At Cognitiv, our people are at the heart of everything we do, and Ari Paskoff is a clear example of that in action.

As our Senior Human Resources Business Partner, Learning & Experience, Ari has made a remarkable impact in under a year. He has shaped how we grow leaders and connect teams, from launching our first Five Stripes Manager Training program to bringing fresh energy to our culture and company events. Ari’s drive to improve people’s lives goes back to his childhood, when he dreamed of becoming President to create change on a large scale.

Read more about this month’s Brain Behind Our Brand.

• Pronouns: He/Him 
• Role: Senior Human Resources Business Partner, Learning & Experience
• Team: People Team 
• How Long Have You Been at Cognitiv: Almost one year! 

What does a typical day in your role look like?

I think there is no such thing as a typical day. Part of my role is being an HR business partner to all of our go-to-market teams—sales, marketing, client success, insights, ops—making sure they are set up in whatever ways they need. I also build and run our learning and development ecosystem, and work on employee experience, including chairing our DEI committee, planning our biannual all-hands, social activities, and internal competitions. Any given day, I could be doing any of those things.

What do you love most about your role?

I love the variety, but also the fact that it allows me to interact with a lot of people across different teams at Cognitiv. It’s great to build those relationships and see the ins and outs of different roles. I can spend my day talking to ten different people from ten different teams, which is really cool.

What is a memorable moment when you felt like your work really made an impact at Cognitiv?

We just finished our first cohort of the Five Stripes manager training program, our first-ever manager training built from scratch. We kicked off our second cohort and had alumni from the first cohort speak about the impact it had on them. It was really rewarding to see what they took from the five-month program and to get the next cohort excited to dive in.

What advice would you give to someone joining #TeamCognitiv?

I’d say interact with as many people as possible early on. I interviewed a bunch of people to understand what they liked about the company and what could be better. It gave me a really cool snapshot of where we are and how we can continue to improve and become the place everyone wants to work.

Outside The Office

Is there a quote or piece of advice that has stuck with you throughout your career?

When I was living in Israel, I learned about the concept called "Rosh Gadol," which literally translates to “big head.” It’s not about ego, but about picking your head up and looking at the big picture. For example, if someone asks you to take out the trash, a Rosh Gadol mentality means seeing another trash bag that didn’t make it into the dumpster and taking care of that too. It’s about not just doing your job description, but seeing what else needs to be done and jumping in. I try to be that person and surround myself with people who have that mentality.

What would you do if you won the lottery?

I’d definitely buy a beach house and a lake house, probably go on a big vacation, and enjoy life. I still want to travel more—Africa is the last continent I haven’t been to, and I’d like to spend more time in Southeast Asia, Japan, and Thailand.

If you were not in your current role, what would your dream job be?

I used to say I wanted to be President of the United States because I liked the opportunity to effect change on a big level and make people’s lives better. So any role where I get to do that would be ideal.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I love hanging out in Hoboken with my wife and my kid, seeing the sights, and just spending time with family!

Rapid-Fire Questions

• Coffee or tea? Coffee 
• Morning person or night owl? Morning 
• Favorite vacation spot? Bali 
• Favorite book, movie, or TV show? New Girl 

Team Shoutouts

Ari has been with Cognitiv for just over a year and has made an incredible impact on our culture and growth. He has led our house competitions with creativity and fun, launched our 5 Stripe Manager Training program to equip leaders for success, and introduced company-wide trainings on topics like feedback and interviewing. Ari is a key member of the People Team, and I’m continually impressed by his drive, creativity, and the positive energy he brings to Cognitiv. — Jason Pellegrino, VP, People Team

“Ari is an integral part of the People team. His positive attitude, enthusiasm for training and development, and the ideas he brings to the table to help us excel are invaluable. He’s a team player through and through.” — Charlotte Tannenbaum, Human Resources Business Partner

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