Meet the Human Resources Team

Dana Nagengast, SHRM-SCP

Assistant Vice President – Chief Human Resources Officer (AVP-CHRO)Kingston Hall909.621.8512dnagengast@hmc.edu

Leads the Office of Human Resources, delivering innovative and customer-focused HR services related to candidate recruitment and onboarding experience, compensation and benefits, performance management, employee relations, HRIS/payroll processing, HR compliance/policy administration, and professional training and development.
Advises and partners with college leadership to achieve college and department goals in support of the College’s strategic initiatives.
Leads and collaborates with the HR team to foster community connections through communication, events, and gatherings to support our staff.
Serves as the primary point of contact for employees and supervisors pertaining to employee relations matters.
Leads Emergency Preparedness activities, including partnering with Emergency Management Team with various HMC constituents across campus and the President’s Cabinet.
Serves as one of the Workplace Violence Administrators for the College.
Represents the College as an active member of the Human Resources Committee of The Claremont Colleges and collaborates with colleagues in intercollegiate initiatives and programs.

Senior Associate Director for Human ResourcesKingston Hall909.607.4154psiffert@hmc.edu

Oversees hiring and onboarding for faculty, including managing HR processes for faculty appointments, in collaboration with the Dean of the Faculty’s Office. Schedule and conduct new hire orientation for the new faculty.
Partners with the AVP-CHRO regarding staff compensation analysis/programs and employment immigration requests.
Partners with the AVP-CHRO to support the annual performance management program.
Serves as the liaison with The Claremont Colleges Services (TCCS) regarding benefits administration, questions, and issue resolution for faculty and staff.
Oversees leave administration, which includes medical and family matters.

Human Resources CoordinatorKingston Hall909.607.9700ebarboza@hmc.edu

Serves as the primary point of contact, providing excellent customer service to employees, students and external constituents.
Supports HR functions, including benefits, recruitment, onboarding, and training.
Maintains employee records, coordinates meetings, and assists with payroll.
Handles employment inquiries, verification of employments, background checks, and compliance matters.
Collaborates with internal teams and ensures confidentiality in HR processes.

Emergency Preparedness and Safety SupervisorKingston Hall909.607.4891ksalazar@hmc.edu

Coordinates, oversees, and manages Cal/OSHA employee safety and emergency preparedness training.
Partners with the AVP-CHRO to oversee and manage all aspects of emergency preparedness and response training and exercises.
Schedules, organizes and directs annual and semi-annual emergency response exercises on campus.

Assistant Director for Human ResourcesKingston Hall909.607.6531jbarajas@hmc.edu

Oversees key HR services, including payroll administration, workers’ compensation, and student employment, ensuring compliance with laws and policies.
Supports annual programs, including benefits open enrollment, salary planning, performance management, and others.
Provides data analysis and reporting support to multiple HMC departments. Focusing on compiling and analyzing data for salary and benefits surveys, developing system reports, and ensuring regulatory compliance.
Serves as the Workday HR subject matter expert, developing system reports, supporting configurations, and training users.
Contributes to HR communications, employee engagement, and cross-campus collaboration to enhance service and operations.

Human Resources Employment ManagerKingston Hall909.607.4159mzuniga@hmc.edu

Manages recruitment, onboarding, and employment administration to ensure a seamless hiring experience.
Supports hiring managers with job descriptions, staffing needs, and compensation analysis.
Oversees employment changes, offboarding, and exit interview trend analysis for retention insights.
Leads compliance efforts, including unemployment claims, temporary employment, and initial performance reviews.

HR/Payroll AdministratorKingston Hall909.607.2729sohernandez@hmc.edu

Administers payroll for faculty, staff and student workers, including managing the Special Payment Authorization (SPA) function on campus.
Processes payroll changes related to leave of absences, including FMLA, medical leave, and other types of employee leave, in partnership with other HR team members.
Coordinates and administer student employment programs, including recruitment and payroll processing.
Serve as the primary point of contact for Workday Time Tracking and Absence Management system, providing support and troubleshooting.
Partners with the AVP-CHRO in developing and delivering HR training sessions for the community on HR and payroll compliance requirements in collaboration with HR team members.
Serves as the primary point of contact for Worker’s Compensation, in collaboration with TCCS.

Associate Director for Human ResourcesKingston Hall909.607.4096hphillips@hmc.edu

Oversees special employment arrangements and collaborates on employee classification and compensation practices.
Provides leadership and strategic support for key HR projects and initiatives, including job classification, remote work, and staff retention.
Co-supervises the Employment Manager and supports recruitment, onboarding, and performance management efforts.
Conducts employee relations investigations and assists in policy development and compliance.
Serves as Deputy Title IX Coordinator for employees and contributes to institutional initiatives through campus committee work.

Human Resources GeneralistKingston Hall909.607.4096cmagro@hmc.edu

Administers training programs, coordinates HR events and manages online learning platforms to support the College’s strategic goals and employee growth.
Organizes staff engagement initiatives and manages internal communications, including newsletters and event announcements.
Supports essential HR programs such as benefit enrollment and performance management.
Partners closely with the AVP-CHRO to enhance HR communications to foster a strong community connection.
Contributes to the development of the HR Playbook to streamline processes, maintain consistency, and implement best practices across HR operations.