Sheri Neshiem

Sheri Neshiem, MS, PHR, SHRM-CP is the Vice Chancellor and Chief Human Resources Officer at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she leads an integrated people strategy that advances workforce effectiveness, employee experience, and organizational capability in support of the university’s academic, research, and public service mission.

With more than 35 years of progressive human resources leadership experience, Sheri has served in senior roles across higher education, government, finance, and healthcare. Her career has centered on building high-performing HR organizations, advancing workforce and talent strategies, strengthening labor and employee relations, and improving operational effectiveness in complex, mission-driven environments.

Sheri brings a practical, enterprise perspective to organizational transformation, with a strong focus on aligning people strategy with institutional priorities, enhancing service delivery, and building sustainable HR operating models that support both employees and leadership.

In addition to her civilian leadership career, Sheri is a U.S. Air Force veteran and currently serves as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve. In her military service, she contributes to shaping human resources strategy in support of the U.S. Navy workforce, bringing a disciplined, mission-focused leadership approach to both her military and civilian roles.

She is recognized for her ability to lead through complexity, strengthen organizational alignment, and build HR functions that are both strategically grounded and operationally effective.