Lewis Is Appointed Benefits Director

The Office of Human Resources (OHR) recently appointed Barbara L. Lewis as the director of total compensation. Lewis, a certified compensation consultant, will head new efforts to improve all benefits programs for University faculty and staff.

"This [job] is a nice opportunity to pursue a specific area of professional interest and to provide leadership for total compensation at the University level," Lewis said.

For the past six months, Lewis worked part-time at the OHR as a special consultant, managing benefits reform.

"Barbara...has proved invaluable in implementing the transition to the new client-centered model of benefits service," said Polly Price, associate vice president for human resources, in a news release.

"I am delighted that she will become a permanent part of the OHR leadership team and will be able to devote her full time and attention to this important effort," Price said.

Lewis said she anticipates improvement in the delivery of customer services through technological advances and more efficient organization.

"We will be able to provide quicker and easier access to basic information while continuing one-on-one consultations when needed," she said. "Change will not happen overnight, but I believe that the end product will be important to those who work for Harvard."

Prior to her promotion, Lewis had worked at Harvard Medical School for 19 years. There she spearheaded efforts to establish a new Department of Human Resources. Lewis was a key figure in developing human resource support services for research and teaching faculty at the Medical School.

"I am excited about this opportunity to improve a service to the University," she said. "We have all the resources and staff to be able to succeed."