N2Growth’s 2025 Leaders40 Top CHRO List

Lisa M. Buckingham is a globally recognized human resources executive with over twenty five years of experience leading people, culture, and transformation strategies across complex, mission-driven organizations. As Chief People & Culture Officer for Vialto Partners, she oversees the company’s global people strategy, driving organizational performance and advancing a culture of inclusion and agility that supports Vialto’s purpose of helping people thrive in a global, mobile world.

Prior to joining Vialto, Lisa served as Chief Human Resources Officer for the U.S. Soccer Federation, where she led the relocation of the organization’s headquarters to the new National Training Center and established a forward-looking talent and culture strategy. She also served as President of Ellig Group, a leadership advisory and executive search firm advancing inclusive leadership, and as Executive Vice President, Chief People, Place, and Brand Officer at Lincoln Financial Group, where she led human capital, brand, communications, CSR, business continuity, aviation, and real estate strategy. She is widely regarded as a transformative leader who integrates human capital strategy with business outcomes, helping organizations accelerate growth, enhance engagement, and strengthen reputation while focused on transformation.

A Fellow and Board Member of the National Academy of Human Resources and a Fellow of the HR Policy Institute. Lisa also serves on the boards of the Philadelphia Eagles Charitable Foundation where she serves as the Investment Chair, 4C Digital Health where she chairs the Compensation Committee, and TLC Lions Advisory Board. She has been named HR Executive of the Year and recognized by the Academy of Management and named twice on the N2Growth top CHRO list for innovation and leadership in the field of human capital.

Matthew Breitfelder is Partner and Global Head of Human Capital at Apollo, where he focuses on attracting extraordinary talent to the firm and creating an innovative, inclusive, high-performance culture that brings out the best in Apollo’s people. Matt leads Apollo’s recruiting, talent management, compensation, succession planning, citizenship, employee relations, development, and culture work. He is also a member of the firm’s Leadership Team. Matt is committed to expanding opportunities across Apollo’s workplace, marketplace, and communities. Prior to joining Apollo, Matt was Chief Talent Officer at BlackRock as well as a member of the Operating Committee. Previously, he held strategy, talent, and innovation roles at Mastercard, PwC, and CEB/Gartner.

Matt holds a BA in Economics from the University of Southern California, an MSc from the London School of Economics, and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He currently serves on the boards of the Lumina Foundation, the Aspen Institute’s Business and Society program, the Milken Institute’s Inclusive Capitalism initiative, and Georgetown University’s initiative on AI, Analytics, and the Future of Work. He is the co-author of numerous Harvard Business School case studies and articles on leadership. Matt has been recognized as a Top Global CHRO multiple times by n2Growth and Stanford Business School.

Robin Leopold is Executive Vice President and Head of Human Resources for JPMorganChase, serving as a member of the company’s Operating Committee. In her role, she shapes and drives the firm’s global human capital strategy that powers JPMorganChase’s leadership in the financial industry.

Since stepping into her current role in January 2018, Robin has been instrumental in architecting transformative HR initiatives that anticipate the evolving needs of the business and its people. Prior to that role, Robin held a number of leadership positions in human resources, including head of human resources for J.P. Morgan’s Corporate & Investment Bank, leading HR for the Corporate functions, and leading Chase’s Home Lending Human Resources team during significant business transformation.

Before joining JPMorganChase in 2010, Robin spent more than 20 years at Citi and its predecessor companies. For more than a decade, she was the Head of Human Resources for the wealth management businesses, which included Smith Barney, the Private Bank and Investment Research. After the sale of Smith Barney, Robin spent her last year at Citi leading the human resources team supporting Citi Holdings, Citi’s divesting businesses.

Throughout her career, Robin has guided organizations through periods of significant change, including the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical complexities and the pace of innovation and AI adoption. A passionate advocate for continuous learning and growth, Robin is committed to fostering an environment where employees thrive and continue to drive the firm’s success.

She holds a degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and resides in New York City with her husband; they have two, now-grown children.

Christy Pambianchi serves as the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) of Caterpillar Inc. She has responsibility for all aspects of human capital, including talent acquisition and management, learning and development, culture, total rewards, HR operations, employee and labor relations, and corporate environmental, health and safety.

Before joining Caterpillar in 2025, Pambianchi served as CHRO for 18 years at various companies across multiple industries, most recently as the Chief People Officer at Intel, where she led human resources, corporate real estate, corporate social responsibility, and the company’s transformation management office. She has also held CHRO roles at Verizon and Corning, with responsibilities that included information technology and every aspect of human resources. She began her career at PepsiCo Inc., where she held roles in labor and employee relations, corporate organizational capability and HR IT transformation.

Pambianchi serves on the board of the Lumina Foundation. In 2017, she was inducted as a fellow of the National Academy of Human Resources. Pambianchi holds a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations.

Trisha Conley is executive vice president, People and Culture for LyondellBasell. In this role, Conley is responsible for the company’s vision and culture to enhance the employee experience, talent management, employee relations, reward and compensation, and diversity, equity and inclusion.

Prior to joining LyondellBasell, Conley served as the senior vice president, People Development for Renewable Energy Group until it was acquired by Chevron in 2022. Conley has more than 25 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, as well as the renewable products sector leading human resources, talent management, global integration and organizational development. Prior to that, she held a variety of human resources roles at BP.

Conley holds a Bachelor of Arts in public relations and communications from the University of Northern Iowa and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Maral Kazanjian is the Chief People Officer of Moody’s. In this role, she is responsible for setting and overseeing the company’s strategy to unite the brightest minds by attracting extraordinary talent and making Moody’s a place that people want to come and stay.

Maral previously served as Chief People Officer for WeWork, where she held various leadership roles. Prior to that, she worked at Moody’s for 11 years in the Human Resources and Legal departments, overseeing the Employment Law and Employee Relations teams.

Maral holds a bachelor’s degree in government and psychology from Georgetown University, and a law degree from the Rutgers School of Law-Newark.

Donna Morris is executive vice president and chief people officer for Walmart, a people-led, tech-powered omnichannel retailer dedicated to helping people save money and live better. A member of the executive committee, Donna strives to make Walmart a great place to work for the more than 2 million associates around the world who contribute to the growth and success of the global business.

Driving Walmart’s people-led focus, Donna’s teams are committed to providing opportunity for associates to grow and belong, building a workplace that empowers associates by prioritizing emotional, physical and financial well-being and unlocking their potential by implementing digital tools to improve the work experience. Under her leadership, Walmart and Sam’s Club in the U.S. (2023 and 2024), Walmart China (2022, 2023 and 2024) and Walmart Global Tech India (2024) have been certified as a “”Great Place to Work.”

Donna has significant leadership experience in delivering innovative people solutions, developing teams that operate in an agile way and building high-performance cultures that promote a sense of belonging. Prior to joining Walmart in 2020, Donna spent more than 17 years at Adobe, where she held a variety of leadership roles, most recently serving as chief human resources officer and executive vice president of employee experience.

A native of Ottawa, Canada, Donna has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Carleton University. Donna holds the Society for Human Resource Management – Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP), Senior HR Professional (SHRP) and Canadian Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designations and is a Fellow of the National Academy of Human Resources (NAHR).

Donna is on the Board of Trustees at Fordham University in New York, a member of the board of directors of PhonePe, India’s leading digital payments and financial services platform, the renowned Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, and UKG, a leading provider of HR, payroll, and workforce management solutions.

Donna’s leadership at Walmart has led her to being named to the inaugural Forbes Future of Work 50 list, Mass Market Retailer’s “Most Influential Women in Retailing” and a Top 100 HR Tech influencer by Human Resource Executive.

Diane leads Campbell’s human resources function, including talent acquisition and management, organizational effectiveness, compensation and benefits, and inclusion and diversity. Her team champions our strategy to build a winning team and culture and to help every employee reach their full growth potential. Diane is a member of the Operating Committee, which focuses on Board-level matters and the development of the Strategic Plan and Annual Operating Plan. She reports to the CEO.

Before joining the company, Diane was Senior Vice President, People and Culture, North America at ManpowerGroup, a global workforce solutions company.

Diane brings extensive food industry experience to the company, having spent 35 years at Kraft Foods. While at Kraft, she held key leadership roles, including Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer from 2012 through 2015. She also held senior HR leadership roles at Brookdale Senior Living and The Deli Source.

Diane earned her Bachelor of Science in business administration from Elmhurst College and is a member of the board at the State Bank of the Lakes, a Wintrust bank.

Josh Perkes was appointed senior vice president and chief human resources officer in August 2024. He is responsible for all human resources and labor relations functions and is a member of Union Pacific’s senior leadership team.

Previously, Perkes served as vice president-Loup Logistics, a wholly owned Union Pacific subsidiary providing innovative transportation and logistics solutions. He joined Union Pacific in 2002, and has held leadership positions on the railroad’s Marketing and Sales’ Premium, Industrial, Bulk and Operations teams, as well as across Human Resources functions such as talent management, talent acquisition, employee engagement, training, compensation and benefits. He also spent time in field sales, logistics and Operating as part of a cross-functional leadership training program.

Perkes graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor’s degree in English and has an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He serves as a board member for Boys and Girls Clubs of the Midlands.

Matt Walter is Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Global Communications & Corporate Marketing (GCCM) at Medtronic. He serves as the company’s Chief Human Resources Officer and provides executive oversight for GCCM, the Medtronic Foundation, and Medtronic LABS. As Chairman of the Medtronic Foundation Board, he guides the company’s philanthropic strategy and efforts to expand access to healthcare and economic opportunity. By championing Medtronic’s people, elevating its brand, and expanding its community impact, Matt advances the company’s Mission to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life.

As a member of the company’s Executive Committee, Matt drives the talent, culture, and organizational strategies that support 95,000+ employees globally. He leads the Global HR function’s business partners, centers of expertise, and shared services—encompassing talent management and acquisition; leadership development; inclusion, diversity & equity; global rewards; organizational effectiveness and people analytics; HR digital enablement; and employee relations. He also oversees GCCM and community impact efforts that strengthen stakeholder trust and advance Medtronic’s Mission globally.

Recognizing the vital role people play in driving organizational success, Matt is deeply committed to fostering an inclusive environment where all employees can grow their careers and connect their work to the company’s purpose. His leadership approach unites people, purpose, and performance—fueling Medtronic’s enduring impact on healthcare and society.

Matt was appointed Chief Human Resources Officer in July 2023, following nine years with Medtronic in a variety of HR leadership roles. He most recently served as HR VP, Global Operations & Supply Chain, responsible for HR strategies supporting roughly half of the company’s global workforce. Earlier in his tenure, he held business partner roles in the company’s Restorative Therapies Group, Coronary, Structural Heart, and Diabetes businesses, and spent time in its Global Talent & Leadership Development Center of Expertise.

Before joining Medtronic, Matt led Talent Management at Best Buy. Prior to that, he held several leadership roles at Bank of America.

Matt earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Saint Francis University in Loretto, Penn. He also earned a Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Colorado State University.

Melissa Kersey serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Tractor Supply Company and is a member of the Company’s Executive Committee. In this role, she leads the enterprise-wide people and culture strategy, overseeing compensation and benefits, recruiting, talent management, leadership development, training, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Since joining Tractor Supply in 2020, Melissa has been a driving force in advancing workforce transformation across more than 2,200 stores and 50,000 team members, aligning talent strategies with the company’s long-term growth vision. She has led initiatives that modernize HR technology, strengthen leadership and succession pipelines, and foster a culture of agility, innovation, and inclusion. Melissa plays a key role in shaping Tractor Supply’s future of work agenda, enabling the company to attract and retain top talent while maintaining its strong, purpose-driven culture.

Prior to joining Tractor Supply, Melissa served as Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer for McDonald’s USA, where she led people strategy for more than 850,000 employees across corporate and restaurant operations. Before McDonald’s, she held multiple senior leadership roles with Walmart from 2008 to 2017, including Senior Vice President of Global HR Transformation and People Services, Senior Vice President and Chief HR Officer for U.S. Stores, and Senior Vice President of Learning and HR Strategy. Earlier in her career, she spent eight years with Alltel and four years with Target, serving in store operations, distribution, human resources, and technology leadership roles.

Melissa holds a Bachelor of Science in Business with a minor in Communications from Emporia State University. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Floor & Décor, where she is Chair of the Compensation Committee.

Lisa Chang is EVP and Global Chief People Officer for The Coca‑Cola Company, overseeing the company’s talent and people strategies, culture, and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. In her role, which she has held since 2019, she is responsible for leading the company’s global people strategy, aligned to the company’s purpose of refreshing the world and making a difference. Chang and her team are focused on creating an environment where employees can thrive, and equips the organization to win.

Prior to joining Coca‑Cola, Chang served as senior vice president and chief human resources officer for AMB Group, LLC in Atlanta, a privately held sports and entertainment conglomerate.

Chang has held HR roles at various companies, including Equifax, Turner Broadcasting System Inc. and The Weather Channel Companies.

Chang serves on the Board of Advisors for Catalyst, a non-profit organization with a mission to accelerate progress for women through workplace inclusion. She also serves as a Board member for the Coca‑Cola Scholars Foundation, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and on the Board of Directors for Frontier Communications.

Chang has a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Virginia. She earned an MBA from the Stetson School of Business and Economics at Mercer University.

Jacqueline Williams-Roll is the chief human resources officer with responsibility for the development of people and organizational strategies to enable the growth of General Mills. Her goal is to inspire General Mills’ talent and teams to thrive and be the best place to grow a career. In addition to leading global human resources, she also has responsibility for Corporate Communications.

Jacqueline joined General Mills in 1995 as an Associate Human Resources Manager and has held human resources leadership roles in Supply Chain, Finance, Marketing and Talent and Organization Effectiveness.

She led the development of Work with Heart, a set of principles that guide how employees work at General Mills, both physically and virtually. In 2019, she oversaw the industry leading expansion of U.S. leave benefits that include 18-20 weeks paid maternity and 12 weeks paid paternal leaves.

A large part of her tenure at General Mills was spent working on businesses outside of the United States, in which she led human resources for Europe, Middle East and North Africa, and as vice president of human resources for the international segment.

Before joining General Mills, she held sales and management roles with Jenny Craig International.

Williams-Roll is the past-Chair of the board of trustees of the University of Minnesota Foundation and currently serves on the Executive Committee. She also serves on the board of the Human Resources Policy Association and is a member of several leading professional organizations, including the Center on Executive Compensation and Peer Roundtable for CHROs.

Jacqueline holds a B.S. degree in Business Administration from Nebraska Wesleyan University and a Master’s degree in Human Resources and Industrial Relations from the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management.

Kristi is a proven and respected Human Resources (HR) leader with more than three decades of overall HR experience, including 25+ years specializing in domestic, sales, executive and international compensation programs. Kristi has worked across multiple industries including Healthcare, Insurance and High Technology in both Software and the Semiconductor Industry. Size of companies range from small (50+ employees) to medium (2,500-20,000) to very large (100,000). Kristi has spent the last 17+ years working for VSP Vision in various roles, serving as Chief Human Resources Officer since 2015.

Kristi has extensive experience providing professional coaching to managers on compensation management, organization, and policy issues. In addition to compensation expertise, Kristi is highly skilled in benefit program design and analysis, HR Information System (HRIS) implementations, and HR policy development and implementation. Kristi has served as the Executive Staff Liaison for the VSP Board of Directors Compensation Committee for the past 10+ years. She provides the Board with recommendations, review, and advice on Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and other executive-level compensation, CEO performance, succession planning, and corporate incentive programs.

Kristi is a member of the San Francisco CHRO Governing Body, holding a Co-Chair role since January 2023. In this position, she serves in a leadership role to provide input and expertise, align business priorities, and to strengthen the CHRO community and network for continued collective success.

In January of 2025, Kristi was elected to the Board of Directors for PRIDE Industries, which creates sustainable employment for individuals with disabilities, helping to realize their true potential and lead independent lives. As of June 2025, Kristi began serving on the Compensation and Governance committees, a testament to the expertise she brings to the PRIDE Board.

Kristi has previously held high-level positions for the Sacramento Compensation and Benefit Association, including President and Officer on its Board of Directors. She also served on the Board for the Sacramento Veterans Employer Resource Group (VERG) as the Tools & Resources Director, as well as the Human Resources UC Davis Advisory Board to advise on Corporate HR Policies and was a member of the Linkage Purposeful Leadership Client Advisory Board.

A proud professional achievement for Kristi is being honored five consecutive years (2021-2025) as a “Top CHRO” by N2Growth, a global leadership consulting and executive search firm that recognizes innovative, future-focused executives around the world who’ve shown a dedication to fostering a dynamic, inclusive, and forward-thinking work environment.

Kristi has a Masters Degree from San Jose State University in Sociology. She also believes that fitness, exercise and overall wellness are crucial to maintaining a healthy quality of life. In her spare time, Kristi maintains her Personal Training Certification through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM-CPT).

Khadija Ben Hammada became Member of the Executive Board of Merck and Chief People Officer in March 2025. She is also responsible for Corporate Sustainability, Quality & Trade Compliance, Inhouse Consulting, and Site Management of our corporate headquarters in Darmstadt, Germany.

Since joining the company in 2010, she has held global roles in Europe, Asia-Pacific and the United States, driving transformations, major integrations and strategic initiatives across all sectors and various functions within Human Resources and beyond. Before being appointed Chief People Officer, she served as Chief Human Resources Officer at Merck. With her team, Khadija drove a portfolio of step-changes related to leadership excellence, strategic business partnering and family-friendly benefit offerings, such as enterprise-wide support for fertility and caregiving. She also held the role of Chief of Staff to the CEO of Merck, where she played a pivotal role in advancing a high-impact culture throughout the enterprise.

Khadija was born in 1980 in France. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Strasbourg College and a master’s degree in business administration and general management from IAE France, University School of Management. She also participated in executive leadership programs at Stanford University and INSEAD.

Kristy Banas is the Chief Human Resources Officer at WTW.

Kristy’s responsibilities include overseeing WTW’s global human resources, marketing and communication functions, which define and implement strategies to enable growth for WTW’s colleagues and businesses. She leads global teams responsible for people plans, culture and engagement, total rewards, inclusion and diversity, marketing and brand strategies, and internal and external communication.

Kristy has held other human resources leadership roles, including head of global total rewards, head of human resources integration and transformation, and various global talent advisor positions. Prior to joining WTW in 2011, she held human resources leadership roles with XL Group (now Axa XL).

Kristy has a Bachelor of Science summa cum laude in business management from Fairfield University and has pursued graduate studies at Cornell’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations and the University of Connecticut. She started her career in accounting before transitioning to human resources in 2001.

Anita Graham has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer since 2023.

Before joining Labcorp, Anita served as Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer and Public Affairs at VF Corporation, one of the world’s largest lifestyle-focused footwear and apparel companies. In addition to leading the human resources function through major business transformations, she oversaw the company’s public affairs initiatives, including corporate communications, government relations, community relations and the VF Foundation.

Prior to VF, Anita served as Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources and Administration Officer at ADT Corporation, where she led the human resources, environment, health and safety, and corporate communications functions. Previously, she was the Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer at Shire plc, a global biopharmaceutical company that is now part of Takeda Pharmaceuticals.

Anita currently holds board-level roles in several professional organizations including the Human Resources Policy Association, the Center on Executive Compensation and the Center on Executive Succession. She is also a member of the national board for The Trust for Public Lands. She holds a Bachelor of Science in industrial and labor relations from Cornell University and a Master of Business Administration in finance from the Stern School of Business at New York University.

As Altria Group’s Chief Human Resources Officer, Charlie Whitaker is responsible for leading the strategy for Altria and its family of companies to attract, develop and deploy the talent needed to achieve our Vision and foster an exceptional employee experience that allows our organization to thrive.

As Chief Compliance Officer, Charlie oversees Altria’s compliance and integrity program, including the systems and initiatives to anticipate and mitigate compliance risk, detect and respond to potential non-compliance, and drive a culture of integrity. The intersection of Compliance and Human Resources enhances Altria’s effectiveness in these areas, particularly in building accountability of leaders at all levels to promote a culture of integrity.

Charlie has served in these or related capacities since 2009. Before that, Charlie was Vice President, Compliance and Brand Integrity for Philip Morris USA and Assistant General Counsel for Labor & Employment and Compliance. Charlie began his career with Philip Morris USA’s Law Department in April 2002 as Senior Counsel for Labor & Employment.

Before joining PM USA, Charlie worked with the law firm of Hunton & Williams in Richmond, Virginia.

Charlie graduated from the University of Virginia with a bachelor’s degree in history. He also received his juris doctor degree from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he was a member of the Virginia Law Review. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Foundation and the Board of Directors of the YMCA of Greater Richmond, where he chairs the Board Development Committee. He also is the past Chair of the Board of Trustees of The Valentine, a Richmond history museum, and former member of the Board of Trustees of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

Ivory Harris is Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer, for AGCO. Ms. Harris is responsible for leading the development and execution of high-impact talent strategies that deliver winning outcomes for AGCO’s employees and stakeholders. Ms. Harris is based in Duluth, GA, U.S.

Prior to AGCO, Ms. Harris spent 17 years with BASF, where she held HR leadership roles of increasing scope and responsibility throughout her tenure. Her most recent role was Vice President, People Service, U.S. Previous roles included Vice President, Total Rewards & Corporate HR Solutions, North America and Global Director, Human Resources, Bioscience Research. Ms. Harris also previously held a Senior Project Expert, International Delegation role that was based in Ludwigshafen, Germany.

Ms. Harris holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences and Psychology from the University of Houston.

Tammi A. Jones is Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for Alcoa Corporation, focusing on all aspects of human resource management, including talent and recruitment, compensation and benefits, training and development and labor relations. She leads a global team of HR professionals in 10 countries. Tammi is also a member of the Alcoa Executive Team, responsible for setting the strategic direction for the Company.

Previously, Tammi served as Vice President, Compensation and Benefits, leading the global compensation and benefits function in the planning, design, and administration of the Company’s global compensation and benefits programs, as well as overseeing the human resources aspects of mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures.

Earlier, she served as Director, Organizational Effectiveness, developing comprehensive organizational change strategies to enable successful execution of the business strategy and change programs. She also established the Company’s privacy office in response to the implementation of GDPR.

Tammi joined Alcoa Inc. in 2006 as HR Director, UK & Ireland for the Building & Construction Systems business and has served in a variety of HR positions over the course of her Alcoa career, including HR Director, Europe Building & Construction, HR Director for Alcoa Wheels and Transportation Products, and HR Director, Aluminum.

Prior to joining Alcoa, Tammi held various progressive HR roles with Basell Polyolefins and Network Rail.

Tammi is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and obtained a Master of Arts degree in Human Resources and Strategy (2004) and a Global Master’s in Business Administration from Manchester Business School (2010).

Sam accelerates Verizon’s business growth and transformation through the lens of its people — designing a workforce strategy that attracts and develops the best talent with the skills the company needs now and for the future.

Her team focuses on making Verizon a great place to work for the over 100,000 V Teamers around the globe by providing them with opportunities to grow and belong, as well as creating a culture that empowers employees to live well and work well.

Sam introduced Culture OS, Verizon’s purpose-driven operating system that governs how employees show up for their customers and each other. By holding every V Teamer accountable for the same values internally and externally, Verizon employees create ideas and innovative solutions that make people’s lives better and connect them to what matters.

Sam joined Verizon in December 2020 as senior vice president of global talent, leading the HR Talent Center of Excellence. She strengthened the company’s talent strategy by creating programs to recruit and retain top talent and developing industry-leading learning and leadership programs.

Prior to Verizon, she spent over 14 years at American Express in various executive roles, from finance and banking to leadership positions across HR. As head of talent and learning, she transformed how the company attracted and engaged its workforce by building a dynamic talent ecosystem. Before joining American Express, she worked for JPMorgan Chase for six years, based out of Chicago.

Corporate and charitable leadership
Leading by example, Sam is committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming workplace for all V Teamers. She is the executive sponsor of the Women’s Association of Verizon Employees (WAVE), one of the company’s employee-led resources groups that support the business through engagement, innovation and fostering leadership skills.

Personal and educational background
Sam received her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Michigan State University and holds an MBA from Wayne State University. She lives in New Jersey with her husband, three children and two dogs.

Jyoti Mehra, Gilead’s Executive Vice President of Human Resources, is responsible for leading people strategy and, together with the Gilead Leadership Team, building an inclusive and collaborative culture. In her role, she has responsibility for elevating team performance and developing a cohesive approach to attracting, developing and retaining employees.

Jyoti brings extensive experience in business partnership and organizational design to her current position. Prior to joining Gilead in 2017, Jyoti held senior leadership positions with Novartis Corp. in the United States, Europe and China, bringing a broad international perspective to her work.

Jyoti received her bachelor’s degree in political science from Delhi University and her master’s degree in international studies from Jawaharlal Nehru University.

She currently serves on the board of directors of Lam Research and California Conference for Women.

Lisa Esparza has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for AutoNation since September 2022. Lisa is an accomplished global human resources executive with expertise in business partnership, organizational effectiveness, talent management, integration and transformation. Prior to AutoNation, Lisa has held CHRO roles for Essilor North America and Par Pacific Holdings, Inc. She has also held HR leadership roles at Celanese, Flowserve, Ingersoll-Rand and Eaton with global responsibilities. Lisa holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of California, Irvine and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Public Law from University of California, Los Angeles.

Robert Massy is senior vice president and chief human resources officer for PPG. He leads PPG’s global HR function, including talent management, leadership development, capacity building, inclusion and belonging, workforce and workplace analytics and insights, and labor and employee relations.

With more than 20 years of experience, Massy has held senior leadership roles in several industries and regions where he has enhanced stakeholder value and commercial performance through HR excellence.

Before joining PPG in March 2024, he served as executive vice president, chief administrative officer and chief human resources officer at Westinghouse Electric Company for nearly a decade.

Prior to his role with Westinghouse, Massy held roles of increasing responsibility at Weatherford International as regional head of talent in the Asia-Pacific region and then global head of talent and development in the U.S. Before his roles with Weatherfold, Massy built his HR career through several positions in Singapore and London.

Raised in Ireland, Massy holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Behavior in Organizations/HR from Lancaster University, United Kingdom (UK) and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of East London, UK. In addition, he has completed the Executive Management Program at INSEAD, Paris.

Deborah Borg has served as IFF’s Executive Vice President and Chief People and Culture Officer since August 2022 and assumed leadership of IFF’s corporate communications function in December 2022. With more than 20 years of experience, she is a leader in human resources, culture, employee engagement and business strategy and outcomes.

Prior to joining IFF, Deb was with the global Agribusiness and Food company, Bunge Limited where she served as Chief Human Resources and Communications Officer since 2016. While at Bunge, she was responsible for people, culture, communications strategy and operations.

Before her time with Bunge, Deborah held a variety of leadership and HR roles in Australia, Switzerland and the U.S. for General Motors and Dow Chemical and oversaw multiple successful employee engagement, M&A integration and talent capacity initiatives. As president of Dow USA, she was responsible for overall business performance, regional business strategy, new business development and external relationships with customers, government organizations and joint-venture partners.

Deborah holds a Bachelor of Business Management in Human Resources and a master’s in training and change management, both from Victoria University, Melbourne Australia.

Ola Snow is a passionate and results-driven leader with over 20 years of experience at Cardinal Health. As Chief Human Resources Officer, she is dedicated to building a culture that attracts, retains and empowers talented individuals to deliver results and thrive. Snow has responsibility for all the functions that support and contribute to a positive employee experience.

Her leadership has been instrumental in shaping Cardinal Health’s human capital strategy, driving business outcomes and fostering a workplace culture where employees feel valued and supported. She has a proven track record of success in navigating complex challenges, including leading over 25 mergers and acquisition opportunities.

As a strong advocate for mental health and workplace culture, Snow leads initiatives to create an inclusive culture where all Cardinal Health employees are encouraged to be their authentic selves to promote an environment where all can thrive. As a board member of the Cardinal Health Foundation, Snow’s passion for her community and her strong leadership skills have been recognized by several organizations including Top 50 HR, Top 40 N2Growth, Columbus Business First and the National Diversity Council.

Beyond her work at Cardinal Health, Snow is actively involved in the community, serving on numerous boards and councils including Flying Horse Farms and Baxter Credit Union. She has been a dedicated member of the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Circle, having chaired the 2022 Columbus Go Red campaign and currently serving on the Go Red for Women National Council. Snow is an active member of the Ohio State University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health’s Chairman’s Advisory Council and Strategic Planning Team. She serves on the Advisory Board for the Center of Executive Succession for the University of South Carolina Darla Moorse School of Business. Snow was also recognized as a YWCA Women of Achievement in 2024 for her deep commitment to breaking down barriers and creating opportunities for women in central Ohio.

Snow holds a bachelor’s degree in management, with an emphasis on human resource management from University of Alabama.

Girish Ganesan is Chief People Officer of S&P Global and a member of the company’s Executive Leadership Team. In this capacity, he leads the global people and corporate responsibility function, driving performance, impact and innovation across a dynamic workforce of 42,000 employees in more than 41 countries. His mandate includes shaping the employee experience, building forward-looking capabilities, and cultivating a culture of agility and high-impact leadership. Mr. Ganesan also serves on the boards of the S&P Global Foundation and CRISIL (an S&P Global company), where he is a member of the Nominating and Compensation Committee.

Prior to his current role, Mr. Ganesan was Senior Vice President, People for several business lines including S&P Global Ratings, Sustainable1, Kensho and Enterprise Technology. He also oversaw the people agenda for Enterprise Legal & Government Affairs and Risk & Compliance, while serving as the Enterprise Workforce Lead on S&P Global’s AI Council, guiding the intersection of human capital and emerging technology.

Before joining S&P Global, Mr. Ganesan held senior leadership positions at TD Bank Group, Manulife and Accenture, with experiences spanning total rewards, executive succession, leadership development, enterprise transformation, HR shared services and global talent strategy.

A recognized thought leader in the human capital space, Mr. Ganesan has been honored as one of the Top 50 Global HR Leaders (2024), Top 10 HR Executives to Follow (2023), Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 (2019) and HR Professional of the Year (2013).

He holds an honors degree in Political Science and Economics from Delhi University and has completed postgraduate studies in Human Resources Management from Humber College and Corporate Governance from Columbia Business School. He is also a Certified Human Resources Leader (CHRL).

Deeply committed to social impact, Mr. Ganesan serves on the Board of All Stars Project Inc., a nonprofit focused on youth development through after-school programming. He has also served on the boards of the Association for Talent Development (ATD) and the Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA). He actively mentors rising talent and is a sought-after global speaker on workforce transformation, AI-powered talent innovation and the evolving role of leadership in shaping organizational culture.

Ira is a global Human Resources and business transformation leader with over two decades of experience driving growth, innovation, and organizational excellence across Fortune 100 companies and high-growth enterprises. Her career spans multiple industries, geographies, and business lifecycles, where she has led integrated business, people, and culture strategies that enable high performance and sustainable transformation.

As President – People & Talent at Reliance Industries Limited, India’s largest private enterprise and a Fortune Global 500 (#88) company with revenues over $119 billion, Ira partners with the Chairman, Executive Committee, and business leadership to shape the company’s people and culture agenda. She is leading enterprise-wide talent and culture transformation for Reliance’s 360,000-strong workforce spanning energy, retail, telecommunications, media, and green technologies.

Before joining Reliance, Ira held several senior global HR leadership roles at Medtronic, the world’s largest medical device company. As Vice President & Head of HR for Global Regions, she led HR strategy for an $18 billion organization spanning 120 countries and 16,000 employees, delivering significant enterprise value and multimillion-dollar synergies through large-scale business and organizational transformation. She also served on the Board of Medtronic Foundation, including a term as Interim President, where she expanded global STEM investments and employee volunteer engagement, and was a member of the Board of Advisors for the Medtronic Engineering & Innovation Center. Earlier, as VP & Head of HR for the Cardiovascular Portfolio and the Americas Region, she led HR strategy for multibillion-dollar businesses, driving major enterprise transformations including the creation of Medtronic’s Global Service & Repair business.

Previously, Ira spent 19 years with General Electric, holding diverse HR leadership roles across Healthcare, Oil & Gas, Technology Infrastructure, Corporate and GE Capital in both developed and developing markets. She played a pivotal leadership role in large-scale integrations, start-ups, divestitures, and several complex business transformations while building high-performing global teams.

Ira also serves as an Independent Director and Chair of the Remuneration Committee on the Board of Fagron NV, a Netherlands-headquartered, publicly listed healthcare company specializing in pharmaceutical compounding and personalized medicine with operations in more than 30 countries.

Ira holds an MBA from the Maastricht School of Management, Netherlands, and a BA (Hons.) in History from Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi University.

Marc is a Dutch partner with a background in tax services and currently focuses on workforce transformation.

He has more than 25 years of experience with PwC and has held various senior leadership positions in the Dutch tax practice, Dutch leadership team and PwC Europe Executive Management Team.

As the Global Human Capital Leader, Marc directs strategic initiatives for the PwC network which promote working together, equity and belonging, and which set a standard for leadership and reinvention. He also serves as a Workforce Transformation partner with several listed multinational clients.

Marc is married and enjoys spending time with his three daughters. Aligned to his own personal commitment to wellbeing, he takes pride in serving as a role model for sustainable high performance. He loves hiking, skiing, reading and road cycling.

Jennifer Ragone is chief people officer for DXC Technology, responsible for developing and executing the company’s global people strategy. She leads DXC’s People & Culture organization, driving talent development, employee experience and workforce transformation to support the company’s strategic growth.

With more than 30 years at DXC, Jennifer has played a critical role in strengthening the company’s culture and advancing its business through innovative talent strategies and deep operational expertise. She has held leadership positions across multiple HR disciplines, including talent acquisition, leadership development, performance management and business HR. Most recently, she led DXC’s business HR function, working closely with senior leadership to align workforce strategies with business objectives.

Jennifer holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Radford University.

Kate joined Access Holdings in 2024 as Vice President of Human Resources and Compliance. As a member of the Operations Team, Kate manages the firm’s human resources processes and corporate compliance matters. In her role, she leads strategic HR initiatives focused on employee satisfaction and retention, performance review, professional development, and career growth opportunities, with the goal of streamlining processes and enhancing engagement across the organization. Kate also focuses on regulatory requirements and best practices in private equity to ensure the firm’s ongoing compliance in day-to-day operations.

Prior to joining Access Holdings, Kate was the General Counsel and Senior Vice President of Human Resources for Sylvan Learning, where she was responsible for legal strategy and risk management, contract negotiation, litigation oversight, corporate governance, and compliance with franchise and labor regulations, as well as all aspects of HR and organizational culture development within the organization. Kate received her JD from University of Maryland School of Law and her BA in Economics from Wake Forest University.

Karlo is a seasoned HR leader with over 30 years of experience driving organizational and human strategy in different roles at global companies like Coca Cola Femsa, Unilever, Electronic Data Systems (EDS) and Mexican retail store: El Puerto de Liverpool.

Since 2017, Karlo has served as Chief Human Resources Officer at Grupo Salinas, leading initiatives to attract, retain, and develop talent aligned with the company’s philosophy of inclusive prosperity. His vision and leadership have strengthened organizational capabilities, fostered innovation, and connected business objectives to a shared purpose.

Passionate about leveraging technology to enhance organizational practices, Karlo champions solutions that elevate employee experience and operational efficiency. He believes that purpose-driven teams; guided by strong leadership; in the proper environment; can achieve extraordinary results.

His wife and son share with him passion for padel, golf and traveling around the world.

Success is not final; failure is not fatal; it is courage to continue that counts. Winston Churchill.

DJ Casto is Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer of Synchrony, one of the nation’s premier consumer financial services companies.

DJ is responsible for engaging employees in Synchrony’s strategic business imperatives and building people-led development programs that strengthen culture, drive business growth and nurture the company’s talent as a competitive advantage.

Previously, DJ led human resources for Synchrony’s global enterprise operations and served as HR client leader for the corporate governance functions, including credit, compliance, finance, internal audit, legal, regulatory and risk. In addition, DJ was a key leader driving the human resources and cultural aspects of Synchrony’s separation from GE in 2015.

He began his career at PepsiCo in human resources field operations, advancing to lead Labor and Employee Relations for the North American beverages business, where he managed union awareness strategies and programs. He was later responsible for global career development and succession planning as Senior Director of Global Organization Development.

DJ is passionate about helping every employee live Synchrony’s values and is committed to community service. He currently serves on the boards of Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) and buildOn, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering urban youth to transform their neighborhoods.

DJ earned a master’s degree in industrial relations and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from West Virginia University, where he serves on the Master of Science in Industrial Relations and Human Resources Executive Alumni Board. He is married with three children.

Alana Brandes is the Chief People Officer at Guild, which helps leading employers, like Chipotle, Target, Walgreens, JPMorgan Chase, Hilton, PepsiCo, and Tyson, build skilled and resilient workforces through education and career growth. She leads efforts to attract, develop, engage, and retain top talent while fostering an environment where employees can contribute the best work of their careers.

With over 15 years of experience in progressive HR leadership roles, Alana has been instrumental in driving workforce transformation, culture activation, leadership development, and people programs that align seamlessly with business objectives and deliver meaningful impact.

Alana is passionate about the intersection of education, career mobility, and workforce development, which brought her to Guild over four years ago. She is driven by a lifelong quest to support those around her in reaching their full potential.

A seasoned leader with over 25 years of experience in Human Resources and Shared Services, Dr. Nabil has led transformative initiatives across both public and private sectors, driving organizational development and operational excellence. He currently serves as the Chief Shared Services Officer at Misk Foundation and is an active member in several national executive and advisory committees. He was awarded the “HR Icon Award” in 2025 and recognized among the most influential HR leaders in the Middle East, in addition to several other regional awards that reflect his impact and leadership in the field.

Elizabeth Zacharias is currently the Vice President of Human Resources at Stanford University since September 2015. Prior to this role, Elizabeth held the same position at Aerojet Rocketdyne from September 2001 to September 2015. With a background in human resources, Elizabeth also served as AVP, HR at Concero/PSW Technologies and as Regional HR Manager at Claremont Technology Group. Previously, Elizabeth worked as a Senior Recruiter at EDS from 1984 to 1995. Elizabeth holds a B.S. in Business Administration with a focus on Finance from California State University-Sacramento.

Jim O’Gorman (he/him) is the Chief People Officer at Included Health where he leads the Talent & Organization Team including HR Operations, Talent Acquisition & Talent Management. He is responsible for all aspects of the company’s people strategy. Along with leading the TAO Team, he also ensures alignment across the Executive Team as the current Chief of Staff.

Jim brings more than 20 years of human resource leadership experience helping companies create award-winning cultures where people can do the best work of their careers. He has a proven track record in combining business acumen, people management, and HR expertise to guide organizations through rapid growth, consumer disruption and transformation.

Prior to joining Included Health, Jim built and scaled teams through a variety of leadership roles at Hulu, Tele Atlas/TomTom and the 2012 Obama-Biden Re-Election Campaign Team. He earned a BA in Communications from Gannon University and an MBA from Northeastern University. Jim lives in Los Angeles with his partner, Alberto.

Norman Hatting is Global Chief People Officer at Dentons, the world’s largest global law firm.

Norman has 26 years’ experience in managing large and complex Talent initiatives and joined Dentons in July 2022 as Global Talent Advisory Director, since which he has led on key projects to optimize talent infrastructure and efficiencies in line with the evolving needs of the business. Norman has been instrumental in fostering a culture of change and high performance.

Prior to Dentons, he spent 13 years at Deloitte in Africa working closely with the Managing Partners of the Financial Institutions Services Team, Tax & Legal and Risk Advisory supporting their execution of the Talent Strategy. His last position was that of Human Resources Business Partner Leader and Performance Experience Leader for Deloitte Africa. Norman has also held roles in the medical and outsourcing industries and is based in Cape Town, South Africa.

Frederic Patitucci is Chief People & Culture Officer at Philip Morris International. With a career that spans more than three decades, Fred joined the organization in 1998 as Director, Human Resources in Romania and has since served in multiple roles and geographies—including as Vice President, Human Resources for Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa, Duty Free, China, and Russia.

Currently based in our Operating Center in Switzerland, and prior to his current role, he served as Vice President, Human Resources for the Reduced-Risk Products, Consumer, Life Sciences, and Commercial functions, driving the development of the organizations at the core of PMI’s smoke-free transformation. Before joining PMI, he was Human Resources Manager for Kraft in France.

Fred holds a postgraduate diploma from the Rouen Business School and a master’s degree in economics from the University of Normandy, both in France.

Michael oversees MacArthur’s global people strategy, spearheading the Foundation’s creation and execution of transformative human resources practices. He leads the efforts to design and implement programs that not only attract and develop exceptional talent, but also cultivate and sustain an empowered, high-performing, and diverse workforce. In partnership with leaders across the Foundation and sector, he is dedicated to driving and fostering an equitable, best-in-class culture of continuous learning, innovation, and professional growth while positioning staff to excel in a rapidly evolving world.

He joined the Foundation in late 2015, bringing two decades of global human resources expertise to the newly established role. Michael has a proven track record of designing and building HR functions from the ground up for complex international organizations and excels at aligning innovative and agile people practices with business objectives. His leadership has shaped engagement, communication and organizational culture through the integration of strategic leadership and hands-on implementation. With an understanding of global workforce dynamics, he brings deep expertise in performance management, learning and development, total compensation, change management, talent acquisition, and employee relations.

Michael previously served as Head of Human Resources at ABN AMRO Clearing LLC, where he was responsible for establishing and driving the HR function for the firm’s US offices. Prior to that, he was Vice President of Human Resources at Fortis Clearing Americas, LLC, and a Human Resources Business Partner at Calyon Financial, Inc. Earlier in his career, Michael gained experience in both specialist and generalist HR roles within the financial services, marketing, and pharmaceutical industries.