Press Release

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 20, 2024

CUPA-HR Announces the 2024-25 Ignite Program Cohort

Twelve members of the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR) have been selected to participate in the 2024-25 CUPA-HR Ignite program, a 12-month leadership development experience designed for early-career higher education human resources professionals. Program participants will have the opportunity to develop their professional skills through tailored learning experiences including mentorship, learning events and courses, and the completion of a project showcasing the insights they gain throughout the year.

Participants were selected based on their HR strengths and areas for development identified on the program application as well as their interest in and commitment to the program.

The selected participants are:

  • Easton M. Biddulph, HR Generalist for Strategic People Operations at BYU-Pathway Worldwide
  • Derek Ekaitis, staff and faculty relations manager at Clemson University
  • Amanda Hedges, senior human resources business partner at the University of Chicago
  • Jessica Hughes, manager of human resources for business operations at the University of Mississippi
  • Adrianne Jones, performance management and engagement specialist at George Mason University
  • Ashley Lomma, recruiting manager at Smith College
  • Caroline Moore, compensation analyst at Emory University
  • Turner Rafter, talent acquisition professional at the University of Colorado System Office
  • Alon Seal, human resources specialist at Columbus State University
  • Cearra Sears, career development coach at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville
  • Laura Sroufe, communications and employee engagement specialist at South Dakota State University
  • Mariucy Tejada, labor relations analyst at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

“The future of higher education is a little brighter thanks to these 12 early-career higher education HR leaders who have been chosen to participate in a year-long immersive leadership experience as a member of the 11th CUPA-HR Ignite cohort,” shares CUPA-HR President and Chief Executive Officer Andy Brantley.

CUPA-HR’s Ignite program (formerly known as Wildfire) is led by outstanding current and past CUPA-HR leaders and national office staff and made possible in part thanks to support from HigherEdJobs.

About CUPA-HR

CUPA-HR is higher ed HR. We serve higher education by providing the knowledge, resources, advocacy and connections to achieve organizational and workforce excellence. Serving more than 36,000 HR professionals and other campus leaders at nearly 2,000 member institutions and organizations around the country and abroad, the association offers learning and professional development programs, higher education salary, benefits and demographic data, extensive online resources and just-in-time regulatory and legislative information.

 

Contact Information
Katie Edmiston
Communications Manager – Communications and Marketing
[email protected]