Kimberly Huffman Re-elected RPI Board President
New officers and directors announced for the 2026 RPI Board of Directors.
MINNEAPOLIS – 6 January 2026 – Recognition Professionals International (RPI) announced Kimberly Huffman, CRP, Vice President of Talent, Learning and Culture, VCA Animal Hospitals, as the 2026 RPI Board President. This will be her second consecutive year serving as president of the board.
Huffman brings her expertise in organisational development, leadership and employee experience strategies while serving on the RPI Board for seven years. Previously Vice President of Human Resources at Banfield Pet Hospital, Huffman has recently taken a new role as Vice President of Talent, Learning and Culture, at VCA, where she leads the teams responsible for learning and development, employment branding, inclusion, talent and culture.
“As President of the Board for Recognition Professionals International, I am most looking forward to growing our membership in 2026 and continuing to expand the incredible value we offer our RPI community,” says Huffman. “Investing in RPI is essential because as the workforce evolves, so do the ways leaders must engage, motivate, and recognise their teams. RPI brings together a community of forward-thinking professionals who are passionate about sharing best practices and discovering new ways to elevate recognition.”
Throughout her career, Huffman has been passionate about expanding the impact recognition has on company culture through employee development and the overall employee experience. While she was Vice President of Human Resources at Dollar General, Dollar General received the prestigious RPI Best Practice Standards® Award due to her dedication to implementing recognition and engagement strategies in the workplace. Through Huffman’s ability to enable leaders to model recognition behaviours that inspire their teams, she has also maintained the challenging Standard 5 of Recognition Training as part of RPI’s 7 RPI Best Practice Standards®.
“In my second term as Board President, I plan to focus on amplifying our work in certifying recognition professionals, deepening engagement across our exceptional network, and creating even more relevant, impactful content for our members,” says Huffman.
RPI elected Beril McManus, CRP, American Airlines, executive vice president; Matt Neylon, CRP, SHRM-CP, The Mount Vernon School, vice president; Lauren Gagne, CRP, C.A. Short Company, treasurer; and Janet Skolud, CRP, TD Bank Group, secretary.
New directors are Neely Adkins, CRP, RecogNation; Dennis Dion, CRP, E.A. Dion; Jackie Gracia, O.C. Tanner; Adrian Jefferson, CRP, Kaiser Permanente; and Brandon Major, CRP, PMP, ACM, Atlantis Resort Paradise Island.
Returning directors are Jim Bittner, CRP, Centricity; Cori Champagne, CRP, SHRM-SCP, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Emily Gatton, CRP, Engage2Excel; Ashlee Green, CRP, CPIM; Theresa Harkins-Schulz, CRP, CCP, SPHR, Inspirus, LLC; Marlene Johnson, CRP, Dash Solutions; David Klein, CRP, Universal Destinations & Experiences; Angela McNichol, CRP, Virtua Health; and Rachel Rump, CRP, Greencroft Communities.