The HR Research Institute has announced the formation of its 2026 Compensation and Total Rewards Advisory Board, bringing together senior HR leaders, compensation experts, and performance specialists. The board will guide upcoming research and a virtual event on compensation and benefits, as organizations face pressure to improve pay transparency, link pay to performance, manage costs, and adapt to advances in AI and analytics.
The board will shape research on how compensation and total rewards can more directly support business strategy and talent outcomes. It will also guide the upcoming virtual event, HR.com's Future of Compensation and Total Rewards Virtual Event, scheduled for August 5, 2026. The event aims to provide research-backed insights on evolving total rewards strategies, helping HR leaders attract, retain, and motivate critical talent through more agile, data-driven, performance-aligned compensation approaches.
The newly formed advisory board features distinguished experts including Edelynne Austria-Gavino, Compensation Manager at Qualcomm; Lisa Barry, Compensation Consultant at Cornerstone Compensation Partners; Mary Bissette-Clarke, Senior Director, Human Resources - Global Benefits at Siemens Canada; Emily DuPont, Compensation Manager at NFI Industries; Chris Fusco, SVP Compensation, Research and Content Creation at Salary.com; Gail Greenfield, EVP of Total Rewards Strategy and Solutions at Trusaic; Stephanie Martin, Senior Director, HR Operations & Total Rewards at SpringWorks Therapeutics; Tom McMullen, Senior Client Partner and Total Rewards Expertise Leader at Korn Ferry; Kim Taylor, Compensation Consulting Director at USI Insurance Services; Eric Tuch, Executive Director, Total Rewards at Octave; and Lauren Winans, CEO, Principal HR Consultant at Next Level Benefits.
“Compensation and total rewards are no longer just support functions; they’re central to how organizations drive performance and compete for talent,” said Debbie McGrath, CEO of HR.com. “This panel will ensure HR leaders have the insights they need to connect rewards strategy directly to business impact.”
The HR Research Institute releases annual “State of the Industry” reports in various HR topic areas, including last year’s research report, HR.com’s Future of Compensation and Total Rewards 2025-26, covering the same topic. This and other free research reports and infographics can be downloaded at hr.com/researchinstitute.
The formation of this advisory board underscores the growing importance of compensation and total rewards as strategic tools for attracting and retaining talent. By bringing together leading experts, the initiative aims to provide actionable insights that help organizations align their rewards strategies with business goals, particularly in an era of increasing pay transparency and performance-based compensation.
