Janet Diodato recognized for HR leadership at Central Arizona Shelter Services

Janet Diodato, human resources director at Central Arizona Shelter Services in Phoenix, is being recognized for more than 14 years of experience across healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing and nonprofit work. Her leadership centers on workforce development, employee experience and community-based support, including a growing professional network she co-founded in 2025.

Why it matters: - Janet Diodato’s work at Central Arizona Shelter Services affects how Arizona’s largest emergency shelter for single adults supports staff and serves thousands of people each year. - Her focus on retention, onboarding and employee engagement has broader relevance for nonprofits and growing organizations facing staffing pressure. - Diodato also ties HR practice to workforce reentry, community support and leadership development, which expands the role of HR beyond administration.

What happened: - Janet Diodato serves as Human Resources Director at Central Arizona Shelter Services, or CASS, in Phoenix. - Influential Women recognized Diodato for her HR leadership and cross-industry experience. - Diodato has more than 14 years of experience across healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing and mission-driven nonprofit work. - She co-founded Workday Wind-Down with Joe Marquez in October 2025. - Workday Wind-Down has grown from a single local gathering into a professional community in seven cities across three counties in Arizona and Tennessee. - The network now includes more than 200 professionals, and a new group is forming in Alabama.

The details: - At CASS, Diodato leads people-centered HR strategy for an organization that supports vulnerable populations. - Her work emphasizes employee experience, leadership effectiveness and staff readiness to serve clients with dignity and care. - Diodato has managed payroll, recruiting, structured HR systems and compliance frameworks in previous roles. - Her background includes work in hospitality operations, home health care and manufacturing. - She is known for helping organizations scale HR systems during rapid growth and change. - Diodato has built retention-focused initiatives, improved onboarding and strengthened employee engagement strategies. - Her education includes a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Western Governors University. - She also holds associate degrees in general business and computer information systems from Glendale Community College. - Diodato earned an associate’s degree in nursing from Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico, Recinto Metro. - She has completed specialized training in leadership development, organizational strategy and human resources practices. - She volunteers with Fresh Start for Women, where she coaches, mentors and supports people preparing to reenter the workforce. - Diodato says employment becomes transformational when it is paired with guidance, opportunity and support. - Through Workday Wind-Down, she has helped create career opportunities, partnerships between nonprofit and for-profit organizations and hundreds of professional connections.

Between the lines: - Diodato’s approach reflects a broader view of HR as a tool for stability, not just staffing. - Her emphasis on alignment suggests she sees workforce strategy and organizational goals as interdependent. - The growth of Workday Wind-Down shows demand for low-pressure professional networking that blends relationship-building with career support. - Her mentorship story points to a leadership style shaped by service, accountability and attention to individual circumstances rather than one-size-fits-all management. - Her interest in supporting people with lived experience of homelessness suggests a practical link between HR and social impact.

What's next: - Diodato plans to keep expanding Workday Wind-Down as the Alabama network comes online. - Her focus at CASS will likely remain on strengthening HR infrastructure while balancing growth, staffing shortages and fairness. - She continues to encourage emerging HR professionals to stay consistent, solve problems proactively and invest in long-term organizational change.

The bottom line: - Janet Diodato is positioning HR as both an operational function and a pathway to stronger workplaces, stronger careers and stronger community outcomes.

Influential Women profile

Workday Wind-Down on LinkedIn