At Syracuse University, our Office of Human Resources is dedicated to the success of our faculty, staff, and student employees. Our priorities are clearly defined and focused on helping employees achieve their career goals and worklife balance. Working at Syracuse means that you have comprehensive and generous benefits, great colleagues from all 50 states and around the world, and are a part of a great University community with more than 21,000 students. From training and professional development to wellness and financial planning, our team is ready to provide support and professional expertise for employees in the modern workplace.
Human Resources Leadership
Alex Dietrich – Interim Chief Human Resource Officer
Dana Sovocool – Associate Vice President of HR Operations & Talent Management Strategy
Three Main Service Areas
Human Resources is organized into three main areas: Centers of Expertise, HR Shared Services, and experienced Human Resource professionals as Senior Human Resource Business Partners. As a result of this organizational structure, HR focuses on accomplishing the following strategic goals:
- Building stronger partnerships with schools, colleges, and administrative units;
- Improving and streamlining Human Resource transactions, thereby reducing the amount of school and college staff time devoted to Human Resource matters; and
- Identifying professional development opportunities for University employees.
HR Shared Services
HR Shared Services serves as the primary point of contact for Human Resources support across Syracuse University, assisting employees, managers, and campus partners with questions and transactions spanning the full employee lifecycle — from hire to retire. The team delivers consistent, high-quality service to schools, colleges, and administrative units by combining knowledgeable HR professionals, efficient processes, and modern technology to ensure an exceptional employee experience at every touchpoint. Employees who are unsure where to direct an HR question are encouraged to begin with HR Shared Services.
- Jim Mennig, Director of Shared Services
Centers of Expertise
The Centers of Expertise include five centers, each with a clearly defined focus, as well as a dedicated set of services and skill sets. The centers and the directors leading each team include:
- Benefits: Sarah Azria, Executive Director of Benefits Strategy & Programs: Provide strategic advice on the development and maintenance of a competitive benefits program, and manage relationships with all benefits vendors.
- Compensation: Pamela Socker, Director of Compensation Strategy: Provide strategic advice to University leaders to ensure equitable and competitive pay throughout the University as well as consistent titling and classifications.
- Talent Management: Dana Sovocool, Associate Vice President of HR Operations & Talent Management Strategy: Provide a full range of global talent recruiting and hiring needs for all University staff and supports staff development and performance evaluation programs.
- HR Systems & Data Management: Kathi Donahue, Director of HR System & Data Management: Manage and maximize Human Resource technology, and lead and support process improvements.
- Wellness and WorkLife: Raquel Patterson, Director of Health and Wellness: Manage a range of University wellness and Worklife initiatives and supervise and align the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program with University global workforce needs.
Senior Human Resource Business Partners & Labor Relations
Our Senior Human Resource Business Partners serve as experts who provide frontline strategic advice on a variety of Human Resource matters to a dedicated set of schools, colleges, or administrative units. The Senior HR Business Partners partner with leaders in schools, colleges, and administrative units to identify staff development opportunities, offer strategic advice and assist with HR matters in their areas.
- Amanda Barbuto — Athletics, Office of COO, and General Counsel
- Lindsay Blair — Academic Affairs, Falk, Graduate School, SU Abroad, and College of Engineering & Computer Science
- Karin Botto — Advancement and Hendricks Chapel
- Michelle Johnson — College of Professional Studies, SU Global, Whitman, Education, iSchool, and Strategic Initiatives & Innovation (IVMF)
- Eric Kay — Arts & Sciences, Maxwell, Office of People & Culture, Law, and Visual & Performing Arts Schools.
- Jackie Ali — School of Architecture and Newhouse
- Jonathan Terpstra — Office of CFO and Student Experience (DPS)
Interim CHRO, Alex Dietrich, supports the Board of Trustees, Chancellor’s Department, Office of Human Resources.
Our Employee Relations team promotes positive labor-management relations using an interest-based approach to achieve positive outcomes and support the University’s overall mission and strategic plan.
- David Chaplin – Director of Employee Relations — Communications, Marketing, Information Technology Services & Library