Webinar: Innovative Agency Initiatives-PSHRA’s 2024 Agency Award Wnrs

Tamara Dixon is currently the Human Resources Director and Chief Diversity Officer for the City of Northglenn, in Northglenn Colorado. She has worked in the private and public sectors for Parson Consulting, City and County of Denver, City of Lone Tree, City of Wheat Ridge and Town of Parker, and as an adjunct professor for the University of Colorado at Denver. Ms. Dixon has spent her 20+ year career being a customer service practitioner, adept trainer, organizational development expert, and human resources specialist.  Her areas of expertise include diversity, equity and inclusion, culture change initiatives, performance management, leadership training, strategic planning, and retreat facilitation.

Tamara holds her bachelor’s degree in political science (BS) from Tuskegee University, master’s degree in public administration (MPA) from Auburn University (WAR EAGLE!) and Senior Certified Professional designation from both the International Public Management Association for Human Resources (IPMA-SCP) and the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM-SCP). She is past-President of the Western Region IPMA-HR and is the current elected Western Region representative for the PSHRA Executive Council. As part of the Executive Council, she has co-chaired the Governance and By-Laws subcommittees, and Region Advisory Committee Taskforce.

Leadership and service is her passion and raising 14-year-old Sydney Olivia is her joy!

Jane E. Cheeks is a tenured HR management professional with diversified leadership successes in both the public and corporate sectors. Jane holds a solid reputation for executing large-scale consolidation strategies and maintaining stellar oversight of a budget of over $450 million dollars. 

Jane has served the City of Houston for over 24 years, specializing in the operation of core Human Resource functions. As the Director of the City’s Human Resources department, she currently manages over 300 HR professionals who ensures the City’s employees, retirees, dependents, and survivors receive vital human resources benefits and services.

Jane’s ability to maintain solidarity among her employees is showcased by her breakthrough accomplishments including leadership of a seven-department consolidation to form the City’s present-day General Services Department and the centralized Human Resources Department for the City of Houston.

 She recently led HR’s digital transformation, the HROne project, which included the successful implementation of SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central and BenefitFocus’ Benefitplace platform. This project focused on replacing the existing HR Core and Benefits Administration infrastructure to an updated, integrated system that has engaged and increased the productivity and mobility of employees and modernized the HR business systems at the City of Houston. Now she is embarking on a work-life transformation with the City’s current employee engagement survey, Involve & Evolve, which will be different from any other engagement survey as the survey has a five-phase approach that will take City employees on continuous journey for years to come. Most recently, she led the city by establishing a state-of-the-art Wellness Center Facility. The Wellness Center Facility provides a holistic approach where employees will have access to healthcare coaches, dieticians, while also being able to use onsite exercise equipment and/or participate in a variety of wellness fitness activities, seminars, and more. 

Jane’s keen regard for customer service and her employees, as well as her commitment to public service, are elements that drive her success. She continues to serve the city by working to reform succession planning, the standardization of HR practices, policies, and procedures, and bring innovation as common practice in HR for the City of Houston.

Dalton Rice, MSHS, CPM, became the City Manager of Kerrville in October2023, following his tenure as City Manager for Morgan’s Point Resort. With 13years of service in the U.S. Army Special Forces, Dalton brings a diversebackground that includes experience as a paramedic, firefighter, and healthcareadministrator. He holds a B.S. in Business Administration and Law, an MSHS inHealth Care Quality, and is a Certified Public Manager. Active in professionalorganizations, Dalton is a member of International City/ County ManagementAssociation (ICMA), Texas City Management Association (TCMA), and serves onboards such as the Kerrville Economic Development Corporation (KEDC), ElevateAdult Education, and Here’s to Our Heroes. Rice also participates in communityactivities through the Rotary Club.

Dalton is married to his wife, Anna, and they have three children: Rylan,aged 14, and twins Rhett and Ryker, aged 6. His leadership is grounded infamily values and community engagement, balancing the demands of public servicewith his personal passions. In his free time, Dalton enjoys flying, skydiving,scuba diving, camping, and traveling with his family.