HUMAN RESOURCES - Key Persons


Alyssa Thom

Job Titles:
  • Learning Consultant and Business Partner
Alyssa joined Employee and Organizational Development in February 2023. Prior to joining the EOD team, she served the UTK campus as an Academic Personnel Specialist. Trained in education and with 10 years of experience in human resources, Alyssa has a diverse background in public education, local government, and higher education. Outside of work, Alyssa enjoys serving her community through volunteering and service projects. In nearly 20 years of volunteering for Canine Companions, she has helped to raise 11 service dogs. As Sr. Learning Consultant and Business Partner, Alyssa's focus is to address the unique learning and development needs of each campus and institute, through the design, development, and delivery of learning programs. Alyssa is passionate about providing meaningful learning opportunities to every employee of UT. Alyssa holds a bachelor's degree in Liberal Studies from San Diego State University, a certificate in Human Resources Management from University of Nevada, Reno, and is currently pursuing a M.S.S.W in Organizational Leadership at University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Brian K. Dickens - CHRO

Job Titles:
  • Chief Human Resources Officer

Damon Davis

Job Titles:
  • Director of Compensation

Doug Bohner

Job Titles:
  • Officer, Director of Extension

Dr. Chandra Alston

Job Titles:
  • Associate
  • Vice Chancellor

Dr. Izetta Slade

Job Titles:
  • Executive Director for Employee and Organizational Development With University of Tennessee ( UT ) System
  • Executive Director, HR / Employee & Organizational Development
Izetta is currently the Executive Director for Employee and Organizational Development with University of Tennessee (UT) System Human Resources. Immediately preceding her move to UT System HR she served as Executive Director of Human Resources at UT Knoxville. Other positions held at UT include; Associate Director for Equity and Diversity, Interim Department Head for UT Extension Evaluation and Staff Development, Interim Human Resource Officer for UT Institute of Agriculture, and Training Program Manager at the Institute for Public Service. Izetta has over 20 years of work experience with higher education institutions. She also has experience in working with business, non-profit, and local, county, and state government agencies to provide human resources, customer service, strategic planning, program facilitation, event planning, leadership coaching and development, performance and organizational consulting, and professional development services. Izetta received her B.S. in Business Administration from the University of South Carolina, her M.S. in Educational Human Resource Development from Texas A&M University, and doctorate in Learning and Leadership through UT, Chattanooga.

Dr. Mary Lucal

Job Titles:
  • Associate
  • Vice Chancellor

Gohar Sheikh

Job Titles:
  • Compensation Specialist

Jeannie Tennant

Job Titles:
  • Associate Director
Jeannie, a dedicated professional, joined Employee and Organizational Development (EOD) in June 2021. Prior to her tenure with EOD, she served the UTK campus as a Learning and Organizational Development Consultant. With a foundation as an educator and coach, Jeannie boasts a diverse background encompassing public education, healthcare, and higher education, all with a strong focus on leadership and staff development, professional coaching, and program facilitation. Her unwavering commitment to lifelong learning is evident in her work, which centers on creating meaningful and rigorous learning opportunities. Jeannie has extensive experience providing inclusive leadership development, strategic planning, differentiated learning, and organizational consulting. She holds a bachelor's degree in Multidisciplinary Studies and Human Learning from Tennessee Technological University and earned her master's degree in leadership and management, further enhancing her expertise and dedication to the field.

Jenna Johnson

Job Titles:
  • Coordinator
  • ELearning Coordinator
Jenna joined Employee and Organizational Development in June 2022 as the Sr. Learning Coordinator and LMS Technical Assistant. She transferred into her new role as eLearning Coordinator in August 2023. Jenna is motivated and dedicated to delivering high-quality work while fostering collaboration and supporting organizational needs. She is committed to learning and contributing to the growth of UT System employees. As eLearning Coordinator, Jenna provides K@TE learning management system support for UT Business Partners, assists with the logistics and planning for EOD learning opportunities, and provides frontline customer service on behalf of the team. Jenna is currently completing her B.S. in Business Administration at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville majoring in Human Resource Management with a concentration in International Business.

Justin Haynes

Job Titles:
  • Compensation Analyst

Kirsten Schroeder

Job Titles:
  • Compensation Manager

Kortney Jarman

Job Titles:
  • Manager
Kortney joined Employee and Organizational Development in February 2022. Prior to joining the EOD, he served the UTK Campus for 20 years in various roles, first as a Computer Support Specialist for the Haslam College of Business, an IT Specialist and Systems Admin for the Center for Career Development, and a Learning Technology Specialist for the Instructional Support and Training team in the Office of Information Technology. Kortney has a diverse background in technology support and training and strives to use technology as a tool for growth, collaboration and development. He has a passion for learning and providing learning opportunities. His focus is to provide employee development and compliance training initiatives via the K@TE learning management system for statewide internal employees, UT departments and campuses. He advises on eLearning best practices that adhere to high quality standards and aids in training and support for campus learning administrators. Kortney holds a Bachelor's Degree in Statistics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Laura Sloan

Job Titles:
  • Compensation Director

Laure Pou

Job Titles:
  • Executive Director

Michael Washington - CHRO

Job Titles:
  • Director of Human Resources

Patricia Burks-Jelks

Job Titles:
  • Director for Human Resources & Services

Sarah Crichton

Job Titles:
  • Learning Consultant and Business Partner
Sarah joined Employee and Organizational Development in January 2022 as the Learning and Development Coordinator. In August 2022, she transitioned to her current role as Learning Consultant and Business Partner. Sarah is a dedicated professional with a passion for learning, leadership, and development. As Learning Consultant and Business Partner, Sarah's mission is to provide system-wide consulting, assistance, and support for designing and implementing synchronous and asynchronous learning. She is responsible for event planning for major conferences, certificate programs, and the UT Leadership Institute, as well as providing support for in-person and online learning opportunities. With her unwavering passion, educational pursuits, and ambition, Sarah is committed to driving educational excellence and fostering inclusive learning opportunities. Sarah holds a B.S. in Business Administration with an emphasis on Human Resource Management and International Business from the University of Tennessee. Currently, Sarah is pursuing her M.S. in Educational Psychology with an emphasis on Adult Education, also from the University of Tennessee.

Tomi Rogers

Job Titles:
  • Manager, HR and Operations