Rebekah Ashley
Saline,MI
Summary
Trusted leader with 20 years of experience in strategic planning, talent acquisition, employee relations, performance management, and legal compliance. Expertise in employee engagement, coaching, conflict resolution, and operations. Dedicated to promoting engaged, empowering work culture. Documented strengths in building and maintaining relationships with diverse range of stakeholders in dynamic, fast-paced settings. Licensed to practice law in the state of Michigan.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Senior Administrative Director/Associate COO
University of Michigan Medical School - Executive Administration
09.2019 - Current
- Maintain $2M+ operational budget through sound fiscal management policies
- Responsible for day-to-day operations of Medical School Administrative units, activities, and programs
- Manage ten full-time direct reports providing: annual performance reviews, coaching, mentoring, development, and recognition
- Provide strategic and administrative direction to twenty-nine reporting units and over 1000 employees
- Restructured administrative teams to maximize employee potential while creating positive change through alignment of behaviors with the organization's strategy, structures, processes, and business objectives
- Foster relationships through maintaining high visibility, consistently interacting with key stakeholders to inform, advise, and challenge
- Lead multiple enterprise-wide committees as chair to ideate, train, and implement solutions to improve enterprise level practices.
Senior HR Advisor and Chief Diversity Officer
University of Michigan Office of Research
12.2017 - 09.2019
- Oversight of talent acquisition and retention initiatives, including recruiting, onboarding, training, performance management, and employee engagement
- Enhanced management capabilities by advising leadership on critical issues
- Mediated personnel disputes between management and employees
- Maximized employee satisfaction and knowledge, and reduced turnover with motivational strategies and comprehensive onboarding, engagement, and development programs
- Developed and implemented a retirement incentive program that effectively reduced operating costs by $380,000 with a 40% acceptance rate
- Created and implemented organizational DEI reporting and training
- Developed and launched targeted DEI communications resulting in increased awareness of DEI standards, resources, and events
- Represented Office and Leadership at local, state, and national events.
Director of Human Resources
University of Michigan - Office of the Provost and Office of Research
02.2016 - 12.2017
- Resolved employee and operational issues with compliance, benefits, and other policies
- Spearheaded day-to-day performance management and team member relations strategies for over forty reporting units
- Improved work relationships, built morale, and increased productivity with well-implemented approaches
- Maximized employee engagement and reduced turnover with motivational strategies and enhanced training
- Optimized hiring strategies by forecasting hiring needs and implementing recruitment initiatives
- Prepared and reviewed compensation and benefits packages
- Contributed to diverse and inclusive workplace with fair and equitable application of human resources standards.
Associate Director of Academic Human Resources
University of Michigan, Academic Human Resources
02.2014 - 01.2016
- Developed and delivered department, college, and campus-wide comprehensive training programs
- Enhanced management capabilities by advising on federal, state, and university policies and regulations
- Strengthened HR strategies for employee relations and increased compliance by incorporating successful practices and updated employment laws into existing policies
- Interpreted and administered single-employee and collective bargaining contracts
- Partnered with stakeholders across multiple campuses to ensure hiring and promotion practices aligned consistently with core values, created innovative pipelines for talent, and provided guidance on succession planning.
Director of Faculty Affairs
University of Michigan College of Engineering
07.2009 - 02.2014
- Developed and implemented HR strategies, policies, and procedures to support faculty lifecycle processes from recruitment through retirement
- Led annual HR cycle deliverables for performance, benefits, and other key areas
- Negotiated executive faculty recruitment and compensation agreements
- Coached leaders on employee relations issues, policy interpretation and application, and organizational design
- Delivered proactive insights for faculty affairs needs by evaluating issues, patterns, and trends in current processes
- Provided oversight of faculty promotion process: developed standard casebook, criteria, and procedure, and provided training.
Senior Labor Relations Representative
University of Michigan, Academic Human Resources
01.2004 - 07.2009
- Moderated disciplinary actions, regularly reviewing actions, and recommending changes
- Resolved conflicts through mediating and facilitating discussions with representatives
- Drafted professional proposals and counterproposals for labor negotiations
- Identified potential impacts of proposed agreement changes and assessed methods to mitigate negative changes
- Managed relations with unions and labor groups, including negotiating collective bargaining agreements and monitoring execution
- Prevented many labor issues through management and supervisor training on positive labor relations
- Represented the university in contract negotiations, obtaining favorable terms with persistence and a knowledgeable approach.
Education
Juris Doctor (J.D.): Employment and Immigration Law -
12.2002
President, Student Bar Association 2001-2002
Admitted to Michigan State Bar May 2003
Bachelor of Science (B.S.): Written Communications and General Business -
07.1999
Skills
- Strategic planning
- Leadership
- Relationship building
- Change management
- Performance Management
- Human resources
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Contract negotiation/ administration
Certification
- Certified Executive Coach, 2021
- TIAA Emerging Leaders Network, 2019-2021
- Certified Lean practitioner, 2016,
Board Service
Vice Chair, Board of Trustees
Michigan School of Psychology, Farmington Hills, MI, January 2024 - Current
Trustee, Board of Trustees
Michigan School of Psychology, Farmington Hills, MI, January 2021 - December 2023
Additional Information
Presentations:
Navigating the Challenges of Implementing a Retirement Incentive Program
2021 CUPA-HR National Conference, Washington, D.C.
Introduction to Research Faculty Administration,
2019 CUPA-HR State Conference, Ann Arbor, MI
Development of a Community of Practice
2018 CUPA-HR Regional Conference, Ann Arbor, MI
Timeline
Senior Administrative Director/Associate COO - University of Michigan Medical School - Executive Administration
09.2019 - Current
Senior HR Advisor and Chief Diversity Officer - University of Michigan Office of Research
12.2017 - 09.2019
Director of Human Resources - University of Michigan - Office of the Provost and Office of Research
02.2016 - 12.2017
Associate Director of Academic Human Resources - University of Michigan, Academic Human Resources
02.2014 - 01.2016
Director of Faculty Affairs - University of Michigan College of Engineering
07.2009 - 02.2014
Senior Labor Relations Representative - University of Michigan, Academic Human Resources
01.2004 - 07.2009
University of Detroit Mercy School of Law - Juris Doctor (J.D.): Employment and Immigration Law,
Eastern Michigan University - Bachelor of Science (B.S.): Written Communications and General Business,