HRD Canada recognizes young professionals who are taking HR to the next level
HRD Canada has revealed its 2026 Rising Stars, recognizing the top young HR professionals in Canada who are focused on not just building people programs, but also on building businesses.
This year’s 34 winners were selected through a nationwide nomination process, in which they are recognized as emerging HR leaders who are creating the conditions in which strategic conversations can’t happen without them.
“Gone are the days when we had a business strategy and a people strategy,” said Lynn Roger, Chief Human Resources Officer at Bayshore HealthCare. “Progressive organizations are integrating how a strategy will be executed into their plans from the start — not something they ask HR to do once the business strategy is done.”
To read more about this year’s Rising Stars, click here.
Bridging the gap between AI strategy and human skills
This year’s Rising Stars are operating in an environment in which organizations are declaring AI as a strategic priority but many still lack the human infrastructure to deliver no it. As young HR professionals, they are in the position to bridge that gap by asking questions and revamping the way things are done.
“Rising stars understand the importance of maintaining a human-centric workplace as AI takes on a more prominent role,” said Adriana Scali, Founder and Chief Human Resources Officer of Link HR. “While they embrace technology and its efficiencies, they do not lose sight of the people at the centre of the work.”
Rising HR talent acting quickly
The winners include Laura Abrantes, talent acquisition specialist at the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) in Ontario. Although she has been in her role for less than a year, she’s led the implementation of a new applicant tracking system (ATS), redesigned the organization’s interview question banks, and launched a partnership with the union to support a pre-apprenticeship program for women and Indigenous peoples entering the electrical trades. Abrantes has also started designing a persona-based onboarding experience for the diverse workforce at ESA.
“When I get into a new role or a new company, the biggest thing I want to do is not just larn about my department – I love to understand how the entire operation works,” said Abrantes.
When Abrantes joined ESA, the organization was “a couple of light years behind when it comes to technology,” she says, and she set to work on the ATS and other initiatives. “The less time we are dealing with manual tasks and administrative things, the more we can actually focus on strategy, on experience,” she said.
The 2026 Rising Stars are clear evidence that the next generation of HR is ready to take on a world of rapid transformation while keeping people at the heart of the people function.
