Paying it forward
As an HR leader, Battaglia notes, you become adept at counseling people on their careers. She strongly advocates the mantra network, network, network. So, when she began exploring board opportunities, she followed her own advice. Tapping into her network of former colleagues, she gained insights on how to strengthen her candidacy as a board member and built connections with those who could help her along the way.
She’s not just a CHRO on the board — she’s a key adviser to our leadership team. She also asks the right questions about leadership development and business strategy.”
Diana McKenzie
Director and Compensation Committee Chair,
agilon
“You learn that people are very willing to help, because they were in a similar situation once,” Battaglia said. “But you must be courageous and make the initial ask. You can't put any self-limiting barriers like, ‘well, they're probably busy.’”
When Battaglia began fielding interest from boards seeking directors, she quickly realized that self-advocacy was as crucial as the board getting to know her. What are the board’s working norms? Can all board members attend all committee meetings? Will I merely be the HR expert on the board, or will I be able to have a position of influence on multiple topics?
“When you're interviewing with board members, it really is a two-way street,” Battaglia said. “It wasn’t just me hoping to be selected for their board, it was also me questioning how that board operates, and how they guide and govern. Are you expected to ‘stay in your lane,’ or can I have a wider influence?”
Her experience at agilon reflects the work she did to find a place where she could have more wide-ranging influence. “We’re all invited to attend every committee meeting — Finance, Governance, Audit — which is extremely valuable.”[
Sector cross-pollination
Battaglia’s CHRO background in the pharmaceutical sector offers a unique opportunity to cross-pollinate ideas between industries. Her experience on the board of agilon health has given her a broader perspective about capital allocation, healthcare trends and risk that she has been able to apply to her CHRO job at Cencora.
“She’s learned a lot about healthcare through her board work, which has given her a broader perspective in general,” says Cencora CEO Bob Mauch.
In addition to industry expertise, Battaglia’s experience also demonstrates the myriad ways that HR executives can bring value to boards. Diana McKenzie described Battaglia as a strategic contributor whose expertise goes well beyond traditional HR or compensation issues.
“She’s not just a CHRO on the board — she’s a key adviser to our leadership team,” McKenzie said. “She also asks the right questions about leadership development and business strategy.”
Beyond HR: An enterprise view
Battaglia pointed out that CHROs bring a unique enterprise-wide view, which is particularly valuable to boards.
“We are part of the strategic planning process and enable business outcomes through change management, organizational design, and implementation of effective operating models,” Battaglia said. “It goes beyond traditional HR and offers a perspective that boards truly value.”
When you’re interviewing with board members, it really is a two-way street. It wasn’t just me hoping to be selected for their board, it was also me questioning how that board operates, and how they guide and govern.”
Silvana Battaglia
CHRO,
Cencora
That view is backed up by Ron Williams, agilon’s executive chair, who ensures she serves a much bigger board role than mere HR expert.
“He doesn't see me as someone who can only speak to talent and culture,” she said. “He seeks my perspective on industry trends, market dynamics — and the entire board shares that approach.”
Integration leadership
Battaglia’s career also illustrates how CHROs can lead beyond traditional boundaries. During Cencora’s acquisition of Alliance Healthcare from Walgreens, the then-CEO asked Battaglia to lead the integration.
“He said to me, ‘You’re not a typical HR leader,’” she recalled. “‘You need to lead this integration — deliver both the financial synergies and cultural synergies.’ And I thought, absolutely, I can do that.”
For Battaglia, the moment underscored a broader lesson for HR: “We need to stop limiting ourselves with thoughts like, ‘That’s not my place.’ Unless someone tells you to stop — and if they do, maybe that’s not where you’re meant to be.”
A shareholder advocate
Battaglia’s impact on the board came in unexpected ways. McKenzie says that Battaglia began her board role by making an immediate impact with her focus on business results and how the business could grow.
“I was delighted that Silvana really dialed in immediately on shareholder response,” McKenzie said. “She didn’t immediately jump in on the HR program. Instead, she dug into the business, drawing parallels from her own experiences to help with ours. She contributed well beyond the boundaries of the CHRO role.”
The experience is a testament not just to Battaglia’s personal acumen, but more broadly to how CHROs can transcend traditional functional boundaries to become strategic C-suite and boardroom leaders.