Christine Lovely
Christine D. Lovely is a talented lawyer turned higher-education leader with extensive experience in delivering HR services and leading organizations through change. Her appointment as Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Cornell University began on August 30, 2022. Lovely’s portfolio includes oversight of the human resources function, the Department of Inclusion and Belonging, and the Office of Institutional Equity and Title IX.
Prior to joining Cornell, she was Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief Human Resources Officer at University of California, Davis since 2018. Responsible for the central HR teams on both the UC Davis and UC Davis Health campuses, her focus was on building a customer service-oriented people and culture unit that prioritizes the employee experience, transparency, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives.
Before joining UC Davis, Lovely was Vice President for Human Resources at California State University, Sacramento from 2012-18 – a role that was added after serving as general counsel since 2010. While at Sacramento State, she built a talented team of professionals that introduced HR best practices and technology to a highly manual setting.
Lovely previously worked for the Sacramento County Office of Education as Associate General Counsel from 2008-10, the Public Employment Relations Board as a California Governor-appointed Legal Advisor from 2006-08 and was in private law practice for over 10 years, representing school districts and community college districts throughout California.
She began her appointment as an at-large board member of College and the University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR) in 2022. Before her move to New York state, Lovely served on boards for the Sacramento Black Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Sacramento Urban League, and as board president of the CUPA-HR Northern and Central California Chapter.
Lovely also has a long-held passion for mentoring. She has worked with professionals at all levels and elementary, at-risk high school, and university students through formal and informal programs.
The San Jose, CA native received a Bachelor of Arts in mass communication from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1991, and a Juris Doctorate from the UC Davis School of Law in 1996.
Leadership Responsibilities
Department of Inclusion and Belonging
Provides leadership on and implements strategies to create a diverse and inclusive workplace at Cornell. The Department also develops the University’s equal employment opportunity and affirmative action compliance programs.
Human Resources
Supports the faculty and staff throughout their experience at Cornell from recruitment to retirement by: creating an environment that values and supports diversity; recruiting, hiring and retaining top performing talent that will support university priorities; offering a comprehensive and competitive compensation and benefits program; prioritizing continuing education, professional development, work life balance and organizational health; and designing and implementing policies, processes and programs, in compliance with applicable laws.
The HR Community includes members from both the centralized Division of the Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, and the Human Resources departments dedicated to the colleges and units. This dual organizational structure provides our HR Community with a vast breadth 0f information about our workforce, and enables us to share knowledge and expertise to make decisions and implement initiatives that are in the best interest of our large, varied, population.
Office of Institutional Equity and TitleIX
Oversees the University’s compliance with Title IX; its ongoing education and primary prevention efforts; its investigation, response, and resolution of all reports of sexual and related misconduct under this policy; and its efforts to eliminate prohibited conduct, prevent its recurrence, and remedy its effects. Cornell is committed to providing a safe and nondiscriminatory environment for all members of the Cornell community.