HCC Chief Human Resources Officer Janet May receives CUPA-HR's National Distinguished Service Award

Aug 25, 2021

Janet May, chief HR officer at Houston Community College, has been selected to receive the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR) 2021 Distinguished Service Award.

This national award honors transformative HR work in higher education, recognizing teams or individuals who have provided HR leadership resulting in significant and ongoing organizational change within their institutions. CUPA-HR is pleased to make a $3,000 contribution to Houston Community College’s STEAM Summer Camp for local high school students.

May first served in a CUPA-HR leadership role when she joined the Western Region board of directors in 2010. She served on the board for 10 years, in the roles of secretary, chair-elect, chair, past chair and — for three years — as the Western Region representative to the national board of directors. Other highlights of May’s national CUPA-HR service include serving on the Membership Committee, Emerging Issues Committee, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee and participating in CUPA-HR’s Creating Inclusive Communities project.

“Janet is the epitome of CUPA-HR and its values,” said David Blake, vice president and chief operating officer at California Western School of Law and past CUPA-HR board chair. “On her campus, a predominantly Hispanic serving institution, she is a visible and vocal advocate for advancing student, staff and faculty diversity and inclusion efforts. Through her service over the years, she has demonstrated her leadership and her commitment to our profession and association.”