HR.com, the largest network of HR professionals, announced the 2026 Top CHROs, Top Women CHRO Leaders, and Top Women Founders in HR Awards during its CHRO Virtual Event on February 25. The honorees were selected for their exceptional leadership, strategic vision, and contributions that drive organizational success in dynamic workplaces.
The list of Top CHROs of the Year includes Amy Cappellanti-Wolf of Dayforce, Angella Alexander of ATS Corporation, Ariane Hermansen of Servier, Carina Cortez of Cornerstone OnDemand, Christen Scofield of Panorama Insurance Associates, Christina Payne of Precise Systems, Inc., Dr. Kylie Ensrud of Humanized HR, Dr. Waajida Small of Trinity Church NYC, Jeff Simpson of the Association of Alberta Municipalities, Jemar Ward of Public Health Solutions, Jody Lirette of HELP USA, Kashan Akram of Cnergyico Pk Limited, Katkoor Srinivas Rao of SAS India, Ms. Dolloress Johnson of Arlington ISD, Nancy Masoud of Orange Public School District, Olena Fedorchenko of Codify, Raquel Hoffstot of Circular Services Inc, Ren Jethi of Akhurst Machinery Ltd., and Smruti Kasulwar of the Salaam Bombay Foundation.
Among the Top Women CHRO Leaders are Angella Alexander, Billie Wright of The Recycling Partnership, Carla Gatza of Action Property Management, Christen Scofield, Donna Smith of The Jewish Board, Dr. Kylie Ensrud, Felicia Rickett-Samuels of Bronxworks, Gigi Garcia of Commonpoint, Jennifer Butler of Pavement Preservation Group, Kartheka R of Madras, Kellie Teal Guess of Rackspace Technologies, Kristin Scott of Health Alliance, Marisol Cortez of Berry Corporation, Nahla Abualula of SADAFCO, Nancy Masoud, Oriana Vogel of ZS, Ren Jethi, Rupali Srivastav of CareEdge, Tracey Schiro of Ochsner Health, and Waajida Small.
For Top Women Founders in HR, honorees include Aminata Coulibaly of Aminata Digital Shop, Amy Spurling of Compt, Ange MacCabe of Intuity Performance, Candice Faktor of Disco, Christine Nichlos of People Science/Hiregate, Ciela de La Torre of Makwa Global, LLC, Cynthia Bentzen-Mercer of Bentzen Performance Partners, Darlene Nue of The Money Collective, Deb Muller of HR Acuity, Dr. Cornelia Shipley Bearyman of 3C Consulting, French Self of AmeriSource HR Consulting Group, LLC, Jean Roque of Trüpp, JoDee Curtis of Purple Ink LLC, Kara Yarnot of Meritage Talent Solutions, Katherin Nukk-Freeman of SHIFT HR Compliance Training, Kimberly Miles of The Payroll Company, Maury Hanigan of SparcStart, Melissa Pearce of The Money Collective, Rachel Schneider of Canary, Ren Jethi, Ruth Thomas of Payscale, Sarah Hamilton-Gill of Globus HR Consulting Ltd., Sarah Wilkins of Reverb, Shana Ryan of Conceptual HR Solutions, Sneh Lata of RChilli Inc., Sue Marks of Cielo Talent, and Tiffany Sequeira of Prestige Development Group.
“Exceptional HR leaders shape the future of their organizations through vision, strategy, and execution,” said HR.com CEO Debbie McGrath. “These executives and founders in HR are driving innovation, inspiring teams, and delivering measurable results. Congratulations to all the winners and nominees for their outstanding contributions!”
The awards program highlights the growing importance of HR leadership in navigating complex workforce challenges. As organizations face rapid change, the role of CHROs and HR founders becomes critical in fostering inclusive cultures, leveraging technology, and aligning talent strategies with business goals. The full list of awardees and categories can be viewed at HR.com Awards.
HR.com, serving over 2 million HR professionals, offers research, education, and networking opportunities through its HR Research Institute, webcasts, courses, and conferences. The recognition of these leaders underscores the platform’s commitment to advancing the HR profession.
