Christine Lovely Appointed to Lead UCLA Human Resources
UCLA has announced the appointment of Christine Lovely as the university’s inaugural Vice Chancellor for Campus Human Resources and Chief People Officer. The announcement was made Wednesday by Chancellor Julio Frenk in an email sent to faculty and staff across the campus.
Lovely, who currently serves as Cornell University’s Chief Human Resources Officer and Vice President, will officially begin her new role at UCLA on December 18. She will join Chancellor Frenk’s leadership cabinet and will report directly to both Frenk and Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Darnell Hunt.
New Role and Responsibilities
In her new capacity, Lovely will oversee all aspects of campus human resources at UCLA. This includes departmental training, employee support groups, and management consultation. Her responsibilities will also encompass guiding university efforts in recruitment, development, support, and retention of faculty and staff.
Chancellor Frenk emphasized that Lovely will collaborate closely with UCLA’s administrative and academic leaders to shape a comprehensive approach to workforce development and organizational effectiveness. This role is crucial as UCLA Campus Resources currently serves over 40,000 employees, including personnel from UCLA Health.
Relationship with UCLA Health
While UCLA Health Human Resources will continue to report to John Mazziotta, CEO of UCLA Health and Vice Chancellor for UCLA Health Sciences, there will be a secondary reporting relationship with Lovely. This structure aims to foster collaboration across the broader UCLA system while maintaining operational autonomy for UCLA Health.
Lovely’s Professional Background
Christine Lovely brings a wealth of experience to UCLA. At Cornell University, she has overseen not only human resources operations but also the Department of Inclusion and Belonging and the Office of Civil Rights. Her leadership at Cornell recently included navigating a federal compliance agreement that restored $1.1 billion in federal funding to the university after a suspension earlier in the year.
Prior to her time at Cornell, Lovely served as Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief Human Resources Officer at the University of California, Davis. There, she managed HR operations for both UC Davis and UC Davis Health. Her earlier career includes a role as Associate General Counsel for the Sacramento County Office of Education.
Academic Credentials and California Roots
A native of San Jose, California, Lovely holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communication from UC Berkeley and a law degree from the UC Davis School of Law. Her academic and professional journey reflects a deep commitment to public service and higher education in California.
Selection Process and Leadership Qualities
Lovely was selected for the new vice chancellor position through a standard UCLA search committee process. The committee included Stephen Agostini, Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer; Steve Dubinett, Dean of the David Geffen School of Medicine; Carole Goldberg, Professor at the UCLA School of Law; Heather Caruso, Associate Dean at the UCLA Anderson School of Management; and Alex Stern, Dean of Humanities in the College of Letters and Sciences.
“Lovely was chosen through a standard UCLA search-process,” Goldberg confirmed in a statement. However, she noted that she was not involved in decisions regarding how Lovely’s performance will be evaluated in her new role.
According to Chancellor Frenk, Lovely stood out for her inclusive leadership style, ability to build collaborative relationships in complex organizational structures, and her strong commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
Looking Ahead
Though Lovely did not respond to media requests for comment on her appointment, her extensive resume and the confidence expressed by UCLA leadership suggest that she is well-positioned to shape the future of human resources at the university. Her appointment marks a significant step in strengthening UCLA’s infrastructure to support its diverse and expansive workforce.
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