Life at Near: Kristine’s Role in Shaping People & Culture
In many companies, People & Culture is reduced to surface-level perks: birthday greetings, policy handbooks, and the occasional team lunch. But at Near, Kristine Salazar sees it—and builds it—as something much more: a business-driving function that supports people holistically while helping the creative agency grow with purpose.
Kristine joined Near in October 2024, and now leads the team as People & Culture Manager, overseeing everything from onboarding systems and engagement programs to culture-building rituals that help people feel like they belong. Over a year, she’s helped scale the team, evolve its internal processes, and create an environment where people don’t just survive agency life, but thrive in it.
This is her Life at Near.
Building a Strategic, Human-Centered People & Culture System
From day one, Kristine wanted to reframe how teams see “People & Culture” in the Philippine workplace—not as administrative support, but as a critical part of creative success. In 2025, she helped evolve Near’s employee engagement framework through a range of Real Human Day activities, including:
Pickleball sessions
Spa days
Blind karaoke
Trivia nights
These were paired with monthly company dinners, department lunches, and the agency’s first official Picture Day. Every event was designed to reinforce belonging and make the workplace feel like something worth showing up for.
“Strategic HR is more than operations. It’s about orchestrating experiences that matter.”
— Kristine Salazar, People & Culture Manager at Near
This mindset guides how Kristine builds culture at Near: intentionally, holistically, and always in service of both people and performance.
One of Kristine’s proudest milestones was implementing Near’s Learning & Development Framework in 2025, an initiative that brought hands-on upskilling and role-based workshops across the agency to support scalable growth. From project management to personality profiling, financial literacy to creative ideation, the sessions were designed to help people grow both personally and professionally.
She also helped launch Near’s first structured 5-week Onboarding Program, ensuring new hires didn’t just learn the ropes, but connected with the company’s culture from day one. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with many noting how the program made them feel equipped, supported, and excited to contribute.
“Strategic HR is a business driver, not just an operational function.”
— Kristine Salazar, People & Culture Manager at Near
Why People-First Culture Impacts Clients, Too
JR De La Cerna, Director of Client Operations
Kristine knows that internal culture is a lever for performance. When people feel supported and empowered, their work is sharper, their communication is stronger, and their ability to deliver for clients improves. This shows up in faster collaboration, clearer ownership of tasks, and more proactive, thoughtful client communication; resulting in work that doesn’t just meet expectations, but builds long-term trust.
“That consistency builds trust and strengthens our reputation,” she says. “Clients feel the impact of a team that’s aligned and engaged.” In a creative agency, where pressure and pace are constant, Kristine believes the real edge lies in sustainable performance through strong people systems, the kind that foster both growth and resilience.
Jea Manipula, Head of Go-To-Markets
Between 2024 and 2025, Near nearly doubled in size, hiring 26 new full-time employees and strengthening its leadership bench with top talent. Kristine helped onboard (in under a year) and integrate key leaders like:
Keshia Tinio, Creative Director
JR De La Cerna, Director of Client Operations
Iya Marañon, Head of Accounts
Jea Manipula, Head of Go-To-Markets
Keshia Tinio, Creative Director
Franz Halili, Influencer Engagement Lead
Together, they’ve built systems, processes, and structures that empower the team to scale—without sacrificing the culture that made Near what it is.
From “Fixing Problems” to “Creating Systems”
Franz Halili, Influencer Engagement Lead
The biggest shift in Kristine’s leadership mindset was learning to move from “fixing problems” to “creating systems for success.” The reframing, shared by Near’s COO, Erika, helped her focus not just on what’s urgent, but on what’s foundational. It’s the kind of thinking that builds sustainable culture over time.
She’s also learned how deeply interconnected people strategy and business strategy are. At Near, the two reinforce each other and that has helped her grow as both a leader and a builder. Kristine’s advice? Look beyond the shiny stuff. Titles, perks, and company names will come and go. What matters more is whether the job will challenge you, mentor you, and align with your values. “Skills can be learned,” she says.
“But the right work environment is what makes your career sustainable.”
Every workshop she builds, every onboarding session she runs, every calendar she fills with fun activities or career mapping—Kristine sees it all as part of a larger purpose. Near brings her a step nearer to building the kind of workplace she once wished for: one where people feel empowered to grow, lead, rest, and show up as they are. And as she continues shaping people and culture, she knows she’s doing the same for herself.
If you’re looking for a workplace that invests in people as much as performance, and where culture is built with care—Near might be the right place for you. Take the next step with us: nearcreative.co/careers
