Skip to main content
  • Foundation
  • Executive network
  • CEO Circle
  • Enterprise Solutions
  • Linkage Logo
  • Store
  • Sign In
  • Account
    • My Account
    • Logout
    • Global
    • India
    • MENA
SHRM
About
Book a Speaker
Join Today
Renew
Rejoin Now
Renew
  • Membership
  • Certification
    Certification

    Smiling asian student studying in library with laptop books doing online research for coursework, making notes for essay homework assignment, online education e-learning concept
    Get Certified!

    Be recognized as an HR leader with your SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP credential.

    • How to Get Certified

      Demonstrate your ability to apply HR principles to real-life situations. No other HR certification compares.

      • How to Get Certified
      • Eligibility Criteria
      • Exam Details and Fees
      • SHRM-CP
      • SHRM-SCP
      • Which Certification is Best for Me
      • Certification FAQs
    • Prepare for the Exam

      Give yourself the best chance to pass your SHRM certification exam.

      • Exam Preparation
      • SHRM BASK
      • SHRM Learning System
      • Instructor-Led Learning
      • Self-Study
      • Study Aids & Add-ons
    • Recertification

      Recertify your SHRM Credentials before your end date!

      • Specialty Credentials
      • Qualifications
  • Topics & Tools
    Topics & Tools

    Stay up to date with workplace news and leverage our vast library of resources to streamline day-to-day HR tasks.

    The white house in washington, dc.
    Executive Order Impact Zone

    Do not abandon, but evaluate and evolve. It is about legal, equal opportunity for all.

    • News & Trends

      Follow breaking news and emerging workplace trends.

      Legal & Compliance

      Stay informed on workplace legal updates and their impacts.

      From the Workplace

      Explore diverse perspectives from your peers on today's workplaces.

      Flagships

      Get curated collections of podcasts, videos, articles, and more produced by SHRM.

    • HR Topics
      • AI in the Workplace
      • Civility at Work
      • Compensation & Benefits
      • Inclusion & Diversity
      • Talent Acquisition
      • Workplace Technology
      • Workplace Violence Prevention
      SEE ALL
      SHRM Research
    • Tools & Samples

      Access member resources and tools to streamline HR tasks.

      • Forms & Checklists
      • How-To Guides
      • Interactive Tools
      • Job Descriptions
      • Policies
      • Toolkits
      SEE ALL
      Ask an Advisor
  • Events & Education
    Events & Education

    SHRM25 in San Diego, June 29 - July 2, 2025
    Join us for SHRM25 in San Diego

    Register for the World’s Largest HR Conference being held on June 29 - July 2, 2025

    • Events
      • SHRM25
      • The AI+HI Project 2025
      • INCLUSION 2025
      • Talent 2026
      • Linkage Institute 2025
      SEE ALL
      Webinars
    • Educational Programs

      Designed and delivered by HR experts to empower you with the knowledge and tools you need to drive lasting change in the workplace.

      Specialty Credentials

      Demonstrate targeted competence and enhance credibility among peers and employers.

      Qualifications

      Gain a deeper understanding and develop critical skills.

    • Team Training & Development

      Customized training programs unique to your organization’s needs.

  • Business Solutions
  • Advocacy
    Advocacy

    Make your voice heard on public policy issues impacting the workplace.

    Advocacy
    SHRM's President & CEO testifies to Congress on "The State of American Education"
    • Policy Areas
      • Workforce Development
      • Workplace Inclusion
      • Workplace Flexibility & Leave
      • Workplace Governance
      • Workplace Health Care
      • Workplace Immigration
      State Affairs

      SHRM advances policy solutions in state legislatures nationwide.

      Global Policy

      SHRM is the go-to for global HR leaders and businesses on workplace matters.

    • Advocacy Team (A-Team)

      SHRM’s A-Team is a key member benefit, giving you the tools, insights, and opportunities to shape workplace policy and drive real impact.

      Take Action

      Urge lawmakers to support policies that create lasting, positive change.

      Advocacy & Legislative Resources

      Access SHRM’s curated policy materials and content.

    • SHRM-Led Coalitions
      • Generation Cares
      • The Section 127 Coalition
      • Learn More & Partner with SHRM Government Affairs
  • Community
    Community

    Woman raising hand in group
    Find a SHRM Chapter

    Easily find a local professional or student chapter in your area.

    • Chapters

      Find local connections from over 607 chapters and state councils and create your personalized HR network.

      SHRM Connect

      Post polls, get crowdsourced answers to your questions and network with other HR professionals online.

      SHRM Northern California

      Join SHRM members in the greater San Francisco Bay area for local events and networking.

    • Membership Councils

      Learn about SHRM's five regional councils and the Membership Advisory Council (MAC).

      • Membership Advisory Council
      • Regional Councils
    • Volunteers

      Learn about volunteer opportunities with SHRM.

      • Volunteer Leader Resource Center
Close
  • Membership
  • Certification
    back
    Certification
    Smiling asian student studying in library with laptop books doing online research for coursework, making notes for essay homework assignment, online education e-learning concept
    Get Certified!

    Be recognized as an HR leader with your SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP credential.

    • How to Get Certified

      Demonstrate your ability to apply HR principles to real-life situations. No other HR certification compares.

      • How to Get Certified
      • Eligibility Criteria
      • Exam Details and Fees
      • SHRM-CP
      • SHRM-SCP
      • Which Certification is Best for Me
      • Certification FAQs
    • Prepare for the Exam

      Give yourself the best chance to pass your SHRM certification exam.

      • Exam Preparation
      • SHRM BASK
      • SHRM Learning System
      • Instructor-Led Learning
      • Self-Study
      • Study Aids & Add-ons
    • Recertification

      Recertify your SHRM Credentials before your end date!

      • Specialty Credentials
      • Qualifications
  • Topics & Tools
    back
    Topics & Tools

    Stay up to date with workplace news and leverage our vast library of resources to streamline day-to-day HR tasks.

    The white house in washington, dc.
    Executive Order Impact Zone

    Do not abandon, but evaluate and evolve. It is about legal, equal opportunity for all.

    • News & Trends

      Follow breaking news and emerging workplace trends.

      Legal & Compliance

      Stay informed on workplace legal updates and their impacts.

      From the Workplace

      Explore diverse perspectives from your peers on today's workplaces.

      Flagships

      Get curated collections of podcasts, videos, articles, and more produced by SHRM.

    • HR Topics
      • AI in the Workplace
      • Civility at Work
      • Compensation & Benefits
      • Inclusion & Diversity
      • Talent Acquisition
      • Workplace Technology
      • Workplace Violence Prevention
      SEE ALL
      SHRM Research
    • Tools & Samples

      Access member resources and tools to streamline HR tasks.

      • Forms & Checklists
      • How-To Guides
      • Interactive Tools
      • Job Descriptions
      • Policies
      • Toolkits
      SEE ALL
      Ask an Advisor
  • Events & Education
    back
    Events & Education
    SHRM25 in San Diego, June 29 - July 2, 2025
    Join us for SHRM25 in San Diego

    Register for the World’s Largest HR Conference being held on June 29 - July 2, 2025

    • Events
      • SHRM25
      • The AI+HI Project 2025
      • INCLUSION 2025
      • Talent 2026
      • Linkage Institute 2025
      SEE ALL
      Webinars
    • Educational Programs

      Designed and delivered by HR experts to empower you with the knowledge and tools you need to drive lasting change in the workplace.

      Specialty Credentials

      Demonstrate targeted competence and enhance credibility among peers and employers.

      Qualifications

      Gain a deeper understanding and develop critical skills.

    • Team Training & Development

      Customized training programs unique to your organization’s needs.

  • Business Solutions
  • Advocacy
    back
    Advocacy

    Make your voice heard on public policy issues impacting the workplace.

    Advocacy
    SHRM's President & CEO testifies to Congress on "The State of American Education"
    • Policy Areas
      • Workforce Development
      • Workplace Inclusion
      • Workplace Flexibility & Leave
      • Workplace Governance
      • Workplace Health Care
      • Workplace Immigration
      State Affairs

      SHRM advances policy solutions in state legislatures nationwide.

      Global Policy

      SHRM is the go-to for global HR leaders and businesses on workplace matters.

    • Advocacy Team (A-Team)

      SHRM’s A-Team is a key member benefit, giving you the tools, insights, and opportunities to shape workplace policy and drive real impact.

      Take Action

      Urge lawmakers to support policies that create lasting, positive change.

      Advocacy & Legislative Resources

      Access SHRM’s curated policy materials and content.

    • SHRM-Led Coalitions
      • Generation Cares
      • The Section 127 Coalition
      • Learn More & Partner with SHRM Government Affairs
  • Community
    back
    Community
    Woman raising hand in group
    Find a SHRM Chapter

    Easily find a local professional or student chapter in your area.

    • Chapters

      Find local connections from over 607 chapters and state councils and create your personalized HR network.

      SHRM Connect

      Post polls, get crowdsourced answers to your questions and network with other HR professionals online.

      SHRM Northern California

      Join SHRM members in the greater San Francisco Bay area for local events and networking.

    • Membership Councils

      Learn about SHRM's five regional councils and the Membership Advisory Council (MAC).

      • Membership Advisory Council
      • Regional Councils
    • Volunteers

      Learn about volunteer opportunities with SHRM.

      • Volunteer Leader Resource Center
Join Today
Renew
Rejoin Now
Renew
  • Store
    • Global
    • India
    • MENA
  • About
  • Book a Speaker
  • Foundation
  • Executive network
  • CEO Circle
  • Enterprise Solutions
  • Linkage Logo
SHRM
Sign In
  • Account
    • My Account
    • Logout
Close

  1. Topics & Tools
  2. Workplace News & Trends
  3. HR Magazine
  4. HR Profile: Lynne Zappone of Popeyes
Share
  • Linked In
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vivamus convallis sem tellus, vitae egestas felis vestibule ut.


Error message details.

Copy button
Reuse Permissions

Request permission to republish or redistribute SHRM content and materials.


Learn More
Feature

HR Profile: Lynne Zappone of Popeyes

Lynne Zappone, chief talent and HR officer at Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, led her team in cooking up a strategic HR function from scratch.

January 1, 2014



November CoverLynne Zappone is chief talent and HR officer at Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, a company founded by Alvin C. Copeland Sr. in 1972 and named after Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle, the New York City detective from the 1971 movie "The French Connection."

The company is known for its spicy New Orleans-style chicken and buttermilk biscuits. As of October 2013, it had restaurants operating in 2,187 locations in the U.S., Guam, Puerto Rico, the Cayman Islands and 27 foreign countries. America’s Favorite Chicken Co., or AFC Enterprises, purchased Popeyes and Churches Chicken in 1972.

Zappone oversees a staff of 10 and spends about 10 percent of her time visiting the company’s restaurants. Before she entered the HR profession, she taught grade school, and education is a thread woven throughout her career. She has played diverse roles in organizational development, training, talent development and global learning. HR Magazine sat down with her at the corporate office located outside of Atlanta to talk about HR’s role in training, her definition of success and her appearance on the television show "Undercover Boss."

Early in your career, you taught sixth grade in an urban part of Jacksonville, Fla. Any lessons you learned that inform you as an HR leader?

My ability to have a conversation with anyone is something I learned from a bunch of 12-year-old kids in 1986. I realized then that I enjoyed helping people figure out problems, connecting with them professionally and being approachable to everyone. I was only 22, and parents were asking me for advice! So my capacity to connect probably started then, along with being able to find creative ways to get information across to people and keep the message simple.

Tell us about your transition to HR.

Lynne Zappone

Education: 2004, Master of Arts, organizational management, University of Phoenix, Atlanta.
1984, Bachelor of Arts, education, Flagler College, St. Augustine, Fla.
Current job: 2011-present, chief talent and HR officer, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Greater Atlanta area.
Career: 2009-11, senior vice president, AMER HR and global learning; 2008-09, senior vice president, global learning;
2003-08, vice president, talent development and learning—AMER; 1998-2003, director of training, AMER, InterContinental Hotels Group, Atlanta.
1990-95, vice president, organization development, Fidelity Federal Bank & Trust, Glendale, Calif.
Personal: Lives in Atlanta with her family.
Diversions: Farmers’ markets; movies, especially indie films. Her favorite pastime is to sit in a Starbucks on a Sunday morning and read The New York Times.
Connections: lynne.zappone@popeyes.com, LynneZappone@LynneListens, (404) 459-4451, LinkedIn.

One summer I attended an in-service teacher training that was very experiential, and I was intrigued by the learning development process and the woman leading it. I said to myself, "I don’t know what she does, but I want to do that."

My first job in training and development had a lot to do with my teaching experience and showing the recruiter that my skills could translate to the business world. I did the same thing when I left InterContinental Hotels Group; there are core skills to being approachable, connecting with people and communicating in a way that’s engaging.

What role do you think HR has in training and development: onboarding, developing career paths for employees, instituting various kinds of mentoring?

My definition of training is finding the people with the right competencies and character and figuring out how to develop them. What will it take to prepare them for their next role? I have to constantly think about the future needs of the business and how to get individuals ready to meet those needs.

One of the things that intrigued me about coming to Popeyes was the prospect of creating an HR function from scratch. I could see that the people on my HR team had potential and a desire to do new things. Last year, we set up HR Business Partners, which assigned six HR professionals to six business leaders at corporate headquarters. They became a one-stop shop of HR support, and it gave them great visibility.

In October, we completed one-on-one career discussions with the HR staff, and that really shaped what they wanted to do as HR professionals.

Has your perception of HR changed since you entered the profession?

I came up under the HR umbrella but never felt myself to be on the traditional HR side; I didn’t take the generalist path. I’ve always worked in business operations, running training and performing strategic HR work.

You recently said that you wanted to be out in the restaurants, spending more time connecting with the Popeyes field team. Was that influenced by appearing on "Undercover Boss" in March 2012?

It wasn’t prompted by it, but it was reinforced. I don’t view myself as an HR person; I see myself as a businessperson, and the best way to be connected to the business is through our people. They can really help me understand the challenges they’re facing and how to respond to them.

You come from a large Italian family. What influence has that had on your career?

I’m the youngest of five from a working-class family in Rhode Island. My father worked for the U.S. Postal Service, and my mother was a homemaker. I grew up around a lot of people—I have 50 first cousins—and everyone was welcome in our house. Everybody in my family contributes, everybody is valued, and everybody helps everyone else. The idea of collaborating and being welcoming is sort of in my bones.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career?

It’s OK to make mistakes because you can learn from them. When I make a mistake, I tend to own it and reflect on what I could have done differently.

One of my first bosses told me that there are different types of people in companies—some choose a path that is all about them, and others don’t. You have to choose which way you’re going to go.

What’s your definition of success?

There’s two parts: One has to do with the group I’m a part of and the other with myself—being able to contribute in a way that helps the team to win. I really, really enjoy collaborating to achieve something.

How do you know when you’re successful?

I think I’ve gotten good at identifying people who have real talent. I get a lot of joy from seeing that I’ve helped someone get to that next step.

Any career advice for HR professionals?

The only way the company will see you differently is if you act differently. Look for ways to make the "people plan" drive the business plan. If you’re doing HR work on how the development team can open new restaurants, you’re doing business work.

You have a 17-year-old daughter. What lessons do you hope she learns from you?

She’s a very inclusive person, and we talk a lot about the importance of engaging everybody and being approachable, open and willing to step up when there isn’t a leader.

How have you balanced a career with being a single parent? 

I took the first two years off after my daughter was born, and early in my career I was fortunate to have flexibility and a later starting time so that I could drop her off at day care.

My advice for others: Do the best you can and give yourself a break—some days you’re going to be a good employee and an adequate parent, while others you’ll be a good parent and an adequate employee.

There’s a lot of pressure to do it all and be everything. You just have to be measured in what "all" is to you and try to make the right choices for you and your family. This is my daughter’s last year to play high school volleyball, and my staff knows I’ll be leaving early on game days.

Kathy Gurchiek is associate editor for HR News.


Artificial Intelligence in the Workplace

​An organization run by AI is not a futuristic concept. Such technology is already a part of many workplaces and will continue to shape the labor market and HR. Here's how employers and employees can successfully manage generative AI and other AI-powered systems.



Related Content

Kelly Dobbs Bunting speaks onstage at SHRM24
(opens in a new tab)
News
Why AI+HI Is Essential to Compliance

HR must always include human intelligence and oversight of AI in decision-making in hiring and firing, a legal expert said at SHRM24. She added that HR can ensure compliance by meeting the strictest AI standards, which will be in Colorado’s upcoming AI law.

(opens in a new tab)
News
A 4-Day Workweek? AI-Fueled Efficiencies Could Make It Happen

The proliferation of artificial intelligence in the workplace, and the ensuing expected increase in productivity and efficiency, could help usher in the four-day workweek, some experts predict.

(opens in a new tab)
News
How One Company Uses Digital Tools to Boost Employee Well-Being

Learn how Marsh McLennan successfully boosts staff well-being with digital tools, improving productivity and work satisfaction for more than 20,000 employees.

HR Daily Newsletter

Stay up to date with the latest HR news, trends, and expert advice each business day.

Success title

Success caption

Manage Subscriptions
  • About SHRM
  • Careers at SHRM
  • Press Room
  • Contact SHRM
  • Book a SHRM Executive Speaker
  • Advertise with Us
  • Partner with Us
  • Copyright & Permissions
  • Post a Job
  • Find an HR Job
Follow Us
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • SHRM Newsletters
  • Ask An Advisor

© 2025 SHRM. All Rights Reserved

SHRM provides content as a service to its readers and members. It does not offer legal advice, and cannot guarantee the accuracy or suitability of its content for a particular purpose. Disclaimer


  1. Privacy Policy

  2. Terms of Use

  3. Accessibility

Join SHRM for Exclusive Access to Member Content

SHRM Members enjoy unlimited access to articles and exclusive member resources.

Already a member?
Free Article
Limit Reached

Get unlimited access to articles and member-exclusive resources.

You've reached the limit of 1 free article this month. Join to access unlimited articles and member-only resources.

Already a member?
Free Article
Exclusive Executive-Level Content

This content is for the SHRM Executive Network and Executive Content Subscription members only.

You've reached the limit of 1 free article this month. Join the Executive Network and enjoy unlimited content.

Already a member?
Free Article
Exclusive Executive-Level Content

This content is for the SHRM Executive Network and Executive Content Subscription members only.

You've reached the limit of 1 free article this month. Join and enjoy unlimited access to SHRM Executive Network Content.

Already a member?
Unlock Your Career with SHRM Membership

Please enjoy this free resource! Join SHRM for unlimited access to exclusive articles and tools.

Already a member?

Your membership is almost expired! Renew today for unlimited access to member content.

Renew now

Your membership has expired. Renew today for unlimited access to member content.

Renew Now

Your Executive Network membership is nearing its expiration. Renew now to maintain access.

Renew Now

Your membership has expired. Renew your Executive Network benefits today.

Renew Now