Visionary

As Chief People Officer at Novant Health, Carmen has progressive experience in all aspects of human resources and talent management, including 15 years at the executive leadership level. She is a results-oriented visionary who focuses on organizational impact, maximizing talent, and building a resilient workforce.

Carmen's experience includes leadership roles in the healthcare, higher education, consumer goods, banking, and professional services industries. Prior to joining Novant Health, Canales served as the Chief Human Resources Officer at Wake Forest University, and as the Chief Talent Officer at the law firm now known as Womble Bond Dickinson, a role in which she held firm-wide responsibility for people and culture. Prior to her work at Womble, Canales held positions in Human Resources at Wachovia (now Wells Fargo) and Pepsi-Cola.

Carmen is bilingual in English and Spanish. She is an Al Día 2021 Woman of Merit. She has a Master of Labor and Industrial Relations degree from Michigan State University.