MMGY Global Names New Chief Human Resources Officer

Oksana Kovalenko will become the new chief human resources officer at Overland Park-based MMGY Global, effective July 16th. Photo credit: MMGY Global.

Posted July 15, 2025

Overland Park-based MMGY Global has hired Oksana Kovalenko as the advertising firm’s chief human resources officer.

Kovalenko will assume the role of CHRO effective July 16, according to a Monday release. As CHRO, Kovalenko will lead the company’s global people strategy for more than 600 employees worldwide.

Kovalenko succeeds Mia Wise, who announced her retirement from MMGY Global in June.

“At MMGY Global, I’m excited to help intentionally design systems, organizational structures and communication practices that are rooted in empathy and built around cultural nuance – not despite it. That’s how we bring our mission to life – by creating meaningful connections and belonging across borders. I’m honored to lead this next chapter of MMGY Global’s people journey,” Kovalenko said in the release.

With over 20 years of executive leadership experience, Kovalenko has led in HR roles locally in the Kansas City area and internationally. Most recently, she served as Global HR Leader at Amazon within its Customer Service division. At Amazon, she helped organize talent strategies across two business verticals operating in 26 countries.

Before her time at Amazon, Kovalenko was the global human resources manager and diversity, inclusion and belonging lead at Kansas City-based H&R Block. She spent nearly 6 years at the firm, starting as an organizational development consultant. From 2013 through 2014, Kovalenko was the Philip Morris International in Kyiv, Ukraine. She served as an HR compensation & benefits consultant as well as a senior HR specialist for talent acquisition and organizational development while working in Kyiv.

“Her [Kovalenko] proven leadership and strategic mindset will be instrumental in guiding our people initiatives and reinforcing our position as a global employer of choice in the travel marketing sector,” MMGY Global CEO Katie Briscoe said in the release.