13 Influential HR Leaders to Know in Austin, TX

*Last updated: August 2026*

Austin has a strong mix of universities, technology companies, public services, health organisations and community groups. That mix creates many different kinds of people leadership, from workforce systems and employee experience to culture, talent and organisational change.

The 13 people below are current HR or people leaders connected to Austin organisations. They work in different settings, but each offers a useful example of how people work can stay close to the real decisions an organisation needs to make.

Why HR leadership matters

Human resources leadership is not only about policies. It helps an organisation make expectations clearer, build better systems and give leaders practical support when people, performance and change meet.

The most useful people leaders connect the human side of work with the organisation’s purpose. They help teams understand what good work looks like, how decisions are made and where the next conversation needs to happen.

1. Melanie Alexander

Chief People Officer, Meals on Wheels Central Texas

Melanie Alexander is the Chief People Officer at Meals on Wheels Central Texas. Her role sits inside an organisation that combines service delivery, volunteers and a strong local mission.

The organisation describes its workplace as one where compassion and commitment show up in the way employees and volunteers support older adults, people with disabilities and others who need help. That makes Alexander a useful example of people leadership where culture is visible in daily service.

You can also find Melanie on LinkedIn.

2. Candace Bridges

Chief People Officer, Four Hands

Candace Bridges is the Chief People Officer at Four Hands, an Austin furniture company with a creative and growing workplace. Her public profile describes a people-focused approach to the role.

Her work is a reminder that people leadership in a product business has to support creativity, operations, customer work and growth at the same time. A strong people function helps those different parts feel like one organisation.

You can also find Candace on LinkedIn.

3. Ricardo Carlos

Human Resources Officer, City of Austin Employees Retirement System

Ricardo Carlos became the first Human Resources Officer at the City of Austin Employees Retirement System. His appointment gives the organisation a dedicated senior owner for its people work.

The role is a useful example of how a growing or changing organisation can make people leadership more explicit. Carlos brings experience across HR business partnering, team leadership and global work, with a focus on building trust across different cultures and groups.

You can also find Ricardo on LinkedIn.

4. Andrea Clayton

Chief People Officer, TELUS Digital

Andrea Clayton is the Chief People Officer at TELUS Digital and is based in Austin. Her official biography describes a global HR career across large organisations and complex change.

Her work covers people strategy, integration, compensation and the employee experience. That breadth matters for leaders who want their people function to help the business grow without losing sight of the people inside it.

You can also find Andrea on LinkedIn.

5. Michele Freeman

Chief People Officer, Thinkery

Michele Freeman is the Chief People Officer at Thinkery. She works in a museum and learning environment where team culture shapes the experience of children, families and the wider Austin community.

Freeman has also shared a practical view of people work: equitable workplaces, regular feedback, learning opportunities and a little fun all matter. Her recent recognition in Austin HR circles shows how people leadership can have a clear local impact even in a community organisation.

You can also find Michele on LinkedIn.

6. Kristin Ruff

Chief People Officer, Greater Austin YMCA

Kristin Ruff is the Chief People Officer at the Greater Austin YMCA. Her background includes employee engagement, leadership development, talent, labour relations and organisational redesign.

That range is especially useful in a community organisation. The people function has to support staff, volunteers, programmes and leaders, while keeping the organisation connected to the families and communities it serves.

You can also find Kristin on LinkedIn.

7. Kelsey Troy

Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, Hanger

Kelsey Troy is the Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Hanger. She leads the people function for an organisation that supports patients and clinicians through a broad healthcare network.

Troy’s career includes senior people roles in healthcare and education. Her example shows how HR leadership can stay connected to both the experience of employees and the care that those employees help deliver.

You can also find Kelsey on LinkedIn.

8. Kelly Torrico

Vice Chancellor of Human Resources, Austin Community College District

Kelly Torrico is the Vice Chancellor of Human Resources at Austin Community College District. She leads HR work across a large college system and has described a strategic, proactive approach to workforce and employment brand work.

Her work is a useful reminder that people leadership in education serves both the people who teach and support students and the long-term mission of the institution. The best systems make it easier for people to do their work well.

You can also find Kelly on LinkedIn.

9. Marci Rogers

Director of Human Resources, Hospice Austin

Marci Rogers is the Director of Human Resources at Hospice Austin. She brings more than 20 years of progressive HR leadership and has previously served as a Chief People Officer.

Hospice work places a special value on compassion, trust and careful communication. Rogers’ role shows how people leadership can help a team handle difficult work while building clear expectations, supportive systems and strong development practices.

You can also find Marci on LinkedIn.

10. Movetia Salter

Chief Human Resources Officer, SAFE

Movetia Salter is the Chief Human Resources Officer at SAFE, an Austin organisation supporting people affected by violence and exploitation.

Her remit includes human resources, talent acquisition, compliance and training. That mix shows why people leadership in a mission-led organisation needs both care and structure. Teams need space to do meaningful work, and they also need systems that help them stay safe, supported and accountable.

You can also find Movetia on LinkedIn.

11. Ashley M. Mitchell

Chief People Officer, United Way for Greater Austin

Ashley M. Mitchell is the Chief People Officer at United Way for Greater Austin. Her public profile describes a background in human resources leadership and a strong connection to the Austin community.

United Way’s work depends on collaboration between staff, partners, community leaders and funders. A people leader in that setting has to help the organisation work across different groups while keeping its own team clear, capable and connected to purpose.

You can also find Ashley on LinkedIn.

12. Traci Nordberg

Chief Human Resources Officer, Dell Medical School

Traci Nordberg is the Chief Human Resources Officer for Dell Medical School and the emerging academic medical centre at The University of Texas at Austin.

Her portfolio includes talent acquisition, learning and development, performance, engagement, rewards, HR technology and analytics. That breadth matters in a fast-growing academic health setting where people systems need to support care, research, learning and innovation.

You can also find Traci on LinkedIn.

13. Cate Prescott

Executive Vice President, Chief People Officer and Chief Culture and Belonging Officer, Verra Mobility

Cate Prescott is the Executive Vice President, Chief People Officer and Chief Culture and Belonging Officer at Verra Mobility. She is also connected to the Austin community through her board work with the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Austin Area.

Prescott brings a global people perspective to a technology business. Her role shows that culture and belonging work is strongest when it sits beside the wider people strategy rather than being treated as a separate project.

You can also find Cate on LinkedIn.

What these Austin leaders show us

These leaders work across education, technology, healthcare, public service and community organisations. Their titles vary, but the practical challenge is similar: make it easier for people to understand the work, make good decisions and contribute to something that matters.

That is why people leadership is a business and service issue, not only an HR issue. Clear expectations, useful feedback and steady support help an organisation stay healthy when it is growing or changing.

How to learn from people leaders

Start with one real point of friction in your own workplace. Notice where people are guessing, where a decision has no clear owner or where feedback arrives too late.

Then make the next move small. Write down what good looks like, name the owner and give the team a short time to try it. Small changes are easier to learn from than a large promise about culture.

Frequently asked questions

What does an HR leader do?

An HR leader helps an organisation build the systems and habits that support its people. The work can include hiring, workforce planning, learning, performance, employee relations, culture, rewards and leadership support.

Are a Chief People Officer and a Chief Human Resources Officer the same?

The titles can cover similar senior responsibilities, but organisations use them differently. The current role description is more useful than the title alone.

How can a small team improve its people practices?

Choose one recurring problem and make it visible. Agree on the desired result, give one person ownership and review the change after the team has used it.

Related reading

For a broader view of people and culture leadership, read 50 Best Thought Leaders in Human Resources, Employee experience thought leaders globally and Working Genius facilitators in Austin.

A practical next step

If your leadership team needs a clearer way to make decisions, handle tension or build a workplace people choose, email jonno@consultclarity.org.

About the author

Jonno White is a Brisbane-based leadership consultant, keynote speaker and Certified Working Genius Facilitator. He helps leaders build organisations people would move cities to work at, with practical tools they can use on Monday morning.