DHR Leadership

Quinton M. Herbert, JD    Director and Chief Human Capital Officer

Quinton Herbert, DirectorQuinton M. Herbert serves as the Director and Chief Human Capital Officer for the Department of Human Resources (“DHR”) for the City of Baltimore. In this capacity, he is responsible for creating, developing, and driving comprehensive and strategic programs and initiatives that align with organizational goals and strategies. Mr. Herbert has an extensive background in labor and employment relations and leadership development. He previously served as the Deputy Labor Commissioner for the City of Baltimore, where he functioned as the lead negotiator for the City in collective bargaining with all non-public safety unions. He also advised management and HR professionals on a wide array of employment and labor-related issues.

Mr. Herbert is an American Arbitration Association Higginbotham Fellow and is a recipient of the Maryland Daily Record Leadership in Law Award and the American Institute of Legal Counsel “10 Best” Employment and Labor Law Attorney for Maryland Award. He has been recognized as one of the National Black Lawyer's Top 100 Lawyers in 2017. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Maryland Public Employer Relations Association (MdPELRA) and The Maryland Labor and Employment Relations Association (MdLERA) and is a member of several bars and professional associations.

Tonya Brinkley    Deputy Director

Image of Tonya Brinkley, Deputy DirectorTonya Brinkley currently serves as the Deputy Director for the City of Baltimore’s Department of Human Resources (“DHR”). In this capacity, she is responsible for reviewing and maintaining HR operational guidelines, as well as driving progressive changes.  She also has a direct impact on the City’s ERP Governance and System Functionality.   Ms. Brinkley previously served as DHR’s Chief of Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS).

Prior to her role with the City of Baltimore, Ms. Brinkley served as the Director of the OnePhilly, the ERP system in Philadelphia, PA, the Chief of HRIS for the City of Richmond, Virginia; the Senior Project Manager of  Operations, and the Manager of Data Analytics for the City of Jacksonville, Florida; and has worked extensively as an independent HR consultant with clients such as Fannie Mae, Texaco, and several local technology companies. Her diverse human resources leadership background includes more than twenty (20) years of experience in private sector organizations, where she served as the Director of Human Resources at Sylvan Learning Systems, Blockbuster, and Macy’s Inc.

Ms. Brinkley holds a master’s degree in human resources management from American University and a Master’s degree in Information Technology/Project Management from the University of Maryland. She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Bowie State University.

 
Michael Tate    Assistant Deputy Director, Operations

Michael Tate, Assistant Deputy Director, OperationsMichael Tate is the Assistant Deputy Director of Operations for the City of Baltimore’s Department of Human Resources (“DHR”). He oversees DHR’s offices of Shared Services and Recruitment, Learning and Development, Employee Benefits, Policy and Compliance, and Classification and Compensation.

Mr. Tate has worked in local and state governments for over twenty-seven (27) years. He retired from the United States Navy in 2018 after twenty-four (24) years of Honorable Service. Before taking his current role, Michael served as the Human Resources Manager for the county of Santa Barbara, California’s Department of Behavioral Wellness, and an 800-employee full-cycle human resources department. He has extensive knowledge in all aspects of Human Resources and government relations.

Mr. Tate is currently attending Ventura College of Law to obtain his Juris Doctorate. He is a graduate of Thomas Edison State College, earning Bachelor of Science degrees in both History and English.

Lindsay Wines    Assistant Deputy Director, Administration

Lindsay Wines, Assistant Deputy Director, AdministrationLindsay Wines is the Assistant Deputy Director of Administration for the City of Baltimore’s Department of Human Resources (“DHR”). She oversees DHR’s offices of Human Resources Information System (HRIS) and the Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

Ms. Wines has worked in local and state governments for over a decade with a background in budgeting and finance. Before taking on her current role, Lindsay served as the Chief of Staff for the Baltimore City Office of Information and Technology where she helped lead the creation of the City’s first-ever Inclusive Digital Transformation Strategic Plan. She has also served as the Deputy Director of the Baltimore City Department of Transportation, where she was responsible for strategic planning and oversight of a $150M operating budget. Ms. Wines also held positions at the Baltimore City Department of Finance and the Maryland Department of Budget and Management.

Ms. Wines is a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park, and George Mason University, where she earned her Master of Public Policy.

Joanne Ashton    Chief, Shared Services

Joanne Ashton, Chief, Shared Services and RecruitmentJoanne Ashton is the Chief of Shared Services for the City of Baltimore’s Department of Human Resources (“DHR”). Since Ms. Ashton joined DHR in August of 2018, she has created a City-wide HR Community designed to improve communications and collaboration.

Ms. Ashton has over thirty-five (35) years of experience in various companies and human resources to be a results-focused leader with a well-rounded HR skill set. She is known for being responsible for the delivery, promotion, and implementation of continuous improvement in HR strategies and programs.  

Ms. Ashton earned her Executive Master’s degree in Business Management from Walden University, a Bachelor's degree in Human Resource Management from Averett University, and an Associate's degree in Retail Management from Dutchess Community College. She is a Society for Human Resource Management Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). In addition, she is a member of the Chesapeake Human Resources Association (CHRA) and the CHRA Book Club, and a 2005 graduate of Leadership Howard County.

 
Theresa Grundy    Chief, Learning and Development

Theresa Gjika, Chief, Learning, and DevelopmentTheresa Grundy is the Chief of Learning and Development for the City of Baltimore’s Department of Human Resources (“DHR”). She is primarily responsible for directing the City’s strategic development, implementation, and operation of all educational and staff development activities.

Before the City of Baltimore, Ms. Grundy held leadership positions in both operations and learning/development in both private and quasi-public sectors. She has ten (10) years of progressive experience teaching/training traditional and adult learners. Most recently, Ms. Grundy was responsible for a technology overhaul project, including design, development, writing, implementation, and training.

Ms. Grundy holds her Master’s degree in Human Resource Management from Keller Graduate School and her Bachelor's degree from Concordia University, double majoring in Psychology and Sociology. She is working toward obtaining her Society for Human Resource Management Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) and has been a member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) since 2014.

Rajesh Gulhar    Chief, Employee Benefits

Rajesh Gulhar, Chief, Employee BenefitsRay Gulhar joined the City of Baltimore’s Department of Human Resources (“DHR”) in May 2016 as the Chief of Employee Benefits. He is responsible for managing the comprehensive benefits program offered to City employees and retirees, including self-insured medical plans, dental plans, basic and optional life insurance, prescription drug plans, vision plans, flexible spending accounts, wellness and preventive care programs, and COBRA while ensuring the benefit programs meet the City’s fiscal policy and comply with Federal and State laws and regulations and contractual agreements.

Mr. Gulhar is a nationally recognized employee benefits practice leader and risk management professional who has worked with the public sector and private sector for forty (40) years. Before joining the City, he served as both the Director of Employee Benefits and Director of Risk Management for Alachua County in Florida, Risk Manager for Montgomery County in Maryland, Health and Risk Management Specialist for AON, Assistant Risk Manager/Benefits Manager for Manor Care and QI, underwriter for Kemper Insurance Group, and as an independent health consultant with various entities. His experience includes managing fully insured and self-insured health programs, implementing cost containment strategies, utilization management review, and disease management. He has extensive experience working with employee unions and union leaders, as well as healthcare providers and vendors.

Mr. Gulhar holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Political Science and a Master's degree in Economics from Delhi University, and he completed the John Hopkins Management and Leadership Training Program.

Terri Hill    Chief, Employee Assistance Program

Terri Hill, Chief, Employee Assistance ProgramTerri Hill serves as the Chief of the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for the City of Baltimore’s Department of Human Resources (“DHR”). She is responsible for managing and overseeing confidential, short-term professional counseling services provided to city employee stakeholders, experiencing challenges affecting work performance, health, and well-being. This role also ensures that managers, supervisors, and HR practitioners receive consultative and crisis-related services to assist them in navigating complex employee-related issues, and determining when supervisory EAP referrals are appropriate.

Ms. Hill has over 20 years of experience in the behavioral health field, providing direct clinical therapeutic services to individuals and developing, managing, and ensuring quality assurance of programs that serve persons experiencing challenging life circumstances. Her experience includes various populations and services including behavioral health, substance use, transitional housing, adolescent and adult group homes, behavioral neurology, foster care, developmental disability, and psychiatric rehabilitation. Having held leadership positions in the Human Resources and Finance sectors, Ms. Hill also brings experience in employee relations, policy creation and application, and development and management of capital and operational budgets. She has received the Excellence in Service Award from Foster America, a subsidiary of The Martin Pollak Project, as well as the City of Baltimore’s Richard A. Lidinsky Award for Excellence in Public Service.

Ms. Hill earned her Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Maryland’s School of Social Work, and her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Morgan State University. She maintains licensure as a Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical (LCSW-C), is a Maryland State Board of Social Work Examiners Board Approved Supervisor, and is a qualified Substance Abuse Professional (SAP), providing services for the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Kursten Jackson    Chief, Engagement and Strategic Partnership

Kursten Jackson, Chief, Engagement and Strategic PartnershipKursten Jackson is the Chief of Engagement and Strategic Partnership for the City of Baltimore’s Department of Human Resources (“DHR”). Her role serves to partner with agencies throughout the City of Baltimore to drive employee engagement and leverage DHR resources to support the agency’s strategic initiatives. 

Kursten brings with her nearly twenty (20) years of comprehensive experience in Human Resources and Organizational Development. She joined the City of Baltimore initially as the Chief of IT Human Capital for the Baltimore City Office of Information Technology (BCIT) in July 2018 and worked with the organization to transform the culture and pilot the optimization of IT resources across the City. Before joining BCIT, she worked for Johns Hopkins Medicine for twelve (12) years and spent five (5) years in the private sector with Science Applications International Corporation. Her prior experience includes overseeing Human Resources operations, creating and implementing Human Resources, Employee Engagement, and Diversity & Inclusion strategies, performing a variety of Human Resources functions including leadership development and coaching, recruitment, onboarding, training, compensation, benefits administration, and employee and labor relations.

Ms. Jackson holds a Master’s degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and has had extensive training in employee and labor relations, leadership development, and Lean Sigma methodologies.

Robert Paige    Chief, Human Resources Information Technology

Image of Robert Paige, Chief, Human Resources Information Technology

Robert Paige currently serves as the Chief, Office of Human Resources Information Technology (HRIT) in the Department of Human Resources for the City of Baltimore.  In this capacity, he is the custodian of records and is responsible for managing the HR technology and systems support team.

Before his role as chief, Robert served as the HRIT manager. He has come through the ranks of City employment and has served in numerous capacities, from administrative assistant to operations officer. He played a key role as functional lead for multiple HR systems implementations.

Robert is a proud US Army veteran and Certified Public Manager, recently graduating from the University of Baltimore's Schaefer Center for Public Policy.

Conrad Samuels    Chief, Recruitment

Image of Conrad Samuels, Chief, RecruitmentConrad A. Samuels serves as the Chief of the Office of Recruitment for the City of Baltimore’s Department of Human Resources. He oversees recruitment strategies, employment branding, talent pipeline development, and promotional testing, aligning these efforts with the City’s commitment to fostering a high-performing, diverse, and inclusive workforce.

With more than 20 years of Human Capital leadership experience, Mr. Samuels specializes in talent acquisition, HR analytics, workforce development, and organizational employment branding. He has extensive experience collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to design, implement, and execute enterprise-wide initiatives that attract, develop, engage, and retain talent.

Previously, Mr. Samuels held leadership roles at United Parcel Service (UPS), Pepco Holdings, Sandy Spring Bank, and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). In these roles, he developed and launched innovative recruitment and workforce development initiatives through strategic partnerships with businesses, community-based organizations, and educational institutions, creating career pathways for underserved populations.

Mr. Samuels holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management from the University of Maryland Global Campus. An active member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), he holds designations as a Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) and Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR). He has served in leadership roles on various Workforce Development Boards in the Baltimore-Washington D.C. corridor, contributing to and impacting regional workforce and economic growth.

Darryl Strange    Chief, Communications

Darryl Strange, Chief, CommunicationsDarryl Strange is the Chief of Communications for the City of Baltimore’s Department of Human Resources (“DHR”). He is responsible for disseminating external and internal DHR communications and overseeing DHR public relations matters.

Mr. Strange has over eighteen (18) years of experience in the communications field, working with the world's largest credit union and many state and local government agencies, where he supported the development of communication platforms.

Mr. Strange earned his Master of Science degree in entertainment business and law, from Full Sail University, and received his Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communications, with a specialization in advertising and public relations, from Towson University. He is also a graduate of The Boys' Latin School of Maryland.

Alisa Underwood-Jordan    Chief, Classification and Compensation

Alisa Underwood-Jordan, Chief, Classification and CompensationAlisa Underwood-Jordan serves as the Chief of Classification and Compensation for the City of Baltimore’s Department of Human Resources (“DHR”). In this capacity, she is responsible for leading, developing, and implementing classification and compensation projects and initiatives, and providing analysis and strategic methodologies for maintaining a competitive compensation program to attract and retain top talent. 

Ms. Underwood-Jordan has over eighteen (18) years of progressive classification and compensation experience in both public and non-profit organizations. Prior to her employment with the City of Baltimore, she was the Senior Classification and Compensation Analyst for a global non-profit company,  where she was responsible for analyzing wage and salary data, evaluating the organization’s pay structure, providing advice and guidance surrounding pay decisions, pay policy interpretation, and remaining abreast of federal, state and local compensation laws and regulations to ensure company compliance.

Ms. Underwood-Jordan is working toward obtaining her IPMA-HR Senior Certified Human Resource Professional (IPMA-SCP) certification; she is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and World at Work.

Valerie Weldon, JD    Chief, Policy and Compliance

Valerie Weldon, Chief, Policy and ComplianceValerie Weldon is the Chief of Policy and Compliance for the City of Baltimore’s Department of Human Resources (“DHR”). She is responsible for the daily operations of the Policy and Compliance team, ensuring consistent understanding, interpretation, and application of City-wide policies and procedures. This role includes overseeing an extensive range of complex and sensitive investigations, as well as the development and proposing of new policies and revisions of existing policies, based on best practices in accordance with City, State, and Federal employment laws and regulations, and managing complex and highly sensitive employee relations investigations.

Ms. Weldon has over nineteen (19) years of human resources experience, having begun her career as a Human Resources Director for a government contractor that specialized in education and job training for at-risk youth. Prior to that role, Ms. Weldon worked for the State of Maryland for thirteen (13) years at the Office of the Public Defender for Baltimore City and Baltimore County. She started working for the Public Defender’s Office for the State of Maryland in 1988 as a law clerk while in law school. Ms. Weldon was also the Supervising Attorney for the Public Defender’s Office of Baltimore County. In 2001, she continued her career at the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Public Defenders Office, after which she started writing appellate briefs as a consultant for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Public Defenders Office. She also argued a case on behalf of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Public Defenders Office before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.

Ms. Weldon is a Baltimore native, having graduated from Western High School in Baltimore, Maryland. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University, School of Speech/Communication, holds a Juris Doctorate (JD) from the University of Maryland, School of Law, and has been licensed to practice law within the States of Maryland, Illinois, and Massachusetts.

 

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