Miami’s CHRO earns spot on Women We Admire list
Jessica Palatka selected as one of Top Chief Human Resource Officers for 2026
Miami’s CHRO earns spot on Women We Admire list
Jessica Palatka selected as one of Top Chief Human Resource Officers for 2026
When Jessica Palatka speaks to Miami University students, she’ll often discuss imposter syndrome and its prevalence in high-achieving environments.
Palatka, Miami’s vice president and chief human resources officer, is quick to offer advice, both for the present and the future. She encourages people to:
- Make a vision board for where you want to go but also for where you’ve been.
- Pick an upcoming life event – college graduation, a first job interview – and write yourself a note.
- Build a strong support network and always remember to be a champion for yourself.
It’s advice that has served Palatka well throughout her own career. Recently, Palatka was selected by Women We Admire as one of the Top Women Chief Human Resource Officers of 2026. The organization praised Palatka for her expertise in human capital management and noted that “her leadership is recognized for aligning complex organizational requirements with strategic mission outcomes, delivering measurable improvements in efficiency, workforce management, and institutional resilience.”
Positive reinforcement, like the Women We Admire honor, also acts as reminders. Palatka is a competitive triathlon athlete with a medal wall at home that provides visual proof of what hard work can accomplish.
“It’s nice to hear from someone else that you really are doing a good job,” Palatka said of appearing on the list. “It’s not just that my name came up and they decided I was a good candidate. My name came up because of the work we’re doing here at Miami.”
That work has been of an intentionally collaborative nature. By reaching across both academic and administrative areas, Palatka has helped support organizational processes to strengthen the university’s mission through workforce innovation and institutional effectiveness.
Palatka also helped found the Miami University Center for Inclusive HR and Consulting Excellence as well as the Miami University HR Mentor Initiative.
She joined Miami in August after working as the chief human capital officer and director of Human Resource Management for the Department of Commerce.
“I’ve been given a lot of trust from the university,” Palatka said. “I have a very intelligent, capable staff. They are so eager and willing to learn. I am so proud of them for that.”
Women We Admire is an organization that comprises some of the most accomplished women executives across the United States and Canada. Palatka also was named as one of the group’s Top 50 Women Leaders of Cincinnati for 2025.
Her role at Miami is energizing, Palatka said. The Office of Human Resources recently moved to Hoyt Hall, and Palatka appreciates the dynamic environment of a lively college campus.
“I’m really proud of the progress we’re making toward our goal to make the office more strategic,” Palatka said. “We’ve taken huge strides in the past few months. I’m most excited about how quickly and willing people are to take these steps.”