Management Team

Senior Associate Vice President, University Personnel

Joanne M. Wright, J.D | 408-924-2458

Joanne Wright joined SJSU in October 2015 in the Office of Faculty Affairs within the Academic Affairs Division. She moved into her current role in April 2018. As Senior Associate Vice President, Joanne provides strategic leadership for the department closely aligning with SJSU's mission and goals of the Strategic Plan. Providing excellence in customer service to current and potential SJSU employees is a daily goal as it is the most effective way to help and care for those requiring services from University Personnel. Joanne has an open door policy and welcomes the opportunity to speak with constituents to talk about UP’s role at SJSU as well as when concerns and questions arise. Biggest achievement: her four children!

Senior Director, Faculty Services

James Lee | 408-924-5866

Dr. James Lee joined SJSU as an Assistant Professor in 2005. He became full Professor in 2015, and after serving six years as Chair of the Justice Studies Department, in May 2019 he accepted the position of Senior Director, Faculty Services. His Faculty Services team administers evaluation processes for all faculty, ensures compliance with University Policies pertaining to faculty lifecycle, recruitment through retirement, assists with applying provisions of the collective bargaining agreements to faculty and academic student employees, and works closely with the Provost’s Office to facilitate faculty success. James works with a variety of leaders, from department chairs, deans, and senior leadership to achieve campus goals, including for diverse faculty recruitment and retention, equitable review and promotion through ranks, and fair and just compensation. James enjoys things he’s not particularly good at, including gardening, hiking, and home projects.

Senior Director, Employee and Labor Relations

Julie Paisant | 408-924-2255

Julie joined SJSU in May 2012 in the Human Resources Department as the Equal Opportunity Manager. In 2013, she was promoted to Director, adding Employee/Labor Relations to her team. With the merger of Faculty Affairs and Human Resources, Julie now manages not only the Employee/Labor Relations and Equal Opportunity units which ensures compliance with collective bargaining agreements and policies, but is also responsible for investigating complaints and providing guidance to campuswide leadership related to equal opportunity and employee relations. In addition, the newly formed Retention unit (Classification/Compensation and Recruiting) reports to her. When not at the University Julie enjoys a wide variety of activities including live music, festivals, travel and good laughs!!

Senior Director, University Personnel Operations

Terryn Ashley | 408-924-1708

Terryn worked at SJSU from 1999-2001 in the Police Department and Payroll. She returned in 2022 after spending 20 years at CSU Monterey Bay. Her background working in a department, systems support, and central HR gives her a unique perspective focused on excellent customer service, streamlined processes, and a drive for 100% accuracy. Terryn manages the day-to-day operations of the Payroll, Employee Support Services, Unemployment, and the Fee Waiver Program. When not working, Terryn enjoys spending time outdoors with her three dogs.

Manager, Recruitment & Retention

Tony Garcia | 408-924-2143

Tony has been a Spartan since 2005, initially hired at the Front Desk in Human Resources. He's held several positions in HR/UP and currently oversees the daily operations of the Recruitment and Retention unit. In addition to Recruiting, the team is responsible for all Classification and Compensation processes for Staff and Management positions, such as in-range progression and classification reviews.

Multistate Workforce Resource Manager

Allen Ly | 408-924-1719

Allen Ly joined SJSU and University Personnel in February 2024 as the Multistate Workforce Resource Manager. In his role, Allen is responsible for overseeing compliance with all out-of-state employee positions based on remote-work location. He plays a crucial role in ensuring that SJSU maintains statutory compliance with geographic location-based laws while managing a diverse set of complex rules, policies, and procedures that regulate practices in a particular jurisdiction. Inter alia, Allen enjoys binge-watching Netflix, Amazon deliveries, and DoorDashing.

Manager, Employment Authorization and Compliance Services

Christie Martinez | 408-924-6670

Christie joined SJSU's Faculty Affairs department in 2014. She has served in various positions learning different aspects of the faculty lifecycle including temporary faculty appointments, additional employment, academic labor relations, retention, tenure and promotion (RTP), and immigration. In her current position, she oversees the daily operations of the I-9 processing, immigration, front desk operations, OnBase, and Outside Employment for Faculty and MPPs. When Christie is not working, she loves to spend time with her kids and granddaughter. She loves hiking and going on daredevil adventures.

Manager, Faculty Service Operations

Crystal Mercado | 408-924-2023

Crystal joined SJSU in 2015 as an Administrative Services Representative working at the then HR front desk. After serving a few years as an Employee Services Representative and Manager of UP Operations, she is now the Manager of Faculty Services Operations. Crystal manages the Faculty Services team to ensure optimum customer service. She oversees all faculty and academic student employment processes and communicates processes and changes to colleges. Outside of SJSU, she enjoys traveling, exercising, and eating good food.

Director, Employee and Labor Relations

Julianne Miyashiro | 408-924-1987

Julianne joined SJSU and University Personnel in January 2024 as the Director of Academic Employee Relations. In her role, Julianne provides the University with leadership in the development and administration of personnel procedures for Unit 3 (Faculty, Librarians, Coaches, and Counselors) and Unit 11 (Teaching Associates, Graduate Assistants, and Instructional Student Assistants). Julianne also provides oversight to the employee relations processes for Units 3 and 11. In her free time, Julianne enjoys spending time with her family and dog, being outdoors, watching a good television show, and cheering on her favorite sports teams.

Manager, Leave, Workers' Compensation, and Accommodation Programs

Yazmin Perez | 408-924-2155

Yazmin joined SJSU and University Personnel in 2021 amidst the COVID pandemic. As Leave, Workers' Compensation and Accommodations Manager, Yazmin manages all leave and accommodations programs and processes on campus including the Employment Accommodations Resource Center (EARC). Yazmin has expertise in mandated leave programs such as Family Medical Leave and CA Pregnancy Disability Leave as well as the various, recent leave programs offered for COVID related issues. She and her team are available to assist campus constituents navigate these complex areas.

Manager, Organizational Development and Enrichment Programs

Holly Quinones | 408-924-6891

Holly joined SJSU and University Personnel in the Summer of 2023 as the Manager of Organizational Development and Enrichment Programs. Her background in student services includes faculty and professional advisor training, professional and personal wellness program development, curriculum development, and facilitation of campuswide DEI initiatives. Holly manages the development programs that aim to enrich the lives and wellness of SJSU’s faculty and staff. Outside of work, you’ll find her on some new adventure, reading, or at the beach.