These exceptional women made a measurable mark on the HR profession over the past year
HRD Canada is proud to announce Elite Women 2026 – an annual report celebrating female top performers in the HR industry who are expanding what HR leadership means.
Professionals across the industry were invited to nominate exceptional women who are driving innovation, leadership, and change. Nominees were required to work in a role that relates to, interacts with, or has an impact on the HR industry in Canada.
The 31 winners have been selected for their initiatives, innovations, and contributions that have made a measurable mark on the HR profession over the past year. Many are in the higher echelons of their respective organizations, with more than half C-suite members or executives.
As seen in our special report, these top professionals stand out for their leadership, as well as their ability to foster inclusive workplace cultures and leverage data-driven insights to align HR with business goals and include:
Methodology
HRD Canada invited industry professionals from across Canada to nominate exceptional female role models for the inaugural Elite Women list. Nominees had to be working in a role that related to, interacted with, or in some way impacted the industry and should have demonstrated a clear passion for their work.
Nominators were asked to describe the nominee’s standout professional achievements over the past 12 months, initiatives and innovations, and contributions to the industry.
After a thorough review of all the nominations, the HRD Canada team narrowed down the list to the final 31 Elite Women who have made their mark in the industry.
Now in its second year, HRD Canada’s Elite Women report is proudly supported by Black HR Professionals of Canada, LINX HR Canada, and the Canadian Association of Women Executives and Entrepreneurs.
