On May 22, Veronica Law joined CALS as the director of human resources. In this role, she will oversee the work of the CALS Office of Human Resources, including implementing and evaluating strategic initiatives, advising CALS leadership, and supervising a team of 20 HR professionals to support the HR needs of the college. She reports to Angela Seitler, CALS associate dean for finance and administration.

What is your hometown? Where did you grow up?

I am originally from the Dominican Republic. I lived there until the age of 16. I then moved to New York City with my family. I lived in New York for 8 years and eventually moved to Madison, Wisconsin.

What is your professional/educational background?

Most recently, I was at the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF), where I served as human resources director for the department’s Bureau of Human Resources. In that role, I managed and oversaw the full scope of HR functions and operations for nearly 800 state employees including employment relations, recruitment and selection, classification and compensation, performance management, payroll and benefits, FMLA, training, HR policies and procedures and operating budget.

I’ve also held positions at the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services as senior employment relations coordinator; the Wisconsin Department of Health Services as an HR specialist; and UW–Madison, where I was an HR manager for CALS and the School of Engineering from 2011-2013. So I’ve worked at CALS before!

I have a BS degree in psychology from Edgewood College.

What are your main responsibilities in your new CALS role?

I will direct and manage strategic planning initiatives for the college’s HR functions including recruitment, employment relations, performance management, compensation and classification, and payroll and benefits. I will also develop, recommend and implement policies and procedures, as well as develops and manage the HR budget.

What attracted you to this position/ the college?

I have a passion for HR. In the last 20+ years, I have had the opportunity to work in mostly every area of HR including management and supervision. When I learned about this position, I knew it was a position where I was going to be able to bring my knowledge and experience to meet the CALS HR goals. It also gave me the opportunity to come back to CALS as I truly enjoyed working here a few years ago.

What are you most looking forward to as you start your position in CALS?

I am really looking forward to getting to know my team and my customers to start building connections and relationships and learning how I can be of service.

What are your hobbies and other interests?

I love spending time with my family doing outdoor activities such as camping, hiking and cycling.

How should people contact you?

I can be reached by email, chat or phone.

The CALS HR director position was previously held by Carol Hillmer, who retired in spring 2021. Cheryl Bowes has served as interim HR director since that time, and now returns to her role as co-associate HR director.