2025 Conference: Humans Behind the Resources Agenda

Moving Beyond Compliance to Care

Presented by: Eugene Whitlock

Learning Objective:

• Examining what motivates us to do our work in HR
• Redefining HR’s Role – Explore how shifting from a compliance-driven mindset to a people-first approach enhances employee engagement, belonging, and institutional culture in higher education
• Leveraging Data for People-First HR – Learn how to use employee feedback, engagement surveys, and workforce analytics to inform policies that balance compliance with a culture of care.

About the Presenter

As UC Berkeley’s Chief People & Culture Officer (Associate Vice Chancellor), Eugene leads a one hundred person human resources department including talent acquisition, people and organization development, employee and labor relations, total rewards, diversity equity, inclusion and belonging, business intelligence and human resources information systems. Eugene also serves on the governing board of CUPA-HR (the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources) and is Vice Chair of the American Research Universities-Human Resources Institute, and is the Chair of the Human Resources Leadership Council for the University of California. During his time at UC Berkeley, Eugene has emphasized the creation of a workplace where everyone can be themselves and feel like they belong and helped elevate Berkeley to be among the best institutions to work for in the University of California system.

Prior to UC Berkeley, Eugene served as the Vice Chancellor, Human Resources and General Counsel for the San Mateo County Community College District. Eugene is most proud of his work to infuse equity into the hiring process by rewriting job announcements and interview questions, as well as training each person who is part of the decision-making process on the benefits of diversity and reducing the impact of unconscious bias. In 2017, the Association of California Community College Administrators selected Eugene for its “Progress in Diversity” Award given for “Outstanding Achievement in Support of Diversity in the Higher Education Community.”

Eugene also served as a Deputy County Counsel for the County of San Mateo for eight years where he primarily served as outside counsel for K-12 school districts. Eugene has also worked as a corporate attorney for DavisPolk in New York, Tokyo and Menlo Park, as an investment banker for Deutsche Bank in San Francisco and as a project manager for Stiftung, Wissenschaft und Politik in Berlin.

Eugene obtained his undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences from Stanford University and earned his law degree cum laude from the University of Michigan. He is also a fluent speaker of Spanish and German.

Hosted in the Tenaya Room

Take a short break and visit the Expo to meet the conference sponsors and more.

Session 1: Building Trust: Everyone Has a Role!

Presented by: Colin Gerker-Junsay, Senior Talent Strategy Partner, UC Berkeley

In today’s session, we will learn about building trust in the workplace by learning about the Blanchard ABCD Trust Model. We will have quick conversations about trust building and breaking behaviors that we, as HR professionals experience in our work everyday. The discussions will provide you with an expanded perspective on ways to build (and rebuild) trust with your HR team members and your clients. We will also explore a few use-case options for the ABCD Model through client engagements, team relationships, and people strategies at the department and organizational level. 

• Learn about the ABCD Blanchard Trust Model 
• Expand knowledge of trust building and breaking behaviors
• Discover examples of application for the ABCD model in your work as an HR professional

Session 2: Reignite, Reimagine, Reengage: Finding New Motivation in Your Role

Presented by: Kathleen Sexton, Founder & Principal, Kairos Learning

Are you questioning your purpose, seeking greater meaning in your work, or feeling ready for a personal reinvention? This interactive breakout session offers HR professionals a framework to help get "unstuck" and find new motivation for yourself or for working with your clients. Through the lens of job crafting, we’ll explore how small, strategic changes can re-energize your current role, allowing you to experience a deeper sense of purpose and satisfaction in what you do each day. Start the journey to a more fulfilling career by taking control of the aspects within your reach and building a roadmap for sustained motivation and success in the future.

After attending this session, you will:

• • know how to evaluate your current level of engagement.
  • identify meaningful adjustments to align your work with your values and strengths. 
  • gain practical tools and resources for re-engaging with your job in impactful ways.

Session 3: From Awareness to Action: Equity in Hiring

Presented by: USC Race and Equity Center

This workshop will equip participants with the knowledge and tools to advance racial equity in campus hiring. Participants will deepen their understanding of equity’s critical and accountability dimensions, analyze hiring data to assess equity gaps, and engage in structured inquiry to examine job announcements and interview questions. Through hands-on activities, attendees will explore how institutional hiring practices support or undermine equity and develop actionable strategies to transform hiring processes for meaningful, systemic change.

Hosted in the Tenaya Room

Join us for lunch, and connect with your higher ed HR colleagues from around the region. Finished eating? Take some time to visit the Expo!

"Leading with Care: Inclusive Excellence and Healing in an Anti-DEI Era"

Presented by: Dr. Damon A. Williams   

About the Presenter

Dr. Damon A. Williams is a visionary and inspirational leader, and one of the nation’s recognized experts in strategic diversity leadership, youth development, corporate responsibility, and organizational change.

For four years, he led a $250M social impact portfolio for the world’s largest youth development company, the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, representing the interests of nearly 4M diverse youth and teens as Senior Vice President for Programs and Chief Education Officer. One of the original architects of the Inclusive Excellence concept in American higher education, he is author of the best-selling Strategic Diversity Leadership and co-author of the Chief Diversity Officer, he is a global thought leader having worked with more than 1,000 colleges and universities, Fortune 100 companies, foundations, and government agencies, as keynote speaker, strategist, educator, and social impact leader.

As the University of Michigan celebrates her 200-year anniversary, he was recently awarded the Bicentennial Leadership Award, a one-time honor given to 20 trailblazing alumni, who exemplify the best of the academic and leadership values of the Universities 200,000 living alumni.  He is currently chief catalyst for the Center for Strategic Diversity Leadership & Social Innovation and a Senior Scholar and Innovation Fellow at the Wisconsin Equity, and Inclusion (Wei) Laboratory of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he previously served as Associate Vice Chancellor and inaugural Chief Diversity, Equity, and Educational Achievement Officer.

Dr. Williams received his PhD from the University of Michigan Center for the Study of Higher and Post-Secondary Education (CSHPE) in Organizational Behavior and Management, and his MS and BS degrees from Miami University in Educational Leadership and Sociology and Black World Studies, respectively. For more information, please visit www.drdamonawilliams.com.

Stick around after the keynote to see if you're a winner! There will be time for a short break after the drawing.

Happiness at Work: It Starts with You!

Presented by: Angela L.M. Stopper, Ph.D., CLO & Director of People and Organization Development, UC Berkeley

In today’s closing Keynote session, we will learn about happiness in the workplace. We will briefly discuss 3 happiness inhibitors and 5 happiness enablers, giving you exactly what you need to start to make a positive impact within your team and larger organization. You’ll leave with a smile on your face that will be contagious to everyone around you! 

• Practice a Happiness Inducing Activity
• Learn about 3 Inhibitors to Happiness (and think about ways to lessen or eliminate them)
• Learn about 5 Enablers of Happiness (and think about ways to broaden and strengthen their impact)

About the Presenter

Dr. Angela L.M. Stopper is the Chief Learning Officer & Director of People and Organization Development at the University of California, Berkeley. In her role, she leads the team that creates and delivers campus-wide workforce education programs, career and professional development initiatives, and organization development and change management consulting services for the campus. She is an author, researcher, and global thought-leader in areas of learning and organization development and strategic workforce planning. She has a deep passion for coaching and advising executives and leaders from around the world as they explore ways to ensure that their organization, and their workforce, is future ready.