The Human Resources (HR) and People Operations (People Ops) space has experienced massive changes in recent years, and HR influencers are addressing these areas directly. AI is reshaping the hiring process. You’re expected to design more holistic employee journeys. Employees are looking for more personalized benefits.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
In 2026, HR leaders are expected to not only be administrative professionals but also strategic operators, culture architects, and growth drivers. Keeping up with the latest insights and resources can be daunting, but there are many inspiring voices out there who can help.
We’ve rounded up 14 HR influencers you should be following on social media (in no particular order). Our team at Healthee curated this list based on credibility, originality, impact, and consistency.
Where to follow her: LinkedIn
Elle Meza is a seasoned Total Rewards and People Operations leader with more than 25 years of experience shaping benefits strategy and people technology. Most recently, she served as Vice President of People Operations at Crunchyroll, where she led initiatives designed to elevate the employee experience at scale.
Today, Elle advises early-stage founders in the People Technology space, with a focus on family benefits, caregiving support, mental and financial health, women’s health, and the future of work. She partners with organizations that take their responsibility to employees seriously, helping them design meaningful programs, policies, and systems that drive both business performance and human impact.
Passionate about AI and innovation, Elle blends deep empathy with operational expertise to help companies prepare for what’s next. Through her thought leadership and advisory work, she champions benefits strategies that are not only competitive but genuinely life-changing for employees and their families.
Where to follow her: LinkedIn
Stephanie Brazil is a strategic HR and Total Rewards leader known for building people-first systems. She has led high-impact HR, benefits, payroll, and global HRIS transformations, standing up functions from the ground up and modernizing vendor ecosystems to improve compliance, efficiency, and employee experience.
Throughout her career, Stephanie has launched shared services models, strengthened governance frameworks, and redesigned benefits and pay programs to improve access and satisfaction — all while delivering millions in cost savings. She focuses on aligning operational rigor with a deeply human approach, ensuring that infrastructure supports both business growth and employee well-being.
An advocate for equity in benefits and clear, human-centered communication, Stephanie thrives in complex, high-growth environments. She regularly shares insights on building durable people systems, navigating transformation, and leading with both empathy and accountability in the evolving world of work.
Where to follow him: LinkedIn, Newsletter
Hung Lee is a well-known voice in the global recruiting community and the founder of Recruiting Brainfood, one of the industry’s most trusted newsletters. With more than 41,000 recruiters and HR professionals subscribed, Recruiting Brainfood delivers carefully curated, non-mainstream insights on talent acquisition, hiring trends, and the future of recruitment.
With over 15 years of experience spanning agency recruiting, in-house talent leadership, recruitment training, and founding the award-winning platform WorkShape, Hung brings both practical expertise and sharp industry analysis to his work. He has built a reputation for cutting through the noise, surfacing the most relevant ideas, tools, and conversations shaping modern hiring.
Beyond the newsletter, Hung is an active community builder and frequent host of webinars and discussions, where he dives deep into topics ranging from AI in recruiting to employer branding and candidate experience. If you want to stay ahead of what’s actually happening in talent acquisition, Hung Lee is an essential HR influencer to follow.
Where to follow her: LinkedIn
Dr. Brigette Hyacinth is a globally recognized leadership expert, bestselling author, and international keynote speaker specializing in leadership, HR, and artificial intelligence. She’s the Founder of Leadership EQ, an organization delivering seminars, workshops, and motivational talks that help leaders build high-performing, future-ready teams. She also serves as an Independent Board Director, bringing strategic insight to organizations navigating change.
Dr. Hyacinth has written six books, including Leading in the Age of AI, Leading the Workforce of the Future, and The Future of Leadership: Rise of Automation, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence. Her work explores how leaders can inspire innovation, foster strong cultures, and guide organizations through rapid technological transformation.
Her influence in the HR and leadership space is widely recognized. She has been ranked among the Top 100 HR Influencers in Leadership and Development, named one of the Top 75 Remote Work Influencers, and recognized as a Top 50 Influential Leader of 2025. Through her writing, speaking, and active LinkedIn presence, Dr. Hyacinth shares forward-thinking insights on digital transformation, purpose-driven leadership, and the evolving future of work.
Where to follow her: LinkedIn, Podcast
Meghan Biro is a globally recognized HR tech analyst, talent management thought leader, and founder of TalentCulture. As the creator of the #WorkTrends community, she has built one of the most respected platforms exploring the intersection of technology, talent, and the human side of work.
Through TalentCulture, Meghan has collaborated with organizations ranging from early-stage startups to global brands like Microsoft, IBM, and Google, helping them strengthen recruiting strategies and elevate the employee experience. She’s also a seasoned podcaster and frequent keynote speaker, sharing insights on HR innovation, employer branding, and the future of work at major business conferences worldwide.
A regular contributor to Forbes, SHRM, and other leading media outlets, Meghan serves on advisory boards for top HR and technology companies. Recognized as one of the Top 50 Most Valuable Social Media Influencers and a Top 25 HR Trendsetter, she consistently shares forward-thinking perspectives.
Where to follow them: Podcast | Leigh: LinkedIn, TikTok | Ashley: LinkedIn, TikTok | Jamie: LinkedIn, Instagram
HR Besties is a podcast hosted by Leigh Henderson, Ashley Herd, and Jamie Jackson, three HR leaders and content creators bringing humor and real talk to the workplace conversation. Billed as “the staff meeting you actually want to attend,” the show tackles everything from toxic work cultures to leadership missteps, all while reminding listeners that being human at work matters.
Leigh Henderson, founder of HRManifesto, draws on nearly 20 years of Fortune 100 HR leadership experience to share unfiltered insights on navigating corporate life. Ashley Herd, creator of Manager Method and a former General Counsel and Head of HR, focuses on training managers through practical, engaging content and has been recognized by the Financial Times as a top HR voice on TikTok. Jamie Jackson, the self-proclaimed Chief Meme Officer behind Humorous Resources and Horrendous HR, brings sharp humor and cultural commentary that resonates deeply with today’s workforce.
Together, the HR Besties blend expertise, storytelling, and humor to create a relatable, refreshingly honest take on modern HR and leadership.
(You got us — this is technically three HR influencers in one. But we recommend you follow all three of these awesome ladies.)
Where to follow her: LinkedIn
Anessa Fike is the Founder and CEO of Fike + Co and a seasoned Fractional Chief People Officer with more than 15 years of experience guiding organizations through growth, transformation, and change. She has led People and Talent teams at more than a dozen tech companies and supported over 100 organizations globally, from early-stage startups to pre-IPO companies and large-scale mergers and acquisitions.
Through Fike + Co, Anessa partners with companies to design people strategies that fuel both business performance and employee engagement. She’s known for rejecting one-size-fits-all HR models, instead building tailored solutions that strengthen culture, scale talent infrastructure, and position People teams as strategic drivers of growth rather than cost centers.
A strong advocate for inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility, Anessa has been recognized as one of the most inclusive HR influencers and serves as an IDEA Practitioner with NASA. She regularly shares insights on scaling culture, transparent workplaces, and the evolving future of work, making her a powerful voice for leaders navigating what’s next in People Operations.
@scalingpeoplepodChief People Officer at Harvey #AI Katie Burke (formerly Hubspot) has always been amongst the first to adopt modern #HR and People Operations practices. Hear how she always manages to stay ahead of the curve and influence leadership to invest in people #humanresources #startups #chiefhumanresourcesofficer #HR #work♬ original sound – Scaling People Podcast
Where to follow her: LinkedIn
Katie Burke is an operating executive and people leader best known for her 11-year tenure at HubSpot, where she served seven years as Chief People Officer. During her time there, she oversaw People Operations, ESG, and Communications, helping shape the company’s culture and contributing to recognitions such as Glassdoor’s #1 Best Place to Work.
Today, Katie serves as Chief Operating Officer at Harvey, where she leads people, workplace, communications, business technology, and customer engagement teams. Her career reflects a strong belief that culture and performance are deeply connected, and that inclusive, values-driven leadership is a competitive advantage.
Beyond her executive roles, Katie has served as a Board Member at the Boston Red Sox Foundation and as a Board Member and Compensation Committee Chair at Paycor. She shares thoughtful insights on leadership, culture, and building workplaces people genuinely love.
Where to follow him: LinkedIn, YouTube
Bryan Creely is the founder of A Life After Layoff, one of the fastest-growing career and job search communities online. After spending more than 20 years recruiting and hiring for companies like Amazon, FedEx, Ford, and Korn Ferry, Bryan found himself unexpectedly laid off in 2020. Experiencing the hiring process from the candidate side exposed major gaps in how people are coached and how hiring really works.
Drawing on decades of insider recruiting experience, Bryan now pulls back the curtain on how companies build layoff lists, evaluate resumes, and make hiring decisions. His content focuses on helping professionals take control of their careers by understanding the realities of the job market rather than relying on outdated advice.
Today, A Life After Layoff has grown to more than 600,000 followers and has reached hundreds of millions worldwide. Bryan’s insights have been featured in major publications, including The Washington Post, Forbes, Business Insider, and Fast Company. Through coaching, training, and career strategy content, he empowers professionals to think like the CEO of their own career.
Where to follow him: LinkedIn
Johnny C. Taylor Jr. is the President and CEO of SHRM, the world’s largest HR trade association, representing nearly 340,000 members across 180 countries and influencing workplace practices that impact more than 362 million workers globally. Under his leadership, SHRM has become a powerful voice shaping conversations around policy, leadership, and the future of work.
With more than 20 years of executive experience across both for-profit and nonprofit sectors, Johnny has held leadership roles at IAC/InterActiveCorp, Paramount Pictures, Blockbuster, McGuireWoods, and Compass Group USA. He also served as CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, championing education and leadership development.
Johnny is the author of RESET: A Leader’s Guide to Work in an Age of Upheaval and writes the weekly “Ask Johnny” column for USA Today, where he provides practical advice on workplace challenges. Recognized among Savoy Magazine’s “300 Most Influential Executives in Corporate America,” he regularly speaks on building stronger workplace cultures, advancing inclusion, and helping leaders navigate disruption with clarity and accountability.
Where to follow her: LinkedIn, Newsletter
Hebba Youssef is the Chief People Officer at Workweek and the Founder of I Hate It Here, one of the most relatable and fast-growing communities for HR and People leaders. What started as a newsletter has evolved into a podcast and community with more than 136,000 subscribers, offering candid, practical advice for those building company culture on the front lines.
Before Workweek, Hebba led global learning, development, and talent management teams across industries, including fintech and media. She most recently served as Head of People at Lithic and previously held talent leadership roles at Axios. Throughout her career, she has built People Operations teams from scratch and scaled organizations through high-growth phases.
Known for her honest tone, Hebba’s content blends real-world experience with humor and hard-earned insight. Through I Hate It Here, she creates a safe space for HR professionals navigating burnout, leadership challenges, and the ever-changing world of work, all while sharing actionable strategies for building workplaces where people can thrive.
Where to follow her: LinkedIn, Instagram
Claude Silver is the Chief Heart Officer at VaynerX, where she leads global people and culture initiatives for nearly 2,000 employees alongside CEO Gary Vaynerchuk. Known as the world’s first Chief Heart Officer, Claude focuses on integrating emotional intelligence into leadership, helping organizations build cultures rooted in trust, connection, and human-centered performance.
With decades of experience coaching leaders and developing high-performing teams, Claude promotes a people-first approach that views culture as the emotional heartbeat of an organization. Her leadership philosophy centers on emotional optimism, bravery, and efficiency, encouraging leaders to create workplaces where employees feel supported, understood, and empowered to do their best work.
Claude is also the author of Be Yourself at Work: The Groundbreaking Power of Showing Up, Standing Out, and Leading from the Heart, which explores how authenticity and empathy can transform modern leadership. Through her writing, speaking, and social content, she shares powerful insights on rehumanizing the workplace and building cultures where both people and businesses succeed.
Where to follow her: LinkedIn
Amy Mencarelli is the Senior Director of People and Culture at Bloomerang and a rising voice in the modern HR space. With more than a decade of experience in human resources, she has witnessed the evolution of HR from paper-based administration to technology-driven strategy, and now to the emerging world of AI-powered people systems.
Amy is passionate about helping HR teams become more strategic and business-focused. Throughout her career, she has grown from an HR generalist to leading a team of 12, and she regularly shares insights on leadership, HR innovation, and the practical ways teams can adapt to the future of work.
Through her active LinkedIn presence, Amy documents her own professional growth while encouraging other HR professionals to do the same. Her content focuses on embracing new technology, developing high-impact HR teams, and demonstrating how stronger people strategies lead to stronger businesses.
Where to follow her: LinkedIn
Doniel Sutton is the Chief People Officer at Pinterest and a respected leader in human resources with experience across several Fortune 500 companies. Over the course of her career, she has held senior HR leadership roles at organizations including PayPal, Prudential, Bank of America, and Honeywell, where she partnered with C-suite executives to drive organizational transformation and business growth.
Doniel specializes in guiding global companies through complex change, including CEO transitions, mergers and acquisitions, and shifts to new operating models. Known for her transparent and values-driven leadership style, she focuses on building high-performing cultures, strengthening leadership teams, and aligning talent strategy with business outcomes.
Her thought leadership has been featured in outlets including CNBC and Thrive Global, and she often speaks on topics like leadership, equity, and workplace culture. Doniel has also been given multiple honors, including a Stevie Award for HR Executive of the Year and a feature in Black Enterprise’s list of the 300 Most Powerful Executives in Corporate America.
One thing that’s great about online content from HR influencers is that it feels like you’re hearing from a friend or peer. They make even the most intimidating topics feel approachable.
Over the next year, we expect HR conversations to explore:
AI has been a particularly hot topic in the past few years. Questions are floating around about whether this technology will replace certain business functions, including HR. However, we believe AI will only amplify the HR and People Ops space.
Platforms like Healthee are part of that shift — enabling HR teams to combine human empathy with AI-powered clarity, especially in complex areas like benefits navigation and cost transparency.
The future of HR is both smarter and more human.
Follow the leaders who resonate most with your work, your values, and your goals. We hope you feel inspired to keep challenging your assumptions and experimenting with new ideas.
Speaking of new ideas and insights, if you’d like to learn about the latest trends in the benefits landscape, we invite you to check out Healthee’s annual research report. We dive into the complex economic and policy shifts of 2025 that are defining today’s challenges, from changes to the ACA to the rising cost and demand of GLP-1 drugs.
HR leaders face constant shifts in technology, regulations, and workforce expectations. Following trusted HR influencers helps professionals stay informed about emerging trends, practical strategies, and real-world experiences from leaders who are actively shaping the field. Influencers often share actionable insights on topics like culture, employee engagement, AI in HR, and benefits strategy, helping HR teams make smarter decisions and stay competitive.
The best HR influencers offer more than motivational quotes. Look for leaders who share practical insights, data-backed perspectives, and real examples from their own organizations. The most valuable voices often combine thought leadership with transparency about challenges, lessons learned, and evolving workplace strategies.
HR influencers often highlight a growing challenge for organizations: employees struggle to understand and use their health benefits effectively. Platforms like Healthee address this by simplifying healthcare navigation for employees and reducing administrative burden for HR teams. With tools like an AI-powered health assistant, employees can quickly get answers about coverage, costs, and providers, while HR leaders get more time to focus on strategic initiatives.
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