Dear UTA community,

I am pleased to share that Chief Human Resources Officer Jewel Washington has been selected as UTA’s first vice president for talent, culture, and inclusion, effective Nov. 1.

In this inaugural position, Jewel will lead our efforts to establish a new Office of Talent, Culture, and Inclusion. This office will combine functions of the Office of Human Resources and Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to elevate our focus on attracting and retaining talent at all levels, supporting an inclusive workplace, and advancing the development of our faculty and staff. Under Jewel’s leadership, I am confident this new office will allow us to better serve our community, help ensure our people have what they need to thrive, and deepen the impact of our work in DEI.

Jewel joined UTA in February 2021, overseeing all areas of HR while actively engaging with University leaders, governance groups, and the broader UTA and HR communities. She has served as a champion for our efforts to advance workforce diversity, inclusiveness, and employment equity while providing invaluable counsel throughout the last year as we launched and successfully completed six leadership searches. She is devoted to ensuring that UTA employees are given development and advancement opportunities and is committed to providing a campus environment where we all feel valued and have a sense of purpose.

Jewel served previously as the assistant vice president of human resources at the University of Maryland and in several senior HR positions at the University of New Mexico, including interim vice president. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology, guidance, and counseling from Eastern New Mexico University and a master’s degree in human resources development from Webster University.

I am sincerely thankful to the 12-member search committee, chaired by Tamara Brown, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. I also appreciate Eunice Curry’s leadership in serving as acting vice president for DEI while we conducted this search.

Many of you shared insights and recommendations on how our University can broaden the reach and impact of our DEI work, and I thank you for doing so. I look forward to working with Jewel and this new office to further our dual missions of academic and research excellence paired with our unwavering commitment to the inclusion of students, faculty, and staff from all backgrounds.