10 CHROs to Know Across Atlanta Workplaces in 2026
- Jonno White
- Aug 5
- 7 min read
Last updated: August 2026
Atlanta's workplaces are shaped by the people leaders who make hiring, development, reward and culture usable in the real world. As of August 2026, this directory brings together ten current chief human resources and chief people leaders connected to major employers and institutions across Atlanta. The names are presented alphabetically by surname for easy navigation.
The list is useful for leaders who want to learn from the questions senior people teams are carrying: how to build capability, keep work clear and create conditions where people can contribute well. It is not a measure of status. It is a practical place to start when you are looking for people leadership examples across business, health, civic and education settings.
Why people leadership matters in Atlanta
People leadership matters because strategy only becomes real through the expectations, conversations and decisions people experience each day. A strong people function can help a workplace make ownership clear, develop capable managers and address tension before it turns into costly confusion.
For senior leaders, the useful question is not whether culture matters. It is whether the systems around hiring, feedback, development and reward help people do their best work. The leaders below operate across very different settings, yet each holds responsibility for making those systems work.
1. Rock Anderson, Jr.
Chief Human Resources Officer, Emory Healthcare
Rock Anderson, Jr. holds a senior people role in an organisation serving Atlanta's workplace ecosystem. The role is relevant to readers who want to understand how large employers, public bodies and institutions approach the human side of operating well.
Emory Healthcare identifies Anderson as its Chief Human Resources Officer. The public biography records more than 20 years leading human resources organisations. That practical focus makes this a useful profile for leaders looking for grounded examples of talent, culture and workforce stewardship.
2. Allison Ausband
Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer, Delta Air Lines
Allison Ausband holds a senior people role in an organisation serving Atlanta's workplace ecosystem. The role is relevant to readers who want to understand how large employers, public bodies and institutions approach the human side of operating well.
Delta identifies Ausband as its Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer. The leadership profile says the role leads global talent management, total rewards and human resources service delivery. That practical focus makes this a useful profile for leaders looking for grounded examples of talent, culture and workforce stewardship.
3. Karen Bennett
Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer, Cox Enterprises
Karen Bennett holds a senior people role in an organisation serving Atlanta's workplace ecosystem. The role is relevant to readers who want to understand how large employers, public bodies and institutions approach the human side of operating well.
Cox identifies Bennett as Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer. The profile says the role leads people solutions, corporate affairs, inclusion, HR technology, total rewards and talent acquisition. That practical focus makes this a useful profile for leaders looking for grounded examples of talent, culture and workforce stewardship.
4. Andrea Burson
Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, NCR Atleos
Andrea Burson holds a senior people role in an organisation serving Atlanta's workplace ecosystem. The role is relevant to readers who want to understand how large employers, public bodies and institutions approach the human side of operating well.
NCR Atleos identifies Burson as Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer. NCR Atleos records more than ten years with Atleos and its legacy companies. That practical focus makes this a useful profile for leaders looking for grounded examples of talent, culture and workforce stewardship.
5. Carla Chaney
Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, Equifax
Carla Chaney holds a senior people role in an organisation serving Atlanta's workplace ecosystem. The role is relevant to readers who want to understand how large employers, public bodies and institutions approach the human side of operating well.
Equifax identifies Chaney as Chief Human Resources Officer. Equifax records global accountability for the human resources function and an Atlanta civic board role. That practical focus makes this a useful profile for leaders looking for grounded examples of talent, culture and workforce stewardship.
6. Darrell Ford
Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, UPS
Darrell Ford holds a senior people role in an organisation serving Atlanta's workplace ecosystem. The role is relevant to readers who want to understand how large employers, public bodies and institutions approach the human side of operating well.
UPS identifies Ford as its Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer. UPS also records the chair role at The UPS Foundation. That practical focus makes this a useful profile for leaders looking for grounded examples of talent, culture and workforce stewardship.
7. David A. Jones
Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, Wellstar
David A. Jones holds a senior people role in an organisation serving Atlanta's workplace ecosystem. The role is relevant to readers who want to understand how large employers, public bodies and institutions approach the human side of operating well.
Wellstar identifies Jones as Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer. Wellstar places the role on the executive team serving the health system. That practical focus makes this a useful profile for leaders looking for grounded examples of talent, culture and workforce stewardship.
8. Kelly McCulloch
Chief People Officer, Inspire Brands
Kelly McCulloch holds a senior people role in an organisation serving Atlanta's workplace ecosystem. The role is relevant to readers who want to understand how large employers, public bodies and institutions approach the human side of operating well.
Inspire identifies McCulloch as Chief People Officer. Inspire says the position oversees human resources, organisational effectiveness and talent management for Inspire and its brands. That practical focus makes this a useful profile for leaders looking for grounded examples of talent, culture and workforce stewardship.
9. Stephanie Smith
Executive Vice President, Human Resources, The Home Depot
Stephanie Smith holds a senior people role in an organisation serving Atlanta's workplace ecosystem. The role is relevant to readers who want to understand how large employers, public bodies and institutions approach the human side of operating well.
The Home Depot identifies Smith as Executive Vice President of Human Resources. The profile records earlier supply-chain leadership and a 2003 start with the company. That practical focus makes this a useful profile for leaders looking for grounded examples of talent, culture and workforce stewardship.
10. Rosalind Tucker
Chief Human Resources Officer, Atlanta Regional Commission
Rosalind Tucker holds a senior people role in an organisation serving Atlanta's workplace ecosystem. The role is relevant to readers who want to understand how large employers, public bodies and institutions approach the human side of operating well.
The Atlanta Regional Commission identifies Tucker as its Chief Human Resources Officer. The leadership page says the office leads workforce investment, learning, development and performance-management systems. That practical focus makes this a useful profile for leaders looking for grounded examples of talent, culture and workforce stewardship.
What these leaders show us about people leadership
The roles in this directory point to a simple pattern. People leadership is not an add-on to the business. It sits inside the operating work of an organisation, from workforce planning and talent development to the day-to-day experience of managers and teams.
When I work with leadership teams, I start by making hidden tension discussable. A workplace becomes easier to lead when people can name the real trade-off, say what good looks like and give one person clear ownership of the next move.
How to use this list
Use the directory as a starting point for your own learning. Read the public leadership profiles, notice the responsibilities attached to each role and compare them with the people challenges inside your own organisation.
Then turn the observation into one practical question for your team: where are our people systems helping clear work happen, and where are they adding friction? The most useful response is usually a small next action that a leader can start this week.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a CHRO do?
A chief human resources officer leads the people systems that support an organisation, often including talent, reward, culture, employee relations and leadership development. The exact scope varies by organisation, so it is worth reading the current role description rather than assuming every CHRO role is the same.
Are chief people officers and CHROs the same?
They can carry similar senior responsibility for people and culture, although the exact remit is set by each organisation. This directory includes both titles because the frozen topic is about senior people leadership and the public roles connect clearly to that work.
How can a leader learn from a people leader?
Start with the practical systems they oversee, such as manager development, workforce planning or employee experience. Then ask which of those systems in your organisation would become more useful if expectations, ownership or feedback were clearer.
Does a stronger culture need a large HR team?
No. A larger team can add capacity, but culture is shaped in everyday leadership choices. Clear standards, honest conversations and visible ownership can improve how people experience work in organisations of many sizes.
Conclusion
The most useful people leadership is practical. It helps a workplace make better decisions about who owns the work, how people grow and how leaders respond when tension appears. These ten leaders offer a current view of the range of senior people roles connected to Atlanta workplaces.
If your leadership team needs to turn a people challenge into clearer action, start by naming the decision you need to make and the behaviour you want people to see next. Small, specific moves are easier to begin and easier to sustain.
Related Reading
Build a workplace worth choosing
I help leaders build organisations people would move cities to work at. If your team needs a practical keynote, workshop or facilitated leadership session, email jonno@consultclarity.org.
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, corporates and nonprofits around the world. To enquire about a keynote, workshop or facilitated leadership session, email jonno@consultclarity.org.