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From dreaming about wearing scrubs to thriving in Human Resources, Ian's journey is a testament to her grit and passion for empowering others. Join her and learn about the ups and downs of her incredible story here.

Practice Head
Recruitment
Support

From dreaming about wearing scrubs to thriving in Human Resources, Ian's journey is a testament to her grit and passion for empowering others. Join her and learn about the ups and downs of her incredible story here.

On Women's Day, we honored the strength and brilliance of women everywhere. From breaking barriers to nurturing societies, their contributions are boundless.

This month, Frost will be sharing the stories of our women leads. These stories shed light on their expertise and influence on the company’s growth. We hope these stories inspire others to be the best they can be!
Leigh
Frost CEO; mother of six

Life threw a curveball at Ian Bautista just as she was on the brink of realizing her dream of becoming a neurosurgeon. Today, Ian is the Frost Talent Acquisition and Development Partner. But her journey started with a desire to become a doctor.


Ian had applied to several prestigious medical schools in different cities. But to be closer to her family, she decided to enroll in a nearby university and pursue Psychology. To her, this was a step closer to her dream of practicing medicine.


Little did Ian know, she was practicing and honing skills that would prove invaluable on an entirely different path, one she never imagined taking.


Graduation brought a reason to celebrate, but a cold truth also set in—she had to support her family. Like so many fresh grads, Ian had to choose between pursuing her dream and helping her loved ones.


Unfazed, she took a giant leap into a new career, one that provided more immediate financial security. After spending years preparing for a medical career, Ian started work in human resources.

“Many people don't know that I ended up in Psychology and became a Human Resources Professional out of necessity.”
Sometimes, it’s in their nature.

The shift may seem drastic, but it was still consistent with Ian’s inner drive. “I am not merely a leader, but a collaborator and advocate for others,” she says. “It's ingrained in me to uplift and empower those around me.”


From the beginning, Ian honed her leadership skills and commitment to helping others. Back in college, she was present in almost every university activity, not just as a member but often as a team leader.

"During my first year of college, I eagerly joined our university's publishing organization as a writer,"
she reminisces, her voice filling with enthusiasm over the memory.
She started out as a writer to balance her time with other organizations. But she committed fully to the publishing org, where she quickly rose up the ranks, eventually becoming the head of development communication.

It was in her nature to help people in any way she could, such as advocating for her fellow students during college, frequently writing about students' experiences on campus, and helping them voice their opinions and concerns.


Ian and her team also promoted school events, such as the university's environmental initiatives, and how students can contribute to them in simple ways. This led to roles such as head of retreat facilitators, which had greater responsibility, including people management.


"I helped facilitate students during retreats. I addressed their concerns, provided peer counseling, and compiled reports. It's similar to HR, but for students," she explains with a chuckle. These experiences foretold her later career in HR.


Upon entering the corporate world, Ian brought her commitment and hands-on approach to leadership. “When I was doing my practicum, I was already excelling in tasks related to human resources,” Ian says. “Such as building that strong persona during recruitment interviews.”


She made sure that her practices included creating an encouraging culture of continuous learning and ensuring that the environment within the organization she's managing values collaboration as they work towards their shared goal of enhancing their skills and achieving success.

However, there was a particular moment that tested Ian's leadership and expertise in Human Resources.


Ian shared how she was challenged at the age of 24. She was an HR Supervisor and reported directly to the higher-ups without a senior manager. At that time, she felt like she had to figure things out on her own with no one to guide her.


Rolling up her sleeves, she dove into a lot of research, including how to create a competency matrix and oversee the whole human resources reports of her team,

“I want to do what I can even if I needed to learn it on my own,” she says.
Ian
Talent Acquisition and Development Partner

Learning by trial and error, every day was a hustle, and Ian refused to back down. Pride, sweat, and maybe a few tears went into those six months.


Despite, at times, feeling the pressure of suddenly leading a corporate team, Ian stepped up. When everyone else bailed, she stood her ground and made tough calls, shaping her leadership skills to what she has today at Frost.

Everyone always has a choice, and sometimes, they just need to step up.

After working in Human Resources for eight years, she realized one thing: it's tough love. Ian is assertive and vocal, commanding respect from colleagues and applicants. "As a recruiter, you could have a bold personality,” she says. “But it's important to just be as nice as you can.”


While recognizing the significance of projecting a strong persona in roles like Human Resource Supervisor or Manager, she remains steadfast in her belief that kindness and guidance toward employees 
are equally vital.

"At Frost, every time I encounter a problem, I have the executive committee backing me up, guiding me through it, and helping me find solutions."

For the last couple of years, Ian has been thriving as Frost's Talent Acquisition and Development Partner. She oversees various aspects of human resources operations, such as strategic recruitment, policy creation, and the creation of competency matrices.


She also learned how to manage payroll operations. "So right now, I'm not just overseeing recruitment and training, but the payroll operation, as well,” she says. “From studying the basics of payroll operation, I can now validate it before crediting it to our partnered bank."


Together with the Talent Management Group (Frost’s HR Department), she created employee engagement activities aimed at nurturing a sense of belonging and enhancing morale among Frost’s talents. These also include enhancing our end-of-week activities or planning team-building activities to nurture collaboration.


Ian seamlessly collaborated with the executive committee, ensuring all decisions and initiatives aligned with the company's vision and goals. “At Frost, it’s easier to align with the executive team and even the legal attorney since I can directly discuss important matters with them,” she says.

Her close partnership with the executive team facilitated smoother communication and execution of HR strategies.

The team also creates equal opportunities for all Frost talents, and steadfastly advocates against any form of workplace discrimination. She implemented policies and practices that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the organization.


Furthermore, Ian spearheaded continuous development initiatives to improve employees' skills along with a supportive work environment. By managing Frost’s training programs and mentorship opportunities, she sought to empower Frost’s talents to reach their full potential and contribute effectively to the company's success.


And that’s the story of how Ian transformed herself after facing the cold, harsh realities of life. Whether it’s pursuing the dream of becoming a medical doctor or empowering others as an HR practitioner, Ian is all fired up! “I just do what I do best, and with the right guidance, I will continue to grow!” she concludes. 

Her close partnership with the executive team facilitated smoother communication and execution of HR strategies.

The team also creates equal opportunities for all Frost talents, and steadfastly advocates against any form of workplace discrimination. She implemented policies and practices that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the organization.


Furthermore, Ian spearheaded continuous development initiatives to improve employees' skills along with a supportive work environment. By managing Frost’s training programs and mentorship opportunities, she sought to empower Frost’s talents to reach their full potential and contribute effectively to the company's success.


And that’s the story of how Ian transformed herself after facing the cold, harsh realities of life. Whether it’s pursuing the dream of becoming a medical doctor or empowering others as an HR practitioner, Ian is all fired up! “I just do what I do best, and with the right guidance, I will continue to grow!” she concludes.