A 20-year veteran of human resources will steer Colorado State University’s Human Resources Department through a redesign of current processes and systems, with a continued and expanded emphasis on customer service.
Robyn Fergus, named as the Human Resources Department executive director in June, has extensive experience in public education in both Denver and Jefferson County schools. Her background includes creating strategies for diversity hiring practices, establishing partnerships, enhancing transparency, designing and implementing efficient systems and processes, and guiding human resources units through change and transformation.
“I am excited that Robyn has joined our Human Resources team. Her deep experience, particularly 15 years in Denver public schools navigating similar challenges to ours, prepare her well to assist to better position Human Resources to meet the needs of the university community by reviewing and improving processes, as well as enhancing transparency and communication,” said Diana Prieto, CSU’s associate vice president for human capital. “Robyn’s knowledge and experience with project and change management will be invaluable to Human Resources as recommendations from an outside consultant and the University Business Operations Task Force form the basis of focus areas for Human Resources moving forward. It is a pleasure to partner with Robyn as we tackle important and meaningful projects with a goal of creating a dynamic human resources environment at CSU.”
Fergus cites her passion for working at service-oriented organizations as a factor that drew her to Colorado State University. She also strives to create value-based process improvement and consistency across an organization. Her goals will be to more deeply enhance service through thoughtful, customer-oriented processes that clear a path for CSU’s workforce to focus on their individual jobs.
“I’m excited to draw upon my past experiences with system implementation and process redesign to further enhance services provided to the university through Human Resources, and to keep our focus on the university’s mission and values,” Fergus said. “Among my first tasks will be to identify values that will guide Human Resource department interactions with the university, and how those values will support our customer service model and our positive impact on students, faculty and staff. My ultimate goal is to further the current work that has been done to make Human Resources a more strategic partner for the university’s mission, and continue to shift our focus from transactional service to customer service.”
A graduate of a fellow land-grant institution, Michigan State University, Fergus was a first-generation student from a family that embraced obtaining an education as a core value.
Her experience spans serving in various human resources positions in both private and public institutions, starting her career at a staffing business before working at Daimler Chrysler in Detroit and Alabama, and then Vail Resorts, before transitioning to a career devoted to supporting education through public schools in Colorado.
Fergus also serves as a board member for an organization that rescues horses and provides equine-assisted programs for at-risk youth, and enjoys riding her horses at home with her partner. She also volunteers through a canine rescue organization and fosters dogs before they are adopted, and previously volunteered for the Reading Partner Program through Denver Public Schools.
The appointment of Fergus to the role of executive director of Human Resource Services furthers university efforts to support initiatives to build a national reputation as an employer of choice in higher education and to improve the work life of employees through impactful change.
