Lawyer-turned-HR exec is heading to the Ivy League
Cornell University has named its next vice president and CHRO.
The New York-based learning institution has appointed Christine D. Lovely, associate vice chancellor and CHRO at the University of California, Davis, to the role. She will take office beginning Aug. 30.
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“Christine has an impressive track record of engaged leadership, recruiting and retaining talented staff, and building a sense of belonging among all employees,” said Martha E. Pollack, Cornell president. “I look forward to working with Christine to make sure Cornell remains one of the best places to work in the country.”
Lovely will be heading a division responsible for 18,000 staff and faculty members across Cornell’s campuses in Ithaca, Geneva, New York City and Qatar.
Her first order of business: getting to know Cornell’s employees, culture and programs.
“It’s so important to get out and meet and talk to people at all levels,” Lovely told the Cornell Chronicle. “I’ve always been the type of leader that wants to engage with and mentor employees, support their development and ensure that people have an opportunity to advance in their careers.”
Lovely is currently associate vice chancellor and chief human resources officer at the University of California, Davis, having joined the university in October 2018. Prior to that, Lovely spent eight and a half years of her career at the California State University-Sacramento, serving as university counsel from May 2010 to December 2011, and as vice president for human resources from January 2012 until her departure in 2018.
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She was also an associate general counsel at the Sacramento County Office of Education from June 2008 to April 2010.
Lovely will succeed Mary Opperman, who announced plans to step down last fall. Initially planning to depart June 30, Opperman has agreed to stay on through Aug. 29, concluding 25 years of service at Cornell, according to the Cornell Chronicle.
Other employers have previously appointed key personnel in leadership roles.
Recently, Zoom Video Communications, Inc. announced that Greg Tomb will join the San Jose, CA-based company as president, effective June 7. Also, Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg created a new position of racial equity advisor and appointed Kelly Fong Rivas, previously chief of mayor’s staff Kelly, to the role. The NBA’s Sacramento Kings also hired Mike Brown – a current assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors – as its new head coach.
In May, Cloud security company Zscaler named former Google and Citi executive Brendan Castle as its new chief people officer. Also, Software company Intercom named L. David Kingsley – previously chief people officer at Irvine, CA-based Alteryx – as its first chief people officer.