Top 10 Directors of People & Culture - 2026

Maria Arrington is an experienced people leader whose career spans healthcare, consulting, a high-growth technology startup and enterprise technology. As Director of People at Command Alkon, she leads people strategy, culture and talent initiatives across the global organization. Her experience building people functions across diverse organizations has shaped a practical leadership approach focused on clarity, organizational capability and sustainable growth.

Heather Evans serves as Director, People and Culture, Strategy & Operations at H&R Block, bringing nearly three decades of human resources experience to one of the retail sector's most people-intensive environments. Throughout her career, she has worked in recruitment, talent partnerships and employee engagement, developing a methodology that gives equal weight to corporate needs and the employee experience. Her work represents the idea that culture is created by the choices leaders make on a daily basis rather than approaching it as a stand-alone endeavor.

Melissa Hailey is the Director of People & Culture at Rocket Lab. She helps create an experience for employees at one of the fastest growing space companies in the world. Bringing together her knowledge of employment law and human resources, Hailey ensures the company’s goals and what the employees need are intertwined. That means establishing a work environment that can grow with the organization while still being trustworthy and responsible.

Heather Cole is the Director of People and Culture at Lawrence-Lynch Corp. She helps shape the employee experience by aligning people practices with the company’s goals and evolving workforce needs. Bringing together her expertise in human resources and organizational culture, Cole supports employee engagement, development and workplace initiatives that foster a collaborative and people-focused environment.