Press Release

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 20, 2025

CUPA-HR Announces the 2025-26 Ignite Program Cohort

Twelve members of the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR) have been selected to participate in the 2025-26 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:

  • Kaelyn Garcia, culture and talent development consultant at Spokane Colleges
  • Jay Garland, human resource coordinator at Gallaudet University
  • Jaime Guizor, senior human resources generalist at Grand Valley State University
  • Darrah Henry, senior talent acquisition specialist at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
  • Sarah Hill, human resources generalist at Colorado State University
  • Anastasia L. Horton, human resources consultant at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
  • Antoinette Lancaster, payroll and human resources coordinator at the University of Maryland, College Park
  • Anissa Mimms, assistant director of training and organizational development at Louisiana State University
  • Jesus Olivo, program manager for staffing at Texas State University
  • Donecia Reed, division human resources coordinator at Georgia State University
  • Mindy Stichka, director of human resources and Title IX coordinator at Northwestern College
  • Jessi Welter, human resources recruitment and engagement coordinator at Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences

“We look forward to spending the next year with this outstanding group of early-career higher ed HR professionals. The future of higher education and higher ed HR is bright,” shares CUPA-HR President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. 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 40,000 HR professionals and other higher ed 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]