail Sales
• Training & Development
• Retail
• Candidate Selection
• Interviewing Skills
• Talent Management
• Inventory Management
• Sales Management
• Yoga
• Candidate Assessment
• Fashion
• Teamwork
• Sales
• Management
• Team Leadership
• Training Delivery
• Communication
• Interviewing
• Sourcing
• Social Media
• Visual Merchandising
• Blogging
• Employee Training
• Budgets
• Community Outreach
• Community Development
• Behavioral Interviewing
• Full-Life Cycle Recruiting
• Interviews
• Leadership Development
• Time Management
• Entrepreneurship
• Recruiting