Top 14 Women in HR to Follow in 2026
The women in HR on this list are reshaping how organizations think about people, culture, and work. Whether you're looking for fresh perspectives on talent strategy or practical guidance from leaders who've navigated real challenges, these voices are worth your attention. Follow them to stay sharp, challenge your thinking, and bring stronger ideas back to your team.
Top 14 Women in HR
Below are the profiles of the top women in HR, covering who they are and the impact they've made in this space.
Nickle LaMoreaux
Nickle LaMoreaux is IBM’s senior vice president and chief human resources officer, leading global people strategy after more than 25 years across HR, software, services, and markets worldwide.
She is helping IBM…
Nickle LaMoreaux is IBM’s senior vice president and chief human resources officer, leading global people strategy after more than 25 years across HR, software, services, and markets worldwide.
She is helping IBM use AI to improve the employee experience and prepare people for changing jobs. Her work focuses on continuous learning and helping employees build new skills, offering HR leaders an example of how a large company adapts its workforce.
Donna Morris
Donna Morris is Walmart’s executive vice president and chief people officer, leading global people strategy after more than 17 years at Adobe, including over a decade as CHRO and people leader.
At…
Donna Morris is Walmart’s executive vice president and chief people officer, leading global people strategy after more than 17 years at Adobe, including over a decade as CHRO and people leader.
At one of the world’s largest employers, Morris helps employees build skills, explore career paths, and use digital tools at work. Her work on hiring for skills and training people for AI shows how employee growth can support companywide change.
Kelly Jones
Kelly Jones is Cisco’s chief people officer, leading People & Communities after 19 years at the company across talent acquisition, workforce programs, operations, and executive strategy.
Jones uses data to guide how…
Kelly Jones is Cisco’s chief people officer, leading People & Communities after 19 years at the company across talent acquisition, workforce programs, operations, and executive strategy.
Jones uses data to guide how Cisco supports its employees around the world. She oversees talent programs, performance, and workplace change. She also writes about how AI and hybrid work are changing jobs and how HR can help people adapt.
Jeanett Modise
Jeanett Modise is Absa Group’s group chief people officer, whose career includes senior roles in Sanlam, SAP, AngloGold Ashanti, IDC, Mutual & Federal, and Hewlett Packard.
At Absa, she focuses on workplace…
Jeanett Modise is Absa Group’s group chief people officer, whose career includes senior roles in Sanlam, SAP, AngloGold Ashanti, IDC, Mutual & Federal, and Hewlett Packard.
At Absa, she focuses on workplace culture, talent, employee experience, inclusion, and digital change. Her work helps the company support its employees and prepare its teams across Africa for changing business needs.
Pradheepa Raman
Pradheepa Raman is chief people officer at GlobalFoundries, where she leads HR worldwide. She previously held senior talent and workplace change roles at Stanley Black & Decker, Samsung, and Avaya.
At GlobalFoundries,…
Pradheepa Raman is chief people officer at GlobalFoundries, where she leads HR worldwide. She previously held senior talent and workplace change roles at Stanley Black & Decker, Samsung, and Avaya.
At GlobalFoundries, Raman oversees hiring, employee development, pay and benefits, and workplace culture. Her team has expanded wellness programs, created more opportunities for people early in their careers, and used data to better support employees.
Stephanie Kramer
Stephanie Kramer is L’Oréal North America’s chief human resources officer and longtime executive. She’s also an author with earlier roles in brand leadership and marketing globally.
Kramer leads HR work across hiring,…
Stephanie Kramer is L’Oréal North America’s chief human resources officer and longtime executive. She’s also an author with earlier roles in brand leadership and marketing globally.
Kramer leads HR work across hiring, learning, pay, employee experience, and workplace policies. In her book Carry Strong: An Empowered Approach to Navigating Pregnancy and Work, she shares ways employers and employees can better support people during pregnancy at work.
Yolanda Seals-Coffield
Yolanda Seals-Coffield is PwC US chief people and inclusion officer, leading the firm’s People & Inclusion organization after more than 14 years working across employee experience.
Seals-Coffield helps employees grow their careers,…
Yolanda Seals-Coffield is PwC US chief people and inclusion officer, leading the firm’s People & Inclusion organization after more than 14 years working across employee experience.
Seals-Coffield helps employees grow their careers, build skills, and feel supported at work. She also writes about how teams can adapt to AI, focusing on the people and workplace changes needed to use new technology well.
Gina Marina P. Ordoñez
Gina Marina P. Ordoñez is senior vice president and chief people officer for PLDT, bringing more than 24 years of experience across people, transformation, service, and banking.
Ordoñez directs human capital initiatives,…
Gina Marina P. Ordoñez is senior vice president and chief people officer for PLDT, bringing more than 24 years of experience across people, transformation, service, and banking.
Ordoñez directs human capital initiatives, workplace design, employee experience, and talent management for PLDT and Smart. Her path through business transformation, healthcare operations, customer experience, and HR gives her a cross-functional approach to aligning people strategy with business needs.
Lori Knowles
Lori Knowles is Memorial Hermann Health System’s senior vice president and chief human resources officer. She serves as its top HR executive and a strategic partner to system leadership in healthcare.
Knowles…
Lori Knowles is Memorial Hermann Health System’s senior vice president and chief human resources officer. She serves as its top HR executive and a strategic partner to system leadership in healthcare.
Knowles leads Memorial Hermann’s Well Together Human Capital Strategy. She focuses on staffing, career development, benefits, and helping employees feel supported and stay with the organization. Her work connects employee well-being and career growth with Memorial Hermann’s mission to care for patients.
Robin Corralez
Robin Corralez is chief people officer at PandaDoc, where she leads HR for the global software company. Her experience includes workplace culture, hiring, and business operations.
She has helped PandaDoc reorganize teams,…
Robin Corralez is chief people officer at PandaDoc, where she leads HR for the global software company. Her experience includes workplace culture, hiring, and business operations.
She has helped PandaDoc reorganize teams, manage pay and performance, hire executives, and support employees affected by the war in Ukraine. She also writes about how HR teams can lead change and support company culture with limited resources.
Sara Wechter
Sara Wechter is Citi’s chief human resources officer, leading talent strategy, recruiting, learning, rewards, employee relations, and other people functions across the global bank worldwide.
Under Wechter’s leadership, Citi has addressed workplace…
Sara Wechter is Citi’s chief human resources officer, leading talent strategy, recruiting, learning, rewards, employee relations, and other people functions across the global bank worldwide.
Under Wechter’s leadership, Citi has addressed workplace practices including pay transparency and the shift of its large global workforce to hybrid work. She oversees hiring, employee development, pay, and workplace issues, helping a major financial institution manage changes affecting its employees.
Francine Katsoudas
Francine Katsoudas is Cisco’s executive vice president and chief people, policy and purpose officer. She has worked at Cisco for three decades and leads its global work on employees, policy, and social…
Francine Katsoudas is Cisco’s executive vice president and chief people, policy and purpose officer. She has worked at Cisco for three decades and leads its global work on employees, policy, and social impact.
She has helped guide major changes at Cisco, develop leaders, and build a culture that puts employees first. She also explores how leaders can prepare their teams for AI and help people adapt to it.
Lucy Adams
Lucy Adams is CEO of Disruptive HR, a former BBC HR director and author of HR Disrupted and The HR Change Toolkit. She focuses on changing how organizations lead and manage their…
Lucy Adams is CEO of Disruptive HR, a former BBC HR director and author of HR Disrupted and The HR Change Toolkit. She focuses on changing how organizations lead and manage their people.
Adams encourages HR teams to treat employees as adults, consumers, and people, rather than rely on too many rules and processes. Through her books, podcast, and advice, she shares ways to improve the employee experience, strengthen leadership, and manage change.
Tracie Sponenberg
Tracie Sponenberg is a fractional and advisory chief people officer who spent 25 years leading HR in frontline businesses, including nine years as CPO at The Granite Group in distribution.
Sponenberg advises…
Tracie Sponenberg is a fractional and advisory chief people officer who spent 25 years leading HR in frontline businesses, including nine years as CPO at The Granite Group in distribution.
Sponenberg advises midsized manufacturers and distributors, where many employees work on the front lines and HR teams are small. She draws on her experience in these businesses to help with hiring and employee support, workplace culture, and HR technology.
Selection Methodology
I selected the leaders on this list based on their relevance, demonstrated expertise and impact, professional credibility, and ongoing contributions to the field.
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I look for evidence such as leading meaningful initiatives or delivering notable results within their organizations, developing influential ideas or practices, publishing research or educational resources, speaking or teaching, and other contributions that demonstrate impact within their work or the broader field.
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