2026 Recruiting Executives Priorities and Perspectives Report

Ashley Miller, M.A., SHRM-SCP, is SHRM's Director of Thought Leadership Operations and Partnerships. Over the last decade, she's served in a multitude of roles across SHRM, including driving functional transformations, redefining strategies for business functions, building new initiatives, translating research to insights for internal and external stakeholders, and leading strategic partnerships. Prior to joining SHRM, Miller was a human capital and workforce consultant for public, private, and government sectors organizations to build competency models, conduct job analyses, design and validate selection systems and assessments, and execute change management initiatives. She holds a master's degree in industrial/organization psychology.

Monique Akanbi, SHRM-CP, is a SHRM Membership Initiatives Director and Co-Host of SHRM’s Honest HR Podcast, where she helps bring SHRM’s mission to life by designing strategies that attract, engage, and retain more than 330,000 members worldwide. With over 20 years of leadership experience across the public and private sectors, Akanbi is a strategic change agent known for strengthening organizational culture, increasing employee engagement, and driving meaningful improvements in retention and satisfaction. She also serves as a Master Examiner and Mentor with the Sterling Council Board of Examiners, supporting organizations across the southeast in advancing performance excellence through the Malcolm Baldrige framework. Passionate about service and development, she is dedicated to helping others unlock their potential through connection, mentorship, and purpose-driven leadership.

Ragan Decker is an Industrial-Organizational Psychologist and Director of Commercial Research on SHRM’s Thought Leadership team. She leads and conducts strategic research that advances SHRM’s mission. Her team’s work, along with her own research contributions, spans a wide range of topics, including deskless workers, artificial intelligence, executive priorities, the state of the workplace, workplace culture, mental health, and civility.

Aaron Hollinger is a Senior Researcher on SHRM’s Thought Leadership team. He conducts research on a wide array of topics, including HR function maturity, artificial intelligence, workplace trends, financial wellness, and executive priorities.