Rebecca Port, PhD

Chief Human Resource Officer, Sequoia

Rebecca Port is a globally experienced people strategist with a PhD in Occupational Psychology and a deep fascination with what makes teams thrive under pressure. From her academic roots in the UK to executive roles at Netflix, Standard Chartered, and most recently as CHRO at 10x Genomics, Rebecca has built a career around aligning culture, performance, and leadership in high-stakes environments. Now at Sequoia Consulting Group, she leads with both head and heart – using behavioral science and firsthand experience to build more adaptive, human-centered organizations.

Whether navigating DEI tensions, guiding teams through ethical dilemmas, or designing systems that reduce the politics of status and power, Rebecca is deeply attuned to the invisible forces that shape culture. Her work has been featured in Fast Company and recognized by the National Diversity Council for top-tier people leadership. At Responsive 2025, she brings the nuance of both theory and practice to a timely conversation about what happens when politics and people collide at work and how leaders can respond with clarity, curiosity, and courage.

Politics at Work — An Interview in the Round

How should people leaders navigate the intersection of politics and work—without losing trust, momentum, or culture? In this roundtable-style session, a group of Chief People Officers will take turns interviewing one another, each sharing a real-world example from their career where external politics or social issues impacted the workplace.

From navigating team dynamics during polarizing events to shaping values-driven policies in moments of uncertainty, each 15-minute conversation will offer practical insight into how thoughtful leaders respond when pressure rises. This session is about nuance, reflection, and what it means to lead with care in a complex world.