The 2026 Top CHROs, Top Women CHRO Leaders, and Top Women Founders in HR Awards were announced during HR.com's CHRO Virtual Event on February 25, honoring executives who consistently drive organizational success. These honorees exemplify exceptional leadership, strategic vision, and outstanding contributions that inspire teams and drive results across dynamic, evolving workplaces.
This recognition matters because it highlights the critical role human resources leadership plays in organizational performance and workplace evolution. As businesses navigate increasingly complex regulatory environments, talent shortages, and shifting employee expectations, strategic HR leadership has become essential for sustainable success. The awards identify individuals who are setting standards for excellence in people management, diversity initiatives, and organizational development.
The Top CHROs of the Year include 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 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 Salaam Bombay Foundation.
The Top Women CHRO Leaders recognized include 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 SADAFC, Nancy Masoud, Oriana Vogel of ZS, Ren Jethi, Rupali Srivastav of CareEdge, Tracey Schiro of Ochsner Health, and Waajida Small.
The Top Women Founders in HR category includes 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. All award winners can be viewed at www.hr.com/awards.
The impact of this recognition extends beyond individual achievement to influence industry standards and organizational practices. As HR.com CEO Debbie McGrath stated, "Exceptional HR leaders shape the future of their organizations through vision, strategy, and execution. These executives and founders in HR are driving innovation, inspiring teams, and delivering measurable results." This matters because organizations with strong HR leadership typically demonstrate better employee retention, more effective talent development, and stronger compliance with evolving workplace regulations.
For the broader HR industry, these awards serve as benchmarks for excellence and innovation in human resources management. They highlight emerging trends in HR leadership and entrepreneurship while recognizing diverse approaches to solving complex workplace challenges. The recognition of women leaders across all three categories underscores the growing influence of women in shaping HR practices and organizational culture. As workplaces continue to evolve, the strategies and approaches demonstrated by these award recipients will likely influence how organizations approach talent management, employee engagement, and leadership development in coming years.
