WSU Human Resource Services announces leadership changes and team realignments

Washington State University's Human Resource Services is rolling out a series of leadership changes and team realignments aimed at delivering faster, more consistent support to employees across the WSU system.

Four organizational shifts, taking place in July and August 2025, will streamline processes, strengthen communication, and expand professional development opportunities. The changes include promotions, team consolidations, and the integration of WSU Vancouver's HR staff into the system-wide structure. The moves are designed to improve service levels, reduce response times, and ensure all campuses receive the same high-quality HR support.

HRS Disability Services is now Medical Leave and Accommodation (MLA) and is under the leadership of Ann Monroe, director, Benefits & Medical Leave and Accommodation. Medical leave and reasonable accommodation requests are often connected to an employee's benefits, and having both the MLA and Benefits teams managed under the same leader will allow for a smoother process and quicker processing times.

Heather Burchell has been promoted to Human Resource Services director to lead and oversee the Employee Services Consulting team. Her balanced approach to complex matters will aid her in her new role and help ensure the team is better supported and positioned for success.

Paul Fleming McCullagh is now leading the new HRS Learning, Change, and Communications team that combines Learning and Organizational Development (LOD) and Modernization's Change and Communications team. This change bolsters LOD's work to improve Percipio (WSU's employee learning management system) and offer system-wide training and professional development opportunities. McCullagh will also support employee interactions through HRS communication channels.

Effective Aug. 1, 2025, Vancouver's HR team formally joined the system Human Resource Services structure. The purpose for the change was to better align HR services across the WSU system, ensuring consistency and shared support across all campuses. Integrating Vancouver's HR team with system HRS is consistent with how services are currently provided to Spokane, Tri-Cities, and Everett.

These re-alignments support the work Jennifer Klein, WSU's chief human resource officer, and the rest of the HRS team are doing to:

• Enhance human resource practices to achieve better outcomes
• Identify and implement operational efficiencies
• Promote timely, clear, and consistent communication with employees