(Photo provided by Christopher M. Ackerman Sr.)
Christopher Ackerman says “I am proud to be part of Mason Nation”
BY IOANNIS VLAHOS, STAFF WRITER
On Feb. 3, Christopher M. Ackerman Sr. was named as Mason’s Vice President of Human Resources and Chief Human Resources Officer. To Ackerman, this appointment is a homecoming. “[It] is both a professional honor and a deeply personal milestone.”
Ackerman, now filling the role, will oversee the department to a campus of over 8,100 employees. It sounds daunting, but according to Ken Walsh, Executive Vice President for Strategic Initiatives at Mason, he’s the “right man” for the job.
“Chris brings to George Mason extensive executive leadership in all aspects of human resources management and a proven track record of collaboration and achieving excellence in HR practices in environments that demand precision and innovation,” Walsh said.
Ackerman was enthusiastic about his new role within the Mason community, stating, “I am proud to be part of Mason Nation and excited to collaborate with the George Mason community to create a people-first culture that empowers our diverse workforce and fosters an environment where talent thrives and innovation flourishes.”
Before joining the Mason faculty, Ackerman served in human resources roles at several universities, including the University of California, Berkeley, Howard University and most recently, Stanford University.
At Stanford, Ackerman was head of client human resources services for SLAC National Laboratory, a U.S Department of Energy facility run by the university. There, he implemented an enterprise-level HR strategy as well as facilitated communication and cooperation with the executive leadership, over a workforce of approximately 2,000 employees.
An adept leader while at Stanford, Ackerman was responsible for duties such as, enhancing performance management systems and integrating strategic workplace planning to meet organizational directives at SLAC.
He also served as chief human resources officer at HCA Healthcare, located in Northern Virginia, for five years. There, he played a big part in enhancing the attraction and retention of employees, establishing strategic partnerships, and implementing initiatives that improved organizational efficiency.
