We’ve spent the year interviewing the boldest voices in the HR community—diving deep into their biggest wins, their toughest hurdles, and their game-changing advice for the modern workforce.
We’ve gathered the most-read profiles of the year into one must-read compilation. Whether you’re looking for fresh ideas, career inspiration, or a look at how your peers are solving today’s biggest challenges, these are the highlights you can’t miss.
How Susan Knox Is Steering TBR Global Through Growth
For more than 10 years, Susan Knox has been the steady hand guiding the people strategy at TBR Global Chauffeuring, a company passionate about world-class customer service. Since 2011, she has led TBR’s people function, designing and launching global policies and processes that provide stability and support for the company’s diverse workforce worldwide.
Hanna Giraldo—the Talent Director Who Puts People First
For over a decade, Hanna Giraldo has been quietly designing systems that make people successful. Forget buzzwords—Giraldo’s career is all about creating measurable growth through programs that are genuinely “people-first.”
How The Predictive Index’s CPO Hires for Potential
Jackie Dube’s journey into HR began with a simple belief: that people are the most important part of any business. But her approach wasn’t always as nuanced as it is today. While her early career focused on traditional hiring criteria—degrees, years of experience, and hard skills—a pivotal experience fundamentally reshaped her thinking.
Julie Anderson on Unifying a Multi-Brand Workforce
Julie Anderson, Senior Vice President of Talent Strategy and Organizational Development at Wrench Group, specializes in unifying fragmented organizations. Her role is centered on building the sophisticated, integrated talent systems required to fuel the growth of the company’s diverse portfolio of brands.
Marina Farthouat’s Unexpected Path to the Top
As the Chief People Officer and Chief of Staff at Oyster, Marina Farthouat is in the business of building something truly human. She leads the people strategy for the global employment solution with a focus on creating a sustainable, inclusive, and human-centric culture across a distributed team. With a wealth of experience scaling remote organizations like Clickhouse and Elastic, Farthouat is a leading voice in employee engagement and organizational development. But her journey to the top began with a job she wasn’t even supposed to get.
NEOGOV CHRO Reid Walsh’s Journey from Campaigns to Compliance
Reid Walsh, Chief Human Resources Director at NEOGOV, proves that a passion for public service—not a linear career path—is a great foundation for modern HR leadership. Today, she’s focused on helping government organizations build engaged, high-performing workforces through smart, human-centered strategies.
How Nadia Uberoi Builds a People-First Culture from the Inside Out
Nadia Uberoi’s career is the story of a psychologist turned strategic architect. As Head of People at Garner Health, she leads a next-generation People function—one that has evolved beyond traditional HR to become the engine for a distinctive, high-performance culture. She is known for her ability to partner with executives to translate bold visions into thoughtfully crafted, scalable programs and systems. Her secret weapon? A nuanced understanding of human and organizational behavior.
Jersey Mike’s CPO on Fueling Fast-Casual Growth
Betsy Mercado has recently stepped into the newly created, crucial role of Chief People Officer at Jersey Mike’s, a leading franchisor in the fast-casual sandwich space. Her mandate is clear: to guide the company’s rapid expansion by developing comprehensive people strategies that reinforce Jersey Mike’s distinctive, people-first culture.
How Kareem Bakr Found His Calling in Talent Acquisition
As Managing Director at Phaidon International, a global talent acquisition company, Kareem Bakr has a unique perspective on career growth. He started with the company when its U.S. business was just nine people strong, operating out of a tiny office in New York City. His journey from individual contributor to a leader at a global firm is a masterclass in building a career with purpose.
How Elizabeth Cowper Finds Balance Between People and Strategy
Elizabeth Cowper has spent over two decades shaping the people strategies of some of the world’s most iconic brands. From Planet Organic to LVMH and Tapestry (the company behind Coach, Kate Spade, and Stuart Weitzman), she has consistently been at the forefront of building dynamic workplaces. With a reputation as the “Culture Adjuster,” Cowper has been recognized as one of HR’s most influential leaders for five consecutive years. She’s a master at engaging talent, driving well-being, powering the success of women at work, and creating a strong culture of inclusion.