Lianne Sullivan-Crowley
Photo: John Jameson
Lianne Sullivan-Crowley, a human resources professional with 20
years of experience in higher education, has been named vice president
for human resources at Princeton University. Her appointment is
effective Aug. 1, 2005.
For the past three years, Sullivan-Crowley has served as executive
director of human resources and administrative services at Smith
College in Massachusetts, where she has worked since 1998. From 1985 to
1998, she held positions in employment and in labor relations at
Harvard University.
"Lianne has an excellent track record in improving human resources
services," said Mark Burstein, vice president for administration.
Sullivan-Crowley will report to Burstein, who is slated to become
executive vice president on July 1. "She has transformed Smith's Office
of Human Resources so that it is considered a true resource by those
who work at the college. She also is an outstanding manager, not only
training other staff members how to supervise but providing an
exceptional model through her own leadership."
Sullivan-Crowley was selected following an extensive process involving
an external search firm and an internal search committee. Burstein said
those conducting the search were impressed with her ability to connect
with all levels of employees, from executives to frontline staff
members, and with her commitment to diversity.
Her accomplishments at Smith include establishing creative and
effective employee and labor relations functions, revising various
benefits plan documents to ensure better understanding, successfully
negotiating collective bargaining agreements with seven unions, and
designing and implementing work-family balance and wellness programs.
"I am honored to be joining Princeton University," said
Sullivan-Crowley. "I look forward to working collaboratively with all
of the members of the Princeton community to help further President
[Shirley M.] Tilghman's vision of bringing the services and support
available to staff and faculty to the next level of excellence."
A graduate of the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Sullivan-Crowley
holds a law degree from Suffolk University Law School. She began her
career at the Sheraton Corp. in Boston and, after two years, joined
Harvard as a consultant and staffing representative in the employment
office in 1985. Four years later, she was promoted to manager of the
employment office.
In 1990, she began working in labor relations at Harvard as a
consultant and then assistant director. She served as associate
director of employee and labor relations from 1996 to 1997.
Sullivan-Crowley joined the Smith staff as director of human resources
in 1998, managing employment, organizational effectiveness development,
training, employee and labor relations, and compensation and benefits.
She was promoted to a member of the president's senior staff in 2000
and then promoted again to her present post two years later, adding
rental properties and the college bookstore to her human resources
responsibilities.
Sullivan-Crowley and her partner, Julie Sullivan-Crowley, have two
daughters. She will succeed Maureen Nash, vice president for human
resources from 2003 to 2004. Princeton's Office of Human Resources
provides services to the University community in the areas of
employment, compensation, benefits, work/life balance, employee and
labor relations, training, human resources information systems and
organization development.
