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| DAWN CUNNINGHAM, Past President, SHRM San Antonio 2021Dawn Cunningham, PHR, SHRM-CP, is an experienced HR professional who has worked across healthcare, manufacturing, government, education, entertainment, and non-profit sectors. She holds a Master of Arts in Administration (Organizational Development) from the University of the Incarnate Word and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from UTSA. A longtime San Antonio SHRM member, Dawn served as Chapter President in 2021. In the aftermath of 2020, she helped the chapter navigate a changed landscape, preserve its strongest traditions, strengthen the board as a team, and archive key processes and historical documents for future leaders after the loss of Celia. Membership challenges remained, yet she stayed focused on steady progress. As a volunteer leader, Dawn has served as Vice President of the UIW Alumni Association Board, on the UIW Career Services Advisory Committee, on the Executive Board of the inaugural San Antonio chapter of Texas Women In Business, and in multiple SHRM Mentorship cohorts. Her goal as an HR professional and volunteer leader is simple: to make a difference every day and for years to come. |
Q: What key lessons from leading the chapter in 2021 still apply to San Antonio SHRM’s membership and board challenges today?
Dawn: Engagement is still very important. Members need a reason to become involved and stay involved. We used to always say in New Member Orientation, "You get out of it what you put into it." This still holds true. With respect to the board, there is always going to be turnover. Life happens! This impacts every single BOD. The year may start out with a strong commitment and good intentions, but then circumstances change and fallout occurs. Having a board and membership with tribal knowledge and/or an enthusiasm to become involved helps sustain a bench to draw from when changes occur. For those hesitant to get involved with their time and talent, we would encourage members to give what they can. Q: Why is intentional knowledge transfer and archiving so important for volunteer-led chapters, and what practical advice would you give current board members?Dawn: It's great to have new ideas and a fresh perspective for the direction of the chapter, however we should remember that we don't need to reinvent the wheel. The SHRM SA chapter has had almost 70 years of success based on lessons learned and tried and true efforts for delivering quality programs. For example, there should be a database of past speakers, topics, and survey ratings. This should assist future BODs in determining program offerings based on the current needs of business, HR hot topics, and membership requests. Q: Identifying fan favorites increases meeting attendance and repetitive topics can be spaced out to maintain variety. You’ve held leadership roles across UIW alumni efforts, Texas Women In Business, and SHRM mentorship cohorts. How has serving in these different volunteer capacities shaped your approach to building and supporting professional communities? Dawn: Each organization and volunteer role has given me an opportunity to meet an entirely new group of professionals, leaders, and friends. I've gained a lot of experience throughout my HR career, and I don't keep that knowledge to myself. I get great fulfillment out of being a resource and mentor. Developing others is part of my ongoing development. In the process my network has grown, and I've gained a deeper connection to my community, my profession, and my beloved universities. |
| JERI GEORGE, Past President, SHRM San Antonio 2018Jeri served as President of SHRM San Antonio in 2018, leading a strong team (including Barbara and Tiffany) with a sharp focus on social media growth, website enhancements, and increasing chapter enrollment. She later served as Director of Certification for Texas SHRM from 2020 to 2023, supporting HR professionals across the state in advancing their credentials and careers. Her leadership has consistently emphasized professionalism and continuous evolution. Today, as Chief People Officer at Catholic Charities of San Antonio, she drives people strategy for one of the region’s largest human-services networks. She also serves as an Adjunct Professor at Trinity University, preparing future HR professionals with practical, industry-aligned education. Q: Your career spans strategic HR leadership across nonprofit, for-profit, school district, and federal contractor settings. How did your experience as SHRM San Antonio President influence your approach to people strategy, particularly in areas like talent acquisition, organizational development, and building inclusive cultures? Serving as SHRM San Antonio President was a turning point for me. It really grounded me in the idea that people strategy is about connection and intentionality, not just programs or processes. Leading a volunteer board with different perspectives taught me how important it is to listen, build trust, and bring people together around a shared purpose. |
Jeri GeorgeThat experience made me more thoughtful about how I approach talent. I focus on creating pathways for growth, being more inclusive in how we attract and develop people, and making sure culture isn’t something we talk about once a year but something we shape every day. It also reminded me that real impact comes from aligning people to mission and giving them the support and clarity they need to succeed. Q:During your presidency you emphasized continuous evolution. What advice would you give to current and future SHRM San Antonio leaders about balancing respect for tradition with the need to keep growing and adapting? One thing I learned during my presidency is that honoring tradition and embracing change are not competing priorities, they actually need each other. The traditions are what ground the chapter in its purpose and community, but growth is what keeps it relevant and meaningful. My advice to future leaders is to stay curious and be willing to challenge “the way we’ve always done it,” while still respecting the foundation that got you there. Some of the best ideas come from being open to new voices and perspectives, especially from emerging HR professionals who see things differently. Just as important is creating an environment of psychological safety within your board and leadership team. People need to feel comfortable speaking up, offering new ideas, and even disagreeing without fear of being dismissed. That’s where real innovation and evolution come from. At the end of the day, it’s about listening, staying connected to your members, and being intentional about how you grow. If you keep the mission at the center and create space for people to contribute authentically, the balance between tradition and progress becomes much more natural. Q:As an Adjunct Professor and longtime HR leader, you often say “when you make it to the top, send the elevator back down.” With HR students struggling to find internships, what can SHRM San Antonio members and leaders do to better support and mentor the next generation of HR professionals in our community? That phrase really comes from a place of remembering how important access and opportunity were in my own journey. None of us get here alone, and students today are eager, capable, and just need someone to open a door. For SHRM San Antonio members, it can start with small, intentional actions. Offer internships, even short-term or project-based ones. Invite students to shadow you for a day or sit in on a meeting. Make introductions. Sometimes just helping them build confidence and expand their network can make all the difference. Mentorship is just as critical. Not in a formal, time-consuming way, but in honest conversations about what it really takes to succeed in HR, what skills matter, and where they can grow. Students don’t just need opportunities, they need guidance and encouragement. What I’ve learned, though, is that this isn’t a one-way relationship. When we invest in students, we’re also building lifelong relationships and support networks. They rely on us early in their careers, but we can rely on them too. They bring fresh perspectives, challenge our thinking, and help us find that balance between honoring tradition and continuing to evolve. At the end of the day, sending the elevator back down is about being intentional about access and connection. If each of us commits to lifting just one student, opening one door, or making one connection, it creates a ripple effect that strengthens our entire HR community for years to come. |
Dr. Ernesto Escobedo | DR. ERNESTO ESCOBEDO, Past President, SHRM San Antonio 2023Ernesto led SHRM San Antonio with a clear vision that the chapter must evolve to remain relevant. His leadership philosophy was simple, yet powerful: “Change is good — so keep the pulse on that. Always look for and monitoring change.” Under his presidency, the chapter underwent several transformative initiatives that continue to benefit members today:
Ernesto’s tenure strengthened the chapter’s foundation by embracing innovation while honoring its core mission: advancing the HR profession through high-quality education and inclusive programming. |
Q: You emphasized the importance of monitoring change and led several major updates to the chapter’s branding and programming. What advice would you give to current and future SHRM SA leaders about balancing tradition with the need for evolution? Escobedo: Future San Antonio SHRM SA leaders must continue to honor the chapter’s historical legacy of education and networking, while aggressively evolving to meet the current and future demands of a tech-multigenerational workforce. Q: You introduced the first SHRM-CP/SCP Certification Prep Class updates during your presidency. Why was this initiative important to you, and what impact do you hope it continues to have on HR professionals in the San Antonio community? Escobedo: As an educator, and 1st Gen, I believe in the importance of SHRM certification for human resources professionals to gain the skills that make an impact in our community and workplace at large. |
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