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Welcome to Human Resources

Supporting Current and Prospective Employees

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HR Announcements & Updates

HR Reception Office Hours

2026 Wellness Vaccine Clinics 

Benefits & Leaves
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Medical, Dental & Vision Plans, Retirement Plans, Leaves Information.

HR Trainings
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Payroll
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Payroll Processing, Payroll Approver Permissions, Tax Requirements, Direct Deposit.

Student Employment
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HR Operations
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Hiring Procedures, Background Checks, HRIS, PageUp Recruitment, Onboarding.

HR Newsletters

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Employee & Labor Relations
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Contract Compliance, Performance Evaluations, Personnel Changes.

Liz Parkes, AVP of HR, headshot

Liz Parkes, Associate Vice President of Human Resources


Liz Parkes is the Associate Vice President (AVP) of Human Resources at Western, where she leads a service-oriented team dedicated to providing efficient and courteous support to the university's employees, while ensuring compliance with federal, state, and institutional regulations.

After earning her law degree, Liz began her career at the Office of the Attorney General in Spokane, representing the Department of Child and Family Services. She then moved to Seattle, where she worked at a boutique litigation firm before returning to her hometown of Bellingham. There, Liz spent 20 years at the Haggen corporate office, overseeing a broad range of responsibilities, including employee and labor relations, contract negotiation, commercial leasing, and various legal and Human Resources functions.