We’re excited to introduce our 2026-27 chair-elect and treasurer. Beginning July 1, 2026, they will step into these roles alongside the other board leaders who help shape the association’s strategic direction and advance the higher ed HR profession.
Kelli Shuman to Serve as Chair-Elect on the CUPA-HR Board of Directors
Kelli Shuman, associate vice president and chief human resources officer at Carnegie Mellon University, has been selected to serve as the 2026-27 chair-elect of the board of directors of CUPA-HR. In 2027-28, she will serve as chair of the board. Her term as chair-elect begins on July 1.
Shuman, a long-time CUPA-HR member, has held many leadership positions with CUPA-HR. She spent several years on the Midwest Region board of directors, including terms as treasurer and chair. In 2017, Shuman was named to the national board of directors and currently serves as the board treasurer. She has also been a member of the National Awards and Public Policy committees, vice chair of the Research Advisory Committee, and chair of the Budget and Finance Committee. Shuman participated in the 2009-10 Emerging CUPA-HR Leaders Program and later served as a program leader.
Outside of CUPA-HR, Shuman oversees the full scope of HR operations at Carnegie Mellon University, ensuring that policies, programs and services align with the university’s mission and strategic priorities. She has more than 20 years of higher education HR experience across multiple institution types.
Eugene Whitlock to Serve as Treasurer on the CUPA-HR Board of Directors
Eugene Whitlock, chief people and culture officer/associate vice chancellor for HR at the University of California, Berkeley, has been selected to serve as treasurer on the CUPA-HR board of directors for the 2026-27 fiscal year. He will serve a three-year term beginning on July 1.
Whitlock is an active member of CUPA-HR and has served in several leadership positions within the association. From 2022 to 2025, he served as an at-large member of the CUPA-HR board of directors. He has also been a member of several CUPA-HR committees, including the Learning and Professional Development, Budget and Finance, Research Advisory, and National Awards committees, in addition to chairing the Public Policy Committee.
Whitlock has over 10 years of experience in higher education HR and has spent the last six years at UC Berkeley, where he leads a team of 95 HR professionals.