20 Chief HR Leaders at US Organisations in 2026

Last updated: August 2026

Chief human resources officers and chief people officers shape how organisations hire, develop, support and lead their people. This list brings together 20 current senior HR leaders at United States organisations, from technology and financial services to healthcare, manufacturing, professional services and leadership development. It is designed for readers who want practical examples of what a senior people role can hold together.

As of August 2026, these are 20 current senior HR leaders at United States organisations. The names are presented in alphabetical order by first name for easy navigation, and each profile offers a practical question for leaders.

Why chief HR leaders matter

The chief HR role matters because people systems quietly shape every other part of an organisation. Hiring affects execution, leadership development affects succession, and the employee experience affects whether good people can do good work for long enough to make a difference.

A senior people leader also helps translate intent into habits. That can mean making the organisation's priorities easier to understand, building fairer ways to grow, or helping leaders have better conversations when the work is changing. The 20 leaders below work in very different settings, which makes the list useful as a set of prompts rather than a single model to copy.

1. Amy Coleman

EVP and Chief People Officer, Microsoft

Amy Coleman is EVP and Chief People Officer at Microsoft, a current people leadership role in a United States organisation. That places the role close to the work of building the conditions in which people can contribute well at scale.

She has more than 27 years of leadership experience and has spent 25 years in Microsoft HR. Her work shows how a senior people role can connect long-term capability with everyday organisational decisions.

2. Michelle R. Green

Chief Human Resources Officer, Chevron

Michelle Green is Chief Human Resources Officer at Chevron, a current people leadership role in a United States organisation. That places the role close to the work of building the conditions in which people can contribute well at scale.

She joined Chevron in 1998 and has held HR roles of increasing responsibility. That breadth matters because people leadership reaches well beyond policy and process.

3. Heather Ace

EVP and Chief Human Resources Officer, Qualcomm

Heather Ace is EVP and Chief Human Resources Officer at Qualcomm, a current people leadership role in a United States organisation. That places the role close to the work of building the conditions in which people can contribute well at scale.

She has direct responsibility for all human resources functions at Qualcomm and serves on its executive committee. The role also shows why people leadership is closely tied to how a complex organisation executes.

4. Susan Muigai

Chief People Officer, Mastercard

Susan Muigai is Chief People Officer at Mastercard, a current people leadership role in a United States organisation. That places the role close to the work of building the conditions in which people can contribute well at scale.

She serves on Mastercard's Executive Leadership Team and Management Committee. This is practical people work, with a direct bearing on how an organisation operates.

5. Kathryn Diaz

Chief People Officer, Cognizant

Kathryn Diaz is Chief People Officer at Cognizant, a current people leadership role in a United States organisation. That places the role close to the work of building the conditions in which people can contribute well at scale.

She previously spent over 20 years in HR leadership positions at Merck. The example links culture, capability and execution in one senior remit.

6. Kim Wittman

Chief People Officer, Waystar

Kim Wittman is Chief People Officer at Waystar, a current people leadership role in a United States organisation. That places the role close to the work of building the conditions in which people can contribute well at scale.

Before Waystar, she held a series of people and HR roles at Vivint. It is a useful picture of how people leadership supports an organisation through change.

7. Brian Kundert

Chief Human Resources Officer, Exponent

Brian Kundert is Chief Human Resources Officer at Exponent, a current people leadership role in a United States organisation. That places the role close to the work of building the conditions in which people can contribute well at scale.

He joined Exponent in 2023 after 19 years with Arcadis. The combination makes the role relevant to leaders thinking about both people and performance.

8. Janet Prosper

Chief Human Resources Officer, Mimecast

Janet Prosper is Chief Human Resources Officer at Mimecast, a current people leadership role in a United States organisation. That places the role close to the work of building the conditions in which people can contribute well at scale.

She leads Mimecast's inclusion and belonging initiatives and partners with the executive team on its people roadmap. It shows why the people function needs a clear view of the whole organisation.

9. Kate Sberna

Chief Human Resources Officer, Marcone

Kate Sberna is Chief Human Resources Officer at Marcone, a current people leadership role in a United States organisation. That places the role close to the work of building the conditions in which people can contribute well at scale.

She has more than 25 years of experience across talent development, acquisition, rewards and workforce strategy. That experience gives the role a practical connection to how teams grow and perform.

10. Meredith Thomas

Chief Human Resources Officer, Service Logic

Meredith Thomas is Chief Human Resources Officer at Service Logic, a current people leadership role in a United States organisation. That places the role close to the work of building the conditions in which people can contribute well at scale.

She leads the company-wide HR strategy across the Service Logic portfolio. The remit illustrates the value of joining people strategy to the work leaders face every day.

11. Sharawn Tipton

Chief People Officer, Greenhouse

Sharawn Tipton is Chief People Officer at Greenhouse, a current people leadership role in a United States organisation. That places the role close to the work of building the conditions in which people can contribute well at scale.

Her experience includes Total Rewards and IDEA, meaning inclusion, diversity, equity and allyship. It is a reminder that talent, culture and execution are not separate leadership questions.

12. Elaine Davis

Chief Human Resources Officer, MotivHealth Insurance

Elaine Davis is Chief Human Resources Officer at MotivHealth Insurance, a current people leadership role in a United States organisation. That places the role close to the work of building the conditions in which people can contribute well at scale.

She has built and scaled HR departments across life sciences, technology and health plan administration. The detail makes the role useful to anyone thinking about the systems that help people do good work.

13. Lauren Gordon

SVP and Chief Human Resources Officer, Temple Health

Lauren Gordon is SVP and Chief Human Resources Officer at Temple Health, a current people leadership role in a United States organisation. That places the role close to the work of building the conditions in which people can contribute well at scale.

She came from ConcertAI, where she was Chief People Officer in life sciences and healthcare technology. This kind of remit can help leaders see where capability and organisational direction meet.

14. Kristan Eaton

SVP and Chief Human Resources Officer, Freeman Health System

Kristan Eaton is SVP and Chief Human Resources Officer at Freeman Health System, a current people leadership role in a United States organisation. That places the role close to the work of building the conditions in which people can contribute well at scale.

Her prior roles span a high-volume medical group and large health systems. The path also shows how people leadership is shaped by the setting in which the organisation operates.

15. Maeghan Sulham

Chief Human Resources Officer, CAQH

Maeghan Sulham is Chief Human Resources Officer at CAQH, a current people leadership role in a United States organisation. That places the role close to the work of building the conditions in which people can contribute well at scale.

Her remit covers talent strategy, organisational design, leadership development, HR operations and engagement. It highlights the practical work required to make people strategy useful across a large system.

16. Sara Bunn

Chief Human Resources Officer, Judi Health

Sara Bunn is Chief Human Resources Officer at Judi Health, a current people leadership role in a United States organisation. That places the role close to the work of building the conditions in which people can contribute well at scale.

She brings nearly 20 years of HR experience and owns the end-to-end people strategy. That scope is a helpful prompt for leaders deciding what their people function needs to own.

17. Hélène Bouffard

Chief People Officer, Circana

Hélène Bouffard is Chief People Officer at Circana, a current people leadership role in a United States organisation. That places the role close to the work of building the conditions in which people can contribute well at scale.

She previously served at Amazon, where she helped build the people foundation for its AGI organisation. The example shows how senior HR work can combine depth of experience with a clear organisational purpose.

18. Michael Webb

SEVP and Chief Human Resources Officer, ScanSource

Michael Webb is SEVP and Chief Human Resources Officer at ScanSource, a current people leadership role in a United States organisation. That places the role close to the work of building the conditions in which people can contribute well at scale.

His remit includes people and culture, talent, recruitment, compensation and employee success. It is a useful reminder that people leadership often works through many other leaders.

19. Janet Russell Norton

Chief People Officer, Center for Creative Leadership

Janet Russell Norton is Chief People Officer at Center for Creative Leadership, a current people leadership role in a United States organisation. That places the role close to the work of building the conditions in which people can contribute well at scale.

She most recently led talent strategy, leader development and employee relations for Volvo Group North America. The experience brings a close view of how talent and leadership choices affect an organisation.

20. Cynthia Bennett

Chief People Officer, Impact Networking

Cynthia Bennett is Chief People Officer at Impact Networking, a current people leadership role in a United States organisation. That places the role close to the work of building the conditions in which people can contribute well at scale.

Her progression from receptionist to Chief People Officer gives the role a practical human dimension. Together, the role and experience offer a grounded example of senior people leadership in practice.

What these leaders show us about senior HR work

The first pattern is range. A senior HR role may cover people strategy, talent, culture, rewards, employee relations, leadership development and the systems that connect them. The title can look similar across organisations while the daily shape of the work changes with the sector, stage and operating model.

The second pattern is continuity. Several of the leaders bring experience from earlier roles or adjacent industries, which shows why good people leadership is rarely only about knowing one organisation's policies. It is also about noticing how choices land on real teams, then making the next decision easier to understand.

The third pattern is translation. People leaders help turn broad organisational intent into clearer expectations, better support and stronger leadership habits. That does not make the work soft. It makes the work practical, because strategy becomes real through the behaviour an organisation rewards, repeats and makes possible.

How to use this list

Use the list as a set of questions. What does your organisation need from its people leader this year? Where are leaders losing time because priorities, roles or decisions are unclear? Which parts of the employee experience need a better owner, a better rhythm or a better conversation?

You can also use the entries as conversation starters with your leadership team. Compare the different shapes of the roles, then decide which responsibilities belong together in your own context. The goal is not to copy a title. It is to make the work of leading people more visible and more useful.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a chief HR leader do?

A chief HR leader guides the people work of an organisation. That can include talent, culture, leadership development, employee relations, rewards, workforce planning and the systems that help people do their work well.

Is a chief people officer the same as a chief human resources officer?

The titles can overlap, but the exact remit depends on the organisation. Both commonly sit close to senior leadership and take responsibility for important parts of the employee and leadership experience.

Why do organisations need a senior HR leader?

Organisations need a senior HR leader when people decisions are too important, too connected or too widespread to sit in separate pockets. A senior role can help leaders make those decisions with a clearer view of the whole organisation.

What should leaders look for in a people function?

Leaders should look for clear priorities, useful support for managers, fair and understandable processes, good leadership habits and evidence that people can do strong work without unnecessary friction.

How can I learn from senior HR leaders?

Start with the questions their roles raise. Consider how they connect talent, culture, leadership and execution, then choose one practical conversation or system in your own organisation that could become clearer this week.

Conclusion

The value of a senior people role is easy to underestimate because much of the work happens through other leaders. It shows up in who gets hired, how people grow, whether expectations are clear and how an organisation responds when the work changes.

These 20 leaders offer a varied set of examples from United States organisations. Read them for useful questions, not for a perfect template. Then choose one people or leadership practice that would make work clearer for your team and write down the first small change you will test.

Related Reading

Read the Working Genius FAQ for practical questions about team contribution.

Explore 50 Keys to Hiring a Strategy Leadership Consultant when leadership and strategy need to connect.

See Team Offsite Facilitation for a written path to stronger leadership team alignment.

A practical next step

If your leaders need a clearer way to work together, Jonno White can help through a keynote, workshop or facilitated leadership session. Write to jonno@consultclarity.org with the context, the outcome you want and the clearest written next step.

About the Author

Jonno White is a Brisbane-based leadership consultant, keynote speaker and Certified Working Genius Facilitator, and the author of Step Up or Step Out. He works with schools, organisations and leadership teams around the world. To enquire about a keynote, workshop or facilitated leadership session, email jonno@consultclarity.org.